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Guernsey Consulting on Bag Limits for Anglers


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Taken from the Guernsey SFC Website re UK vessels in Guernsey waters:

 

Licences are administered by the Sea Fisheries Section of the Commerce and Employment Department, and may be issued to holders of valid licence entitlements and upon application to the owners of UK registered vessels that hold full DEFRA licences.

www.gbass.co.uk - The Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society

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Cheers Andy- so back on topic.

 

Licenses are issued to UK commercial vessels, to fish in non EU waters, but they are worried about the charter boats coming over with rod and line!

 

Presumably these are the same boats that were in the press last years as hammering stocks, which I think got even the local commercial boys annoyed.

 

A little re- alignment of thought required I think.

B.A.S.S. member

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It is quite likely that these bag limits may well be enforced as the Bailwick of Guernsey has a strong reputation for backing its fishermen.

 

 

I have heard tell of a certain skipper from the mainland selling catches both on the English and French mainland, unfortunately I believe he still has an MFV license so is not actually breaking the law, I however would be unwilling to name him as I have only heard this second hand and have no first hand knowledge of this.

 

Another skipper warned me about 3 or 4 years ago that something like this or even worse was probably going to happen due to the inconsiderate behaviour of a couple of charter skippers and sure enough here it is come round to bite us all on the bum.

 

Personnaly I have no problem with landing limits but reductions have to be made over both the commercial and pleasure sector.

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Cheers Andy- so back on topic.

 

Licenses are issued to UK commercial vessels, to fish in non EU waters, but they are worried about the charter boats coming over with rod and line!

 

Presumably these are the same boats that were in the press last years as hammering stocks, which I think got even the local commercial boys annoyed.

 

A little re- alignment of thought required I think.

 

Don't get me wrong, the local boats have as much to do with the blondel as the Uk ones but all extra boats add to the problem. Commercial skippers are more than happy to travel over 100 miles for a decent fill of high value fish in my experience, I think everyone could agree with that.

 

 

 

As far as the bag limit issue goes, I feel it may well happen as the local SFC really do look after the commercials even with lawsuits against them by others such as the one going on with Jersey fishermen at present (Don't ask me about all that, missed part of the story and got lost. Something to do with the Bay of Granville agreement that Guernsey was excluded from??) but I would not like to see it happen in the way it is described as there is no proposal that would actually protect the stock, only protect the commercial boys. We need a joint effort between all parties, commercial and RSA's to have the most effective benefit to the stock which at the end of the day is the most important thing as we would all be without a job if there are no fish (all meaning the people alderneyangling mentioned above plus a few more).

 

 

 

Andy

www.gbass.co.uk - The Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society

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They say they are estimating that but no-one has any idea where these figures have come from. Note that the consultation says that they "catch" significant quantities of fish. no word on what they land and what is kept. From talking to some of the skippers, they do not keep very many fish at all compared to what is caught. They also have a much larger minimum size than the legal 28cm, anglers wouldn't keep many flatties under about 3-4lb which is a darn sight bigger than 28cm

www.gbass.co.uk - The Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society

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Andy,

 

I believe the Guernsey 'Bay of Granville' issue comes down to a disagreement, which meant that only commercial boats licensed to do so can fish in Guernsey waters.

 

The agreement itself, I believe, allows free- er access to local waters, which means more French can access Jersey waters than Guernsey.

 

I am unsure as to whether it affects the ability of Guernsey fishermen to fish outside of their area.

 

I am sure someone will put me right if I have got that confused.

 

Back on topic- so are you organising the response to this?

B.A.S.S. member

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Hi fishing guernsey

 

You are way off line with this one

 

i believe uk charter boats have been selling there catch of turbot brill and bass in the channel isles and back in the uk, i have been asked if i would buy them, but i refused. This is why this situation has come to a head in a nut shell pure greed. Consultation on bags limits over there is SPOT ON

 

regards steve

 

 

Hello Steve,

 

You have a personal message with regards to this statement.

 

Mark

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Read the report - 356 boat days fished in 2004, and there were a LOT more done in 2005 & 2006. Lets say that 1/2 of these were for flatties (a low estimate as that's what everyone advertises the main quarry as). Lets say each boat has an average of 8 anglers, and they catch the proposed bag limit of 2 turbot, at an average of 5lb each fish, so 5kg in total per rod.

178daysx8 rodsx5kg

=7120kg

Seven tonnes of turbot alone, and thats assuming the bag limit is adhered to. You can see where they're coming from. Most posters on here may not be aware that the Guernsey & Alderney commercial fleet is not particularly big. You have about 6 fish trawlers, and all but 2 of those are under 40ft. Apart from flats & rays on the banks there actually isn't much for them to trawl for, we don't get prawns or cod & whiting much. Commercial effort HAS been reduced by forcing the large French & UK beam trawlers outside the 12 mile limit, hence the relatively plentiful small flatties, however the bigger ones are not in the numbers that there used to be, much in the same manner as the bass situation. More later maybe.

Like Fresh coffee? www.Bean14.com

 

 

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Back on topic- so are you organising the response to this?

 

I am preparing something and liasing with Paul Whittal, Skipper of Offshore Rebel, who seems to represent quite a few of the UK charter boats to make sure all the facts are correct.

 

 

 

I hope that everyone who has a viewpoint responds off their own backs. The more responses the better. Swamp them with letters...

www.gbass.co.uk - The Guernsey Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society

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