At the recent meeting of the BRFC chaired by Mr Ken Ball, and attended by Ian Epps, National Federation of Anglers; Chris Clark, National Federation of Sea Anglers, Oliver Crimmen of the Natural History Museum, Scientific Advisor to the BRFC, the Secretary David Rowe, Apologies had been received from Nigel Hewlett Environment Agency, Marsh Pratley and  Phil Smith: Specialists Anglers Alliance.

The current claims were considered and the committee having satisfied itself that all the procedures had been met in respect to identification, witnesses to capture, weighing and the accuracy of scales used to weigh the fish, the following records were ratified and decisions made.

 

 SPECIES

WEIGHT

CAPTOR

DATE CAUGHT & LOCATION

PREVIOUS RECORD 

Coarse Fish
Chub
(Leuciscus cephalus)

9lb 2oz
(4.139kg)

Mr. Matthew Micallef 

10-Oct-06
Stillwater near Wallingford

8lb 14oz 

Sea Fish – Boat
Dogfish Lesser Spotted
(scyliorhinus canicula)

4lb 9oz
(2.069kg)

Mr. Mark Donnelly

13-Nov-05
Boat off Fleetwood

4lbs 9ozs

Sea Fish – Boat
Ray Blonde
(Raja brachyura)

39lbs 10zs 2drms
(17.977kg)

Mr Steven Underwood

30-Apr-06
Boat off Brixham

38lbs 9oz

Sea Fish – Boat
Sole
(Solea solea)

4lbs 6ozs
(1.984kg)

Mr Malcolm Le Moignan

18-Oct-05
Off Lepe beach, Western Solent

4lbs 2oz 8drms

 Sea Fish – Boat
Torsk
(Brosme brosme)

15lbs 12ozs 11drms 
(7.163kg)

Mr Howard Foster

05-Mar-05
Off Mowsa, Shetland

15lbs 7ozs 2drms

Sea Fish – Shore
Bream – Couchs Sea
(Pagrus pagrus)

2lbs 15ozs 1drm
(1.334kg)

Lynton Carre

04-Aug-06
Cobo Bay, Guernsey

2lbs 6ozs 9drms

Sea Fish – Shore
Tope – (Galeorhinus galus)

66lbs
(29.937 kg)

Mr K Legge

06-Nov-06
Lynmouth, Devon

58lbs 2ozs

Sea Fish – Mini Species
Goby-Sand
(Pomatoschistus minutus)

3 grams

Mr Gary Miller

22-Oct-05
Herne Bay Beach

New Species to List

Sea Fish – Mini Species
Wrasse – Goldsinney
(Ctenolabrus rupestris)

3ozs 10drms
(102grams)

Mr. R Prosser

06-Oct-05
Weymouth from Boat

3ozs 8drms
(100g)

In respect of these decisions the following should be noted:-

1/  Chub Record Claim:- The committee were made aware that there had been some speculation and statements made in the press about the weight of a fish caught in a stillwater and claimed by Mr Mark Micallef as a new coarse fish record for the Chub claimed at 9lb 4oz.

The committee on investigation had been advised that it was impossible to calculate the weight of a fish from photographs, although there were various scientific data and programmes for estimating the weight of a species, it would not be possible to make an accurate prediction.  In addition it was recognised on advice that a fish caught in a stillwater will be a different shape to that caught in running water, the muscles would have developed differently.

The committee, after careful consideration unanimously agreed that all the procedures in respect of Identification by the Scientific Adviser, the accuracy of the scales, the witness to capture and weighing had all been faithfully observed therefore the record was ratified.

It should be noted that although it was an unanimous decision of all the members at the meeting, two members who were aware of the evidence, had expressed concerns which had been recorded in the angling press, but the committee had to consider the claim on the evidence produced and this met the criteria as laid down in the procedures developed over almost 50 years.

2/  The decision on a claim by Mr P Kingsbury for a new coarse fish record for the Grass Carp for a fish weighing 44lbs 13oz 12drms caught at Horton Church Lake was deferred pending the examination of the evidence by the BRFC Freshwater Group.  This claim would be progressed as soon as possible.

3/   DNA Testing:- The members received an update on the investigations in respect of using DNA as a method of identifying certain species and were very positive about the value that DNA testing could add to the validity of coarse fish records. The report of the investigations was awaiting completion and the Freshwater Group would meet again as soon as the results were available.

The Committee is scheduled to meet again in  March,  depending on the completed claims received.

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