Ian Burrett

It amounts to millions in Scotland and it isn't just the fishing boats as the processors get a slice as well. One fishing boat got over £28,000 for a set of scales MFV Starlight Rays Peterhea Marine Scales 28,315 All the details at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Fisherie...wards/March2007

Well done both. He will remember that fish for the rest of his life

Aye I've heard that one before.

Hi Glen I said if Wurzel is correct and was meant tonue in cheek. I personally don't believe global warming has anything to do with the poor stocks. As for the Wrasse thing,most my trips are 2-5 day charters so the lads will have mixed fishing with a day on the tope and a day on the pollack and wrasse and perhaps a day snitching on the species in competition with the other boats. 20 species a day is not uncommon and bloody good fun. We have 5 species of wrasse by the way. How did you get on last night?

All credit to John and Michelle. They have diversified and found a niche. Well done to the pair of them. Shame about the crew though :clap2: Just a joke challenge. No offence intended

Hi Glen I am not suggesting for one moment that there is any science or that is desirable. I personally believe 80 stone of fillets is to much for 10 lads but that is only my opinion. Who actually targets them. From Nigels reports there were box loads of them. A few of my mates do well from your neck of the woods on the Pollack from the inshore reefs. They don't shout about it because they are very territorial and can easily be fished out. Some People pay me £45 for a day on the wrasse. Its literally a fish a drop. A few of the Weymouth boats will spend days just fishing for Plaice. The Porgies are an unknown quantity Glen but Dave Morton a self confessed novice organised three trips and had fish on two them and lost others. This was literally a trial. Was it the best time of year?Are there more fish inshore? Only putting in the hours will show the potential. Interestingly you can still catch Cod, Ling and Haddock whilst fishing for the sharks at anchor and the skipper would save a fortune on fuel costs. If Wurzel is right about Cod movements and global warming then the Whitby fleet may be forced into change. I am not saying the likes of Paul could and should change overnight but offering regulars a variety must be worth considering.

Hi Barry As a result of your post I posted a thread on Scottish records on the WSF forum. It has provoked a lot of interest Check out http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58477

I don't think any of the political parties have the balls to make the changes needed. As for living in a democracy a third of the worlds cctv are based in Britain. It's more like a police state to me

Whys that Glen. Even if bag limits were imposed on Cod and I personally don't believe there will be. there are Porbeagles, tope thornbacks, flatties, Pollack, Wrasse, and an increasing number of Bass and who knows what else on your coastline. Plenty there to keep a charter fleet going. You will probably be to young to remember but the South coast charter business was built on a 2 fish rule. Places like Portsmouth had 40-50 boats going out and each angler was only allowed to keep two fish. It wasn't until Geordie Dixon on Artillery man Two broke the agreement in the 80's that others followed. Paul at the worst would probably have to learn new skills, but there is no way he would need to pack in. remember the majority of my anglers come from the North east, so there is interest over there in fishing for different species

I could never be that drunk :clap2: My sense of smell deteriorates after a drink but not that much Hey, away with yer. That's my line

A 12-20 will handle anything that swims in British waters apart from shark, skate and the biggest of conger. Try looking at the Conoflex range. They make a cracking 6 lb class Pollack Rod which will handle most species and the 12lb class will handle the biggest tope with ease, unless you are fishing in heavy tide and bigger leads are needed

The boat caught tope, Ballan wrasse, Conger, Pollack, Ling, and cuckoo wrasse, have all been beaten on more than one occasion and I believe Davy had a common which would also have beaten the current record. I am sure there are many more. What's the point of killing a fish for 15 minutes glory. Records also encourage people to kill fish. A 70 pound tope was taken into Port Patrick two years ago because the clowns thought they had a record. What a waste

Hi Glen I agree with your above statement 100% and when it comes round to the strategy consultation I hope it will be. I can't see any point in having a million anglers involved with a draft and that's all it is at this stage. When the time comes every one will have a chance to have there say. On a personal note Glen and without malice I think its time you moved on. Having ago at Leon and his "mindless disciples" (I'm proud to be one by the way)will not achieve anything. IMO You should now be working with similar minded people as yourself and developing a strategy for the North East, which is acceptable to all. There is no need for a regional strategy; regions differences should be included in the overall strategy. As a mindless disciple I wrote the following extract on behalf of SOS's response to the draft strategy. We believe that many decisions taken must be on a regional basis as different regions and by implication different species require different needs. Whilst the Golden Mile would undoubtedly help the anglers cause, on species like the Bass; a one rule suits all scenario, doesn’t necessary apply in large shallow bays or estuaries where the depth may be only a few feet, a mile from shore. Some of our members felt a minimum depth ban may be more suited to species like the rays that inhabit shallow sandbanks often a few miles offshore during the breeding season. BAG LIMITS AND LICENSING Whilst SOS fully supports the principle of compulsory catch and release on endangered species and bag limits as a conservation tool, this can only be supported if there is also a corresponding commercial restriction. There is no justification in asking anglers to return fish, if the stock levels are still dropping through commercial exploitation. A few members brought up the absurd possibility that RSA's face the possibility of being criminalised for retaining say 6 fish where a commercial can retain 60,000 and discard a further high number of fish without prejudice. It was felt by many of our members, that we couldn’t support a licensing scheme until such times that a strategy had been developed and more importantly, implemented and anglers could see an improvement in numbers and sizes of fish from the beaches. Just out of interest can you see anything wrong with the above. As you are aware I personally encourage total catch and release on my boats but will fight for your rights to be able take fish. Its all about compromise, and accepting other people have a right to an opinion with being called mindless. You obviously spend hours working on your beliefs, your enthusiasm and dedication is to be admired but it is time to produce something positive to present to Defra. I don't like "this and that" is not enough A far bigger fear I suspect is looming from within the Eu. Member states have been asked to look into the volumes of fish that are being removed by illegal fishing methods like the Bass sellers from Torness power station, illegal gillnets, mullet beach catches etc. I believe they have also been asked to try and estimate RSA catches. Only my opinion but it is likely that the Eu will be looking to impose bag limits on anglers in the not to distant future, which will make any differences you have with the SACN seem insignificant. Maybe the devil you know is better than the one you don't.

Hi Glen We are fortunate in Scotland as at the moment there is no talk of licenses. SOS, SACN Scotland and the SFSA are lobbying the Scottish exec. to try and get them to be more active in conserving species like tope, common skate, spurdog and rays. To get the exec to listen, we had to promote the value of RSA to Scotland and finally after three years of much letter writing, the exec have commissioned an economic survey. Hopefully they will be more active in promoting and conserving prized RSA stocks after the results. The question I would like you to answer is. If the Scottish exec turn round and say, We will back your calls for an eco based management system on RSA stocks, we will put nursery areas in place for the spurdog, we will ban the killing of tope and skate, but we want to impose a license as a quid pro quo. Have I and others sold Scottish anglers "down the river"?

SOS has just written a letter to Mr Finnie asking, why despite repeated complaints for us and the Shark trust, our friend is still killing and selling sharks. I will post the reply in due course (usually about 6 weeks)

I am not sure of the law but this May be considered entrapment

Hi Stan It is common knowledge that a certain skipper is selling the Porgies he catches and sends the proceeds to the anglers at a later date. He has no commercial license there for it is illegal Until an angler is prepared to sign a statement outlining the facts, preferably with photographic evidence then there is little we can do. Fisheries protection have been informed on numerous occasions but are toothless without the evidence. If any of you know of someone who will put pen to paper please let me know.

Hi Chris I haven;t a clue where this came from. I was sent the link last night. Bit I will find out more. I guess its in reply to Spain and Frances attempts to increase the percentage of allowable fins. At the Eu talks last December all parties agreed to back a CITEES 11 proposal but it appears Spain and France are renegading on the deal. As far as I am aware this is the first time Scotland has brought in Elasmpbranch protection and should be welcomed. Hopefully other legislation will follow.

Scotland has passed a law banning the finning of all sharks by Scottish vessels anywhere and vessels operating in Scottish waters. See http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotlan...07/20070039.htm

The ship will definatley be open but the intention is to make it a high class establishment. There are plenty of rumours flying but no one knows what's happening. A pint in a fortnight sounds good. I will try and get in some practise. I can tell by the time of some of your posts that you are still partaking in a beverage or two. :clap2:

The barmy idiots destroyed 50 of a local lads pots and painted the "Lobster liberation army" all over his boat shed

Snatcher. They sell an excellent pint of guiness. Guy How many beds are you looking for?

Hi Norrie Just come back from the clash after having a pint or two Nice of you to put my house on the site

:clap2:

Hi Glen It's hardly surprising as the North East is our biggest catchment area with over 50 per cent of my regulars coming from there. The lads just fancy trying something different; all on a compulsory catch and release basis of course.