Which UK Freshwater Species would you get rid of?

[Dales]

I guess that not living in the UK any longer sort of eliminates me from this poll so to speak. But I know that if I did still live there and if I could eradicate a fish, it would not be a single species, but all hybrids! It would be nice to catch a good fish and not have a whole lot of jealous anglers asking questions that cannot be answered without disecting the bloody thing. Again, it is anglers that are the problem - generally unsuccessful ones!

 

 

Good choice I did not even think about the hybrids.

[ColinW]

The real problem however is the wild brown trout angler. These folk in their hairy jackets don't consider it "proper" fishing unless you have yomped at least 7 miles up a 45' heather clad hillside to cast your fly into a small lochan packed with starving 3oz stunted brownies. They then go into raptures over each fish caught (and there could be hundreds) just because its got ruddy spots. (Och, it's a bonny wee fush, just look at the spots)

They then infest angling fora and tell everyone how dreadful it is to fish for Rainbows (pellet pigs) in stocked fisheries. (The fact is that they can't catch rainbows in stocked fisheries because the rainbows aren't starving enough and are a bit selective in what they eat)

So, like the carp, it's not the fish but the angling "business" that surrounds them that I object to.

Bye bye Brownie

 

I'm not quite sure how the yomping wild trout fanatics affect your fishing, since as you say they are fishing 7 miles up a hill!

Carp, on the other hand, screw up nearly every English angler's fishing by turning waters into brown mudholes with less vegetation than the Moon. I had no problem with this when they were confined to commercial waters, but now club waters are getting stocked (often by the wet towel brigade but sometimes officially by misguided committees) and even rivers. And not just big slow rivers like the Trent, I've caught carp in the Ribble and a less suitable water for carp I cannot imagine.

[chesters1]

freshwater dolphins ,they do nothing but chat to skippy and keep on about fooking kids stuck down mine shafts

then suddenly one will pop up clap its fins whilst clicking like a mega fast clock distracting you whilst its mate nicks your bait

Edited January 28, 2010 by chesters1

[Steve Walker]

And not just big slow rivers like the Trent, I've caught carp in the Ribble and a less suitable water for carp I cannot imagine.

 

I've had them from this weirpool on a small river

 

[Tigger]

Carp, on the other hand, screw up nearly every English angler's fishing by turning waters into brown mudholes with less vegetation than the Moon. I had no problem with this when they were confined to commercial waters, but now club waters are getting stocked (often by the wet towel brigade but sometimes officially by misguided committees) and even rivers. And not just big slow rivers like the Trent, I've caught carp in the Ribble and a less suitable water for carp I cannot imagine.

 

 

I fish the ribble and there are some members on AN who know the river inside out and have fished it most of their lives and I would imagine none of them have caught more than a handfull of carp in there if any at all over many years of fishing it. We know that they're present but not in an ammount to cause a problem to other species. Lets face it they've been present in the ribble for many years and haven't exactly "bred like rats", and if they have all they've done is provide a food source for other species of fish as I've never seen any offspring swimming about.

The only way carp can turn a water into a mud hole as you say is if they are put into a water in large ammounts/overstocked otherwise they wouldn't be a problem...well in my opinion. I know waters that are crystal clear, full of weed and wildlife and abundant in lots of fish species that contain carp. By the way trying to catch one of them is no easy task !

[Barry C]

Even the most ardent carp hater would not want to see Redmire without them.

[Sportsman]

I actually like catching carp, I just wouldn't want it to be the only fish available to fish for

[Steve Walker]

Even the most ardent carp hater would not want to see Redmire without them.

 

I think that's probably true - and perhaps even the greatest fans of the species wouldn't want to see a lorryload of pasties and F1s tipped in there!

 

Edit: now I think about it, maybe not - a club I used to be in had a nice balanced mixed fishery with some good carp in it. The committee (of matchmen) wanted to net the big carp out and sell them for pasties - couldn't understand why the carp anglers were horrified, after all, they would have more carp to catch...

Edited January 28, 2010 by Steve Walker

[barbelbarmy]

These are the changes I would make

 

Remove Barbel from ponds

Wells from everywhere

Carp from small natural ponds

Zander from the canals to stop spread

Remove Ide, Orfe, grass carp, gold fish, etc

Prevent introduction of any non- native as any in past has had disastrous effects on our nature.

 

Do more to help our native failing species i.e.

reintroduce the Burbot

Natural Brown trout

Crucian carp ( hybrids with Goldfish being problem)

Vendace Etc

 

Some species get overlooked due to not being great for fishing but should still be saved. Should we lose all our species just to accomadate carp fishermen? NO

 

A book I read recently described carp fisherman as Danglers not Anglers.

[captain cojones]

The Ebro and Po are both massive water systems that make even our "big rivers" look like small streams.They both have amazing levels of prey fish and with their much warmer climate provide far longer growing periods.

 

hi Budgie, the catfish (siluro) is now classed as an invasive species on the ebro and connected waters. a campaign started last autumn to remove as many as posible.

 

Reason being damage done to endemic fish populations, and general wildlife habitat.

 

An eastern european company, has been charged with their removal.

 

i saw a photo in "el Mundo" a few months ago, of over 3000kg of dead fish, hanging in a refridgerated truck awaiting export.

 

There have been reports of illegal introductions, in still waters, near to me, the regional government has brought in legislation, including long jail sentences and big fines for anyone they catch.

Edited January 28, 2010 by captain cojones