roryh

Week or so ago i was watching a small shoal of around 10 fish swimming around Torquay harbour.

Dunno about the Pacific cod thing but will it give our stocks a rest of any kind? i wouldn't think so with the frogs about, the skate wing thing ties in with the main point i was making. it was too small plus as for most of these inadequate wet fish counters; Fresh it wasn't (probly was once) i use better quality for bait! Dunno about anyone else but i was always taught that when the belly of a Macky starts to change colour (at all) bin it. The stuff i saw as i said had 'landed and processed in the westcountry' emblazoned across the packet! Same packaging today but slightly larger fish. The fish today, although legal, were in my opinion, far too small. Even if they are legal to take, does that mean the 50yr old teacher knocking off his 16yr old pupil is right just because she's legal? A far fetched argument i know but nevertheless not all things legal (even barely) are right, and before anyone goes off on a tangent, yes i know the pupil/teacher thing has been done over and over in other circumstances.

Went back to the store today (with ruler) The smallest on display today would have been just legal with their heads at 21CM according to the EU, but it said on the package that they were fresh westcountry Mackeral so do they come under the other rules?

These were certainly (even if they still had their heads ) unber 8" For an idea the lateral fin (think thats right, the one behind the gills) was shorter in length than the width of a new 5p Will have another look tomorrow and see if they are still there, then will buy a pack for evidence.

I was in somerfields with the mrs today for a few bits when as usual i had a look at the 'fresh' fish. Now i noticed that although under the UK MLS the Bass were farmed so no dramas there really but it was the mackeral that caught my eye. As the NFSA MLS for Mackeral is 30cm from shore or boat i was shocked to see these fish packaged in shrink wrap in sixes and none of them were over 15cm. Even when i see the mackeral bashers on the pier in summer i have seldome seen even the doziest take such minute fish! What i wanted to ask is; 1 are sommerfield breaking any rules selling such tiddlers? 2 Is the NFSA MLS applicable to other scources/ based in law? 3 Who is best to moan to? 4 As there are currently no stock problems with Mackeral does that really mean that supermarkets should do their best to cause one?

Suppose some would enjoy that! Sorry couldnt resist!

If you are ever down here in Devon, they stock it at Trago Mills in Newton Abbot.

Saw some starter kits from firms like Fladen while out shopping today, thinking one might be ok for the nipper as an upgrade from the kiddy thing she uses at the moment (she's 5) just wanted to ask if anyone has seent hem in use, if so are they any good or is it worth spending the extra on a better rig?

Think so, it sank!

would love to be able to give my kids fishing like that! Cracking story.

wouldnt mind a go meself!!!

Nah mate leaks arn't allowed unless its a Tory govornment.....ask 'trust me i'm Tony'

I am thinking that this piece of emotive opinion (and lets face it, thats all it is being as far as i can see being a letter to a paper rather than journalism or scientific research) only serves to pour fuel on the fires and doesnt help either side resolve anything.

Was rushing to work again, will have to read some of these things more closely, have contacted webmaster to remove my name. Although i think that illegal netting needs stamping on there is nothing wrong with the legitimate practice in its own place, i also think that whoever is trapping the gillnets with the barbed wire traps needs locking away, anyone seen the article?

dead right Barry, by the romans i think. Koi were bread for food at first in Japan too.

Is this not about illegal gill netting then?

Never heard of them nutters but will send them my adress as my car could do with a new coat of paint

Right sorry if this seems a stupid question but how can we call what we have a common fisheries policy when the rules seem to apply to those countries who want to accept them and then only the parts that suit them? This is the gist i get from all this that once again UK gets f*cked over with British fishermen (commercial and otherwise) getting the brunt of 'restrictions' while as the commercial boys get their quotas sold out from under them the Froggy and Belgian blo*dyf*ckinmassive trawlers take just about as much as they want and to whatever size they want. So from reading between the lines it just may be the fault of commercial fishing that stocks are in decline just not our own boats! Any pearls of wisdome?

Back to Mullet for a mo, saw a small shoal of about 10 fish swimming around Torquay Harbour this morning, is spring springing???

How about getting out of the EU and then buying some torpedoes? That rules out all of our current political pansies then dunnit!

Looks like good sound advice Barry cheers, i'm not a huge fan of spending more than i have to in the first place lol But good idea for learning the ropes especially ta!

The daft prices we will all pay for anything to do with putting line in water in no way correlates to bits and bats to be used in the house, no matter how usful! Me? i'm tight anyhow i wont even buy my own pencil but prefer to nick the kids!

Apart from the fixed spool stuff i use regularly, am stepping onto multipliers come summer. Oh and an old hardy perfect that was my grandads for fly it still works like new. Didn't realise it was a 2005 thread till i read Kens post! doh!

+fuel +wages +maintenance +replacing lost gear ++++ £1,000,000 aint much in a year.

Think that was a blenny that had been too near Windscale/Sellafield Seriously though, have talked to some guys who have dived off'f these power stations and said they will never go in the water thereabouts again..... ever! due to th oversized and/or deformities of some of the fish, dont know if this is truth or one of them urban legend bits, any ideas?