Someone Is Listening

[JB]

Bugger!

When I had to give up my business during the recession no one offered me any money for my old van.

Come to think of it I never got anything to stop working either and no one helped me to retrain.

If I remember rightly I never got anything from the social until my meagre savings ran out.

I must remember to start up as a commercial fisherman next time.

 

Hi Bob,

Commercial fishermen did not have to give up their businesses. Decommissioning was offered to any eligible boat owners who wanted to take it up. One of the criteria for eligibility for decommissioning was that you had to prove substantial landings of fish over many days at sea. So it was only successful fishermen with over ten-metre vessels that were offered money for their fishing licence units. This was a strategy used by our government to reduce the available number of licence units, therefore reducing potential future fishing effort. Some, like me, left the commercial fishing industry; some re-invested. But, amazingly enough, the policy worked. Whether you believe it or not, overall fishing effort by British fishermen has been reduced. We did it by the book, but what the rest of Europe has done, God (or Leon?) only knows!

 

JB

 

Right now Spainish financed netters are causing mayhem on our continental shelf edge, but thats out of casting range so who cares

Anglers should think long and hard about this valid statement.

 

If anglers were ever successful in getting their wish of a one mile exclusive zone there would still need to be fish beyond that to allow migration into their exclusive area.

 

JB

[Guest binatone]

Hi Bob,

Commercial fishermen did not have to give up their businesses. Decommissioning was offered to any eligible boat owners who wanted to take it up. One of the criteria for eligibility for decommissioning was that you had to prove substantial landings of fish over many days at sea. So it was only successful fishermen with over ten-metre vessels that were offered money for their fishing licence units. This was a strategy used by our government to reduce the available number of licence units, therefore reducing potential future fishing effort. Some, like me, left the commercial fishing industry; some re-invested. But, amazingly enough, the policy worked. Whether you believe it or not, overall fishing effort by British fishermen has been reduced. We did it by the book, but what the rest of Europe has done, God (or Leon?) only knows!

 

JB

Anglers should think long and hard about this valid statement.

 

If anglers were ever successful in getting their wish of a one mile exclusive zone there would still need to be fish beyond that to allow migration into their exclusive area.

 

JB

Hi john and Michele.

While you’re on could I ask you if you catch manly ling on the wrecks that you fish on? It’s just that BC said that they use to catch loads of cod on the wrecks that they fish on, but know its manly ling.

I ask because I wonder if it’s because the inshore wrecks get over fished with anglers or is it something else. He (BC) says there are plenty of fish on the ground (40 fish in one day up tiding) but only lings in the wrecks.

Do you have this problem when working the wrecks on the off side as there wont be many other boats with you will they?

Do you have to leave a wreck alone for it to replenish after you have fished it? And if so for how long.?

We talk about a sustainable fisheries, but it maybe down to bad management on the charter boat skippers if they are knot leavening the wrecks alone for long enough for them to replenish? I may be wrong it’s just a theory after all I am only a Mickey Mouse fisherman with an inquisitive mind.

[JB]

Hi, Binatone!

No, almost all of our catch is cod. Particularly in shallow water (less than 20 fathoms) where, for some reason, there don’t seem to be many ling. (If you check out our photo galleries on our website http://www.chieftaincharters.com, you will see plenty of pictures of cod, but only the occasional ling.)

 

Generally, our anglers don’t like fishing for ling. However, occasionally we will get anglers who do want to catch this species.

On the deeper wrecks to the north and north-east of Whitby, north of the Ekofisk Pipe, down as far as the Devil’s Hole and off through the Gut to the Fulmer Field, there are a lot of big lings. If all on board are of the same mind (a ‘full boat’ booking), we work in the above area and target the ling.

 

Pre-1995, before we started to fish mostly offshore, I only targeted lings when the cod were difficult to catch - for example, at the back end of the year (“spawney” fishing time), when the cod were full of herrings and not interested in lures. Due to lack of pressure, the ling were generally of a much bigger average size than they are today. Because of the vast reduction in cod on the ground compared to what there used to be, the local Whitby angling boats have had to hit the wrecks harder and catch whatever they can.

 

Anglers on many charter and private boats, thinking they are doing the right thing, puncture the ‘blown-out’ stomachs of the small ling and put them back. Having only recently found out via the forum that this is the wrong thing to do, I hate to think of the vast numbers of lings that must have been killed in error by this practice.

 

You are right about resting the wrecks. I have found that we get far better results if we give wrecks a good recuperation period between visits. Of course, some wrecks fish better than others. You can hit some wrecks every month and get fantastic cod fishing; others can be fished with excellent results once or twice in a summer; and there are always a good number we don’t manage to get around to visiting, and consequently they may be left unfished for a couple of years.

 

On leaving harbour, the direction in which I go and the distance I travel is influenced by current and forecasted weather conditions. I also try to get to an area that has had a good rest. So one trip we will be at the Tail End, the next at the Indefat, then Clay Deep, or Cleaver Bank and so on. I haven’t got to the Forties Field yet, just aback of where you are working now. Do you tow among the rigs? If so, and you don’t mind of course, I would be interested in any wreck readings you have. I have plenty of Admiralty readings for that area, but fishermen’s readings are generally much more accurate. Perhaps you could PM me some? In turn, if there are any wrecks you want verifying, give me a shout. When we are at sea, we generally listen to 2231 on the big set.

 

Yes, I believe you are right again - there is too much angling pressure on the inshore wrecks off Whitby. If Big Cod had them to himself he would catch much more cod. However, he has to share them with about a dozen other charter boats and a few local private boats. Also, in fine weather in the summer, I see fleets of small private trailer boats that appear to know the positions of some of the local wrecks.

 

At the end of the day, the whole thing comes down to numbers. Within Big Cod’s area of operation there will be approximately 100 wrecks he has to share with a lot of other boats. I have over 5000 wrecks on my plotter, most of which I have to myself.

 

JB

Edited November 13, 2005 by John and Michele

[Guest binatone]

Hi, Binatone!

No, almost all of our catch is cod. Particularly in shallow water (less than 20 fathoms) where, for some reason, there don’t seem to be many ling. (If you check out our photo galleries on our website http://www.chieftaincharters.com, you will see plenty of pictures of cod, but only the occasional ling.)

 

Generally, our anglers don’t like fishing for ling. However, occasionally we will get anglers who do want to catch this species.

On the deeper wrecks to the north and north-east of Whitby, north of the Ekofisk Pipe, down as far as the Devil’s Hole and off through the Gut to the Fulmer Field, there are a lot of big lings. If all on board are of the same mind (a ‘full boat’ booking), we work in the above area and target the ling.

 

Pre-1995, before we started to fish mostly offshore, I only targeted lings when the cod were difficult to catch - for example, at the back end of the year (“spawney” fishing time), when the cod were full of herrings and not interested in lures. Due to lack of pressure, the ling were generally of a much bigger average size than they are today. Because of the vast reduction in cod on the ground compared to what there used to be, the local Whitby angling boats have had to hit the wrecks harder and catch whatever they can.

 

Anglers on many charter and private boats, thinking they are doing the right thing, puncture the ‘blown-out’ stomachs of the small ling and put them back. Having only recently found out via the forum that this is the wrong thing to do, I hate to think of the vast numbers of lings that must have been killed in error by this practice.

 

You are right about resting the wrecks. I have found that we get far better results if we give wrecks a good recuperation period between visits. Of course, some wrecks fish better than others. You can hit some wrecks every month and get fantastic cod fishing; others can be fished with excellent results once or twice in a summer; and there are always a good number we don’t manage to get around to visiting, and consequently they may be left unfished for a couple of years.

 

On leaving harbour, the direction in which I go and the distance I travel is influenced by current and forecasted weather conditions. I also try to get to an area that has had a good rest. So one trip we will be at the Tail End, the next at the Indefat, then Clay Deep, or Cleaver Bank and so on. I haven’t got to the Forties Field yet, just aback of where you are working now. Do you tow among the rigs? If so, and you don’t mind of course, I would be interested in any wreck readings you have. I have plenty of Admiralty readings for that area, but fishermen’s readings are generally much more accurate. Perhaps you could PM me some? In turn, if there are any wrecks you want verifying, give me a shout. When we are at sea, we generally listen to 2231 on the big set.

 

Yes, I believe you are right again - there is too much angling pressure on the inshore wrecks off Whitby. If Big Cod had them to himself he would catch much more cod. However, he has to share them with about a dozen other charter boats and a few local private boats. Also, in fine weather in the summer, I see fleets of small private trailer boats that appear to know the positions of some of the local wrecks.

 

At the end of the day, the whole thing comes down to numbers. Within Big Cod’s area of operation there will be approximately 100 wrecks he has to share with a lot of other boats. I have over 5000 wrecks on my plotter, most of which I have to myself.

 

JB

Why thanks very much john and Michele. You certainly get about a bit. That sorts a lot out as far as I am concerned. I will drop you an e-mail with readings that we have for the area we where talking about.

So the moral of the storey is as far as wreck fishing goes is don’t keep going back to the same wreck and expect to catch the same fish you have already caught.

Sounds as if you manage your wrecks correctly then (as you have proven) there should knot be any reason that your sustainability should knot work, and that’s why you don’t have to blame others when it doesn’t.

Got ya. O by the way had a good haul last knight. Will e-mail you about it.

[Leon Roskilly]

This was a strategy used by our government to reduce the available number of licence units, therefore reducing potential future fishing effort.

 

 

More changes

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051114b.htm

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Leon Roskilly]

Whether you believe it or not, overall fishing effort by British fishermen has been reduced. We did it by the book, but what the rest of Europe has done, God (or Leon?) only knows!

 

See latest news on EU fleet reduction at:

 

FishUpdate.com

 

Tight Lines - leon

[guernseybass]

Trouble is gullible people believe that rubish.

 

Cod Stocks to you mate.

 

remember when the commercials and the scientists said they were AOK when the conservationists warned off unsustained fishing ?

 

what happened - " its sustainable, its sustainable, its sustainable, oh no it isn't oops we were greedy and we cocked up, oh they're almost all gone, oh dear our industry is in trouble please help us".

 

Its utterly tragic that you guys just never ever learn do you. all you see is pound signs today.

 

Oh, and Pugs, Greenpeace are FOR sustainable fishing ( & farming) - they supported our Guernsey bass campaign and are doing a lot of good work against the scots pair trawlers.

 

GB

[JB]

More changes

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051114b.htm

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

Hi Leon,

Thanks for the information; I hope some of the posters read it. If they do, they may realise that commercial fishing is not the simple job they think it is.

JB

 

 

See latest news on EU fleet reduction at:

 

FishUpdate.com

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Jaffa]

Oh, and Pugs, Greenpeace are FOR sustainable fishing ( & farming) - they supported our Guernsey bass campaign and are doing a lot of good work against the scots pair trawlers. cool.gif

 

I got angry reading what you wrote before this bit, and thought "he is pig ignorant". Maybe its me that is though

 

But IME be very wary of gettting sucked into that "glow" where you are cool with Greenpeace though. Believe it or not the commercials have been there. The shetland boat "Starina" (if my crap memory is right) was used by them for the Brent Spar stuff, and there was loads of nice things said by greenpeace about the help from fishermen in "remote" communities (they love that stuff), loads of positive press weight, until they changed focus (think like walmart if you want to understand greenpeace IMHO) and suddenly they were the enemy - no holds barred whatsoever.

 

Chris.

 

Just the opinion of a madman and "paid up" employee of the evil commercial fishing/industrial farming brigade you understand

[wurzel]

quote

Cod Stocks to you mate.

 

remember when the commercials and the scientists said they were AOK when the conservationists warned off unsustained fishing ?

 

what happened - " its sustainable, its sustainable, its sustainable, oh no it isn't oops we were greedy and we cocked up, oh they're almost all gone, oh dear our industry is in trouble please help us".

 

Its utterly tragic that you guys just never ever learn do you. all you see is pound signs today.

 

Oh, and Pugs, Greenpeace are FOR sustainable fishing ( & farming) - they supported our Guernsey bass campaign and are doing a lot of good work against the scots pair trawlers.

 

There is not much wrong with cod stocks that a mini ice age would not put right, might not do the bass stocks much good though .

 

I wonder why Greenpeace never hasseled the French pair teams.