Mullet Seined netted in Cornwall

[n4lly]

A man walks into an office.

 

Man: Good morning, I'd like to have an argument, please.

 

Receptionist: Certainly, sir. Have you been here before?

 

Man: No, this is my first time.

 

Receptionist: I see, well we'll see who's free at the

moment.

 

Mr. Bakely's free, but he's a little bit concilliatory. No. Try

Mr. Barnhart, room 12.

 

Man: Thank you.

 

He enters room 12.

 

Angry man: WHADDAYOU WANT?

 

Man: Well, Well, I was told outside that...

 

Angry man: DON'T GIVE ME THAT, YOU SNOTTY-FACED HEAP OF PARROT

DROPPINGS!

 

Man: What?

 

A: SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB, YOU TIT! YOUR TYPE MAKES ME

PUKE!

 

YOU VACUOUS STUFFY-NOSED MALODOROUS PERVERT!!!

 

M: Yes, but I came here for an argument!!

 

A: OH! Oh! I'm sorry! This is abuse!

 

M: Oh! Oh I see!

 

A: Aha! No, you want Anglersnet, next door.

 

M: Oh...Sorry...

 

A: Not at all!

 

A: (under his breath) stupid git.

 

The man goes into room "Anglersnet". Another man is sitting behind a

desk.

 

Man: Is this the right room for an argument?

 

Other Man:(pause) I've told you once.

 

Man: No you haven't!

 

Other Man: Yes I have.

 

M: When?

 

O: Just now.

 

M: No you didn't!

 

O: Yes I did!

 

M: You didn't!

 

O: I did!

 

M: You didn't!

 

O: I'm telling you, I did!

 

M: You didn't!

 

O: (breaking into the developing argument) Oh I'm sorry, is this

a five minute argument, or the full half hour?

 

M: Ah! (taking out his wallet and paying) Just the five

minutes.

 

O: Just the five minutes. Thank you.

 

Anyway, I did.

 

M: You most certainly did not!

 

O: Now let's get one thing perfectly clear: I most definitely

told you!

 

M: Oh no you didn't!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: Oh no you didn't!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: Oh no you didn't!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: Oh no you didn't!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: Oh no you didn't!

 

O: Oh yes I did! (very fast)

 

M: Oh no you didn't!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: No you DIDN'T!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: No you DIDN'T!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: No you DIDN'T!

 

O: Oh yes I did!

 

M: Oh look, this isn't an argument!

 

(pause)

 

O: Yes it is!

 

M: No it isn't!

 

(pause)

 

M: It's just contradiction!

 

O: No it isn't!

 

M: It IS!

 

O: It is NOT!

 

M: You just contradicted me!

 

O: No I didn't!

 

M: You DID!

 

O: No no no!

 

M: You did just then!

 

O: Nonsense!

 

M: (exasperated) Oh, this is futile!!

 

(pause)

 

O: No it isn't!

 

M: Yes it is!

 

(pause)

 

I came here for a good argument!

 

O: AH, no you didn't, you came here for an *argument*!

 

M: An argument isn't just contradiction.

 

O: Well! it CAN be!

 

M: No it can't!

 

An argument is a connected series of statement intended to

establish a proposition.

 

O: No it isn't!

 

M: Yes it is! 'tisn't just contradiction.

 

O: Look, if I *argue* with you, I must take up a contrary

position!

 

M: Yes but it isn't just saying "no it isn't".

 

O: Yes it is!

 

M: No it isn't!

 

O: Yes it is!

 

M: No it isn't!

 

O: Yes it is!

 

M: No it ISN'T! Argument is an intellectual process.

 

Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the

other person says.

 

O: It is NOT!

 

M: It is!

 

O: Not at all!

 

M: It is!

 

>DING!< The Arguer hits a bell on his desk and stops.

 

O: Thank you, that's it.

 

M: (stunned) What?

 

O: That's it. Good morning.

 

M: But I was just getting interested!

 

O: I'm sorry, the five minutes is up.

 

M: That was never five minutes!!

 

O: I'm afraid it was.

 

M: (leading on) No it wasn't.....

 

(pause)

 

O: (dirty look) I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to argue any

more.

 

M: WHAT??

 

O: If you want me to go on arguing, you'll have to pay for

another five minutes.

 

M: But that was never five minutes just now!

 

(pause... the Other Man raises his eyebrows)

 

Oh Come on!

 

Oh this is...

 

This is ridiculous!

 

O: I told you...

 

I told you, I'm not allowed to argue unless you PAY!

 

M: Oh all right. (takes out his wallet and pays again.)

 

There you are.

 

O: Thank you.

 

M: (clears throat) Well...

 

O: Well WHAT?

 

M: That was never five minutes just now.

 

O: I told you, I'm not allowed to argue unless you've paid!

 

M: Well I just paid!

 

O: No you didn't!

 

M: I DID!!!

 

O: YOU didn't!

 

M: I DID!!!

 

O: YOU didn't!

 

M: I DID!!!

 

O: YOU didn't!

 

M: I DID!!!

 

O: YOU didn't!

 

M: (unable to talk straight he's so mad) I don't want to argue

about it!

 

O: Well I'm very sorry but you didn't pay!

 

M: Ah HAH!! Well if I didn't pay, why are you arguing???

 

Ah HAAAAAAHHH! Gotcha!

 

O: (pause) No you haven't!

 

M: Yes I have!

 

If you're arguing, I must have paid.

 

O: Not necessarily.

 

I *could* be arguing in my spare time.

 

[barry luxton]

 

snigger

[Cranfield]

Ahhh, the Monty Python Argument Sketch, pure magic, thanks n4lly.

 

So as not to be accused of derailment, I would comment that there are not, in my humble opinion, as many large mullet in the harbours in my area (Folkestone, Dover, Rye), as I have observed in previous years.

[Bob Shotter]

With out getting involved in the right and wrongs of the decline in Mullet stock there would certainty be no sign of a shortage here in the south west.

 

Barry commented on the ban in Christchurch by saying it was where they ‘reckon’ there is a shortage, when there appears to be little evidence to support that, unless you know differently that is.

 

Net fishing will always be more damaging than Rod and Line or just about any sort of line fishing for that matter. None the less this it has gone on for centuries with out any real problem, though one will hear stories more often these days of massive netting operations on breeding stock. That then must make it a management issue and might be where any concerns of the situation would be better addressed.

 

Tight Lines Bob

[Brian Carragher]

You may be right, there might not be as many large mullet around as in previous years but from what I'm led to believe there are more mullet around than ever before, seemingly theres been a year or two class where breeding has'nt been as prolific followed by an abundance of breeding stock culminating in some of those large year class fish going missing, probably a cyclical thing

 

Anyway back to the mullet seine netting

 

Supposedly theres been 15 ton of mullet seine netted off the beach around the town of Newquay, well as I said earlier I don't believe it, thats roughly 15,000 mullet seine netted off the beach's of Newquay in the last couple of weeks, assuming an average size of 2lb and thats being generous thats 15,000 fish in a couple of weeks

 

[b]"In the past couple of weeks 15 ton of Mullet have been seined netted of the beaches around the Newquay area for beer money[/b]

Now thats around 1100 mullet a day every day for a fortnight, takes some believing, then we're told if we bothered to do some research we'd get all the info we need from the local rags

"They go to a commerial market that,s how I know many tons are being netted and is wideley reported in local rags .

Well considering the original poster lives locally and has'nt even bothered to do any fact finding for himself much less post any solid information from those local rags I'll take my own council on the strength and validity of the information posted

 

We're told it's knuckle draggers and two legged rats who are doing this

 

[b]"this bunch of knuckle draggers " " for beer money"[/b]

But what we're not told is that those boats who are netting from the beach are both licenced and legal and are selling their catch through the buyers and sellers rules via a local fish market

 

We're told that the whole of the UK mullet population overwinters in Newquay and by implication the species as a whole is at risk

 

"we are talking about the whole of the U K population overwintering."

What tosh, I have no problem anyone sticking up and standing their corner for their favourite species but don't start rewriting or inventing marine species studies to make a point, it only makes you look silly and makes any point you're trying to make poinless

 

From mullet being a species of no commercial value and of no interest to the commercial fleet we're told that the collapse of the Alderney mullet population in the eighties , when no commercial boats were fishing for them is somehow related to beach seine netting off Newquay beach's

 

"To be honest I don,t know why Alderney Mullet crashed, back in the 80s the shoals could be a mile long and over not anymore.It gets on my tits when people go on about netting has no effect on fish stocks, there is no scientific study on Mullet stock." and then admits theres no scientific basis to any of his claims but the jist I get from the postings is that 76Jerry just wants to have a go at anyone and everyone whilst having a rant

 

 

Nobody would dispute the fighting qualities or the sporting aspects to mullet fishing and I take my hat off to those that spend many hours persuing their favoured fish and whenever the opportunity arises to fish for mullet I do partake and enjoy it, some I eat most are returned but what I would'nt do is make up things just to create an argument

 

Going to go now as I've got a nice Tuna fish sandwich waiting, cheers Jerry

Edited December 26, 2010 by Brian Carragher

[Steve Coppolo]

Net fishing will always be more damaging than Rod and Line or just about any sort of line fishing for that matter.

 

Tight Lines Bob

 

Bob, if you are serious about wanting to represent sea anglers, you've got to stop spouting this type of bull5hit. Even with my limited knowledge of netting, I know it's damn near impossible to catch mullet in a net sometimes. When conditions are right they can be caught in numbers, as has been proved by annual beach netting in the southwest that Jerry is moaning about. But if it was that easy all the time, it wouldn't be an annual event, would it?

 

For basing your views on nothing more than rumour, hearsay and myth, you Bob, are guilty as charged.

 

Break the mould, Bob. Base your views on facts. That way you won't be made to look a prize p@&!k when you open your mouth at important meetings, like most of our misrepresentative have and do.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Steve Coppolo

[Bob Shotter]

Bob, if you are serious about wanting to represent sea anglers...........

 

 

Hold on just a moment there Steve perhaps I have not been sufficiently clear enough with regard to the point I’m trying to make.

 

Firstly the Mullet fished for year on year and with plenty still to be had, that then would suggest the method is sustainable I have not said otherwise, nor have I questioned the figures quoted which perhaps we should. Presumably the amount landed are all the market can currently stand before the price drops, so should the demand increase then the numbers of those that were returned would have decreased. Let’s not kid our self here it has nothing to do with stock protection is the way I see it.

 

Now for my comment 'Net fishing will always be more damaging than Rod and Line or just about any sort of line fishing for that matter.' This is a matter of fact given for example long lining has now been replaced by tangle netting because it is a far more efficient. This has resulted in some boats changing from fishing for things like Cod and Haddock to now targeting Sole Plaice and Turbot etc. Result bigger boats longer nets, some up to ten miles in length, so bigger effort on the stock. Now that’s fine so long as the stock can withstand the take but the question is, can it?

 

One thing I do know for certain is that these same nets all but wiped out the Spurdog fishing that was once plentiful in these parts and in a very short space of time.

 

Another form of netting that I have some concern about are gill nets, now these can normally only be used during neap tides and are there for reckoned to be sustainable, none the less they are very efficient and little regard is given to how much they are used. The result is many wrecks for example, once teaming with fish are far les populated and that can be seen not just by the catch rate but also from what can be seen on the fish finder and that is some thing I have witnessed myself.

 

The whole point of inshore fishery committees particularly the new IFCAs is to look at these situations with an open mind and make decisions with regard the rewriting of all bylaws which is what they have to do between now and 2015. With that in mind I would welcome any input based on fact as apposed to profits.

 

One final point I do believe the stock situation is not as bad as some would have us believe, hope that now makes my thoughts clear.

 

tight lines Bob

Edited December 27, 2010 by Deene'0

[Steve Coppolo]

Hold on just a moment there Steve perhaps I have not been sufficiently clear enough with regard to the point I’m trying to make.

 

Firstly the Mullet fished for year on year and with plenty still to be had, that then would suggest the method is sustainable I have not said otherwise, nor have I questioned the figures quoted which perhaps we should. Presumably the amount landed are all the market can currently stand before the price drops, so should the demand increase then the numbers of those that were returned would have decreased. Let’s not kid our self here it has nothing to do with stock protection is the way I see it.

 

Now for my comment 'Net fishing will always be more damaging than Rod and Line or just about any sort of line fishing for that matter. This is a matter of fact given for example long lining has now been replaced by tangle netting because it is a far more efficient. This has resulted in some boats changing from fishing for things like Cod and Haddock to now targeting Sole Plaice and Turbot etc. Result bigger boats longer nets, some up to ten miles in length, so bigger effort on the stock. Now that’s fine so long as the stock can withstand the take but the question is, can it?

 

One thing I do know for certain is that these same nets all but wiped out the Spurdog fishing that was once plentiful in these parts and in a very short space of time.

 

Another form of netting that I have some concern about are gill nets, now these can normally only be used during neap tides and are there for reckoned to be sustainable, none the less they are very efficient and little regard is given to how much they are used. The result is many wrecks for example, once teaming with fish are far les populated and that can be seen not just by the catch rate but also from what can be seen on the fish finder and that is some thing I have witnessed myself.

 

The whole point of inshore fishery committees particularly the new IFCAs is to look at these situations with an open mind and make decisions with regard the rewriting of all bylaws which is what they have to do between now and 2015. With that in mind I would welcome any input based on fact as apposed to profits.

 

One final point I do believe the stock situation is not as bad as some would have us believe, hope that now makes my thoughts clear.

 

tight lines Bob

 

Sorry, Bob, but you've just responded with more of the same. Only this time you threw in a large chunk of assumption, too. And what have spurdog got to do with mullet?

 

All I'm saying is, if you don't know what the facts are, don't quote all the rubbish you've heard or read as fact. Someone, somewhere, will ways be in possession of the facts and will blow your rumour, hearsay and myth out of the water. Usually in front of an audience, which will make you look very silly and discredit the anglers you want to represent.

Edited December 27, 2010 by Steve Coppolo

[Cranfield]

Net fishing will always be more damaging than Rod and Line or just about any sort of line fishing for that matter.

Tight Lines Bob

 

I find it hard to believe that anyone can disagree with that statement.

 

Surely the commercial net fishermen outfish the recreational tonnage of any specie over any period, a week, a month, a year.

I can't think of any specie that could be caught in greater numbers on rod and line , than in a net.

 

Net fishing is also inclusive, in that it produces bycatch and undersized fish, at least the RSA would release such fish that would have some chance of surviving.

[barry luxton]

I can't think of any specie that could be caught in greater numbers on rod and line , than in a net.

bass, in the portland race.