UK Rod-caught species list now 104

[arbocop]

There seem to be reports of topmouth gugeon in the Test.

 

 

That really is bad news. We really must stop importing alien species into our wild environments.

 

How many more pest species do we want!

[Ken L]

That really is bad news. We really must stop importing alien species into our wild environments.

 

How many more pest species do we want!

 

Once they're established, it's a waste of time and effort trying to control or eradicate alien fish but judging by a recent thread, it's astonishing how many people wouldn't kill a non native fish if they caught one in the wild before they get properly established.

"It's a fish", "I like fish" seems to be as far as some folks are prepared to think.

[Renrag39]

Once they're established, it's a waste of time and effort trying to control or eradicate alien fish but judging by a recent thread, it's astonishing how many people wouldn't kill a non native fish if they caught one in the wild before they get properly established.

"It's a fish", "I like fish" seems to be as far as some folks are prepared to think.

I balance that view by the Zander incursion on the Fens. Initially it was 'OMG, they're going to kill all the natives' etc and so on but from what I've read the Fen Drains are still a balanced ecosystem, regardless of the Zander. Everything finds its own balance. The initial shock to the ecosystem was no worse than if all the larger pike were killed off and was then afflicted by the Jack explosion so many waters have experienced in the past.

 

Renrag

[Dales]

Looks like some Top Mouth Gudgeon were found in Hackney when they drained down a few fishing lakes.

 

http://www.kingcombe.com/news/79/63/news.aspx

 

Looks like some Top Mouth Gudgeon were found in Hackney when they drained down a few fishing lakes. Oddly it was some where I had planed to fish this year as I had heard a rumour it might contain some and only found out about the rdaining of the ponds when I went to have a look around.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Dales

[gozzer]

I balance that view by the Zander incursion on the Fens. Initially it was 'OMG, they're going to kill all the natives' etc and so on but from what I've read the Fen Drains are still a balanced ecosystem, regardless of the Zander. Everything finds its own balance. The initial shock to the ecosystem was no worse than if all the larger pike were killed off and was then afflicted by the Jack explosion so many waters have experienced in the past.

 

Renrag

 

I too had that feeling back in the 70s, but adding a pred is only going to impact (long term) on other preds. If you add a species that competes with indigenous species for the same food, ie roach, dace, bream, gudgeon etc, then it's going to have a greater impact on the whole ecosystem. Add the fact that many of these species carry/are immune to, disease, and the danger is much greater. This is the reason why I am so against carp (among other species), being found in my local rivers. They eat almost anything, and thus compete with just about every species in the system, and at differing stages in their development.

I have often wondered what the Avon & Severn would be like now if the Angling Times sponsored introduction of barbel hadn't happened. The area had some of the finest river roach fishing in Britain. I suspect it would still have, without the need for the Avon roach project.

I doubt that we would have the call for the 'culling' of cormorants and otters, if we hadn't introduced the overstocked carp puddles.

 

In the last half century, I seen the balance of species change on most local waters. As the conditions of each year has produced ideal spawning and growing conditions for different species. These have all occurred naturally, and the balance has swung back over the years. Add another species in any number, while one/some species are at a low, and the chances of a recovery is lessened. The 'new' species have taken over the niche, and if they are a hardy species, (eg carp), there is no way back for the original species. The impact on the very basic larder of a water is changed, and this can effect the flora, and fauna that rely on it.

 

This natural swing is not what is promoted in angling now, it's all species specific, and big specimens, and plenty of them. The healthy 'pyramid' of year classes are overlooked in favour of more large specimens, of particular popular species.

 

It's becoming more and more artificial with each passing year, and I fear that angling has a whole will suffer because of it.

 

 

John. (rant over......for now)

Edited July 18, 2011 by gozzer

[Steve Walker]

This natural swing is not what is promoted in angling now, it's all species specific, and big specimens, and plenty of them. The healthy 'pyramid' of year classes are overlooked in favour of more large specimens, of particular popular species.

 

Unnatural situations can provide exceptional fishing - for a while. I remember fishing a river which was recovering from pollution, and had some fantastic roach fishing with a few incredibly fast growing year classes and very few smaller fish. Over time, it returned to a more natural population structure. High fertility and low stocking density gave new gravel pits similar transient specimen fishing. No natural predation and poor recruitment has been known to lead to a tranche of big, old, senescent barbel in some circumstances - good fishing for a while if you're chasing numbers, but a dying population.

[Ken L]

Predators are probably the least dangerous additions. I supsect that the zander introduction has negatively impacted perch and pike populations but they fit in somewhere between the two.

It's the small fish and the big filter feeders that you have to worry about as both will compete for food with the fry of native silver fish.

[Worms]

Again, many congratulations Dave

[Anderoo]

As a kid growing up in the fens, I saw first-hand the effect of the (fairly recently, at the time) introduced zander on the native fish populations. Contrary to the common belief that they would decimate the roach and bream stocks, the only other fish they had any effect on was the pike.

 

Levels of predation remained the same, but it was shared between the pike and the zander. Populations of both species fluctuated over time, with some waters being very zander dominated for quite a while, then slowly becoming more pike dominated; other waters vice versa. A good example is the cut-off channel, which used to be full of small-medium sized zander and very few pike. Now there are lots of pike and comparitavely few zander. The roach and bream levels have remained pretty constant.

 

The number of zander in the fens now is nowhere near as high as when I was a kid, overall the pike seemed to have got the upper hand on most venues.

 

I'm with John on his point about the otters too, now they're recovering from their near extinction they're coming back into an environment that's changed utterly, with pools full (and I mean full!) of big, easy to catch fish. Hardly surprising then that they do what all natural creatures do, adapt and survive. Without the commercials, they would have slipped back into the ecosystem unnoticed.

 

Anyway, Vagabond, sorry for going off topic - many congratulations, what a fine looking fish that is

[dant]

I think there might be hope, albeit a little bit, of Common/European Sturgeon - Acipenser sturio returning in increased numbers to the Thames Estuary.

There's reports of a fish of 15lb's this last week from Erith on the Thames on rod and line, caught by accident on raw prawn. Targeting them on rod and line in their natural environment in the UK is way out there though.

 

There's large numbers of European Smelt in the estuaries of East Anglia though. At this time of year there should be quite a few in Breydon Water.

We used to catch quite a few at the neck of Breydon near the Berney Arms whilst Eel and Flounder fishing at the back end of the close season on maggots. This was 20 years back but as there's no netting there now at all I can see no reason why they would'nt still be there.

Historically there used to be a small drift net fishery for them in Breydon.

 

Better than Breydon would be the Wash. I do a shrimping survey there 5 times a year through the Summer and have done for the last 2 or 3 years. We've often had 50 plus E.Smelt from a 10 minute trawl.

I'd happily supply you with GPS Lats and Longs of where we've had the most Smelt as all our bycatch is measured and recorded.

We go out with the Wash's most experienced active Shrimp skipper and I reckon that he could be persuaded to go out Smelt fishing with rod and line if the shrimping was poor. I'd turn up just to see his face when you asked him!

 

Have you ever had a Sand Smelt - Atherina presbyter on rod and line Vagabond? I could be of assistance if you hav'nt...