Breaking news from the government!!

[Norm B]

I only keep a couple of fish a month and only if they're over 3lb. Good table size, I put loads back but it does annoy me to see some anglers take all they catch over the legal size. :mad:

 

[ 08. August 2004, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: Norm B ]

[Norm B]

Norm B:

I only keep a couple of fish a month and only if they're over 3lb. Good table size, I put loads back but it does annoy me to see some anglers take all they catch over the legal size. :mad: I don't see the link with bass controlling the seal population though.

[Leon Roskilly]

Norm B:

quote:

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I don't see the link with bass controlling the seal population though.

[/QB]

---

Different predators compete with one another for the available prey.

 

It seems perplexing at first when we hear of declining fish stocks, to be told that seal populations are increasing.

 

But on my estuary, there seems to be plenty of pouting around, small whiting etc.

 

Partly, with the larger fish hammered, that's due to there being a greater supply of food around for the smaller fish that are of no great interest to the commercial sector. And lots of smaller fish means better feasting for the predators.

 

It's usually the job of the predators who compete with one another to keep the numbers of smaller fish down.

 

But with most of the sizeable bass, cod etc being taken by the commercial sector, that leaves plenty of food for the just the seals.

 

And so they expand their populations to match the increased food supply.

 

So much so that the commercial fishermen have been increasingly calling for culls of seals stealing 'their' fish.

 

Interesting thing about culls.

 

As populations grow too fast, nature has a way of dealing with that.

 

We've had a couple of examples in recent years of huge numbers of seals being 'culled' by nature as seal distemper virus has ripped through the North Sea populations.

 

'Culled' by nature in numbers that no one is going to allow men with rifles to shoot.

 

Yet the populations just bounce right back.

 

Why?

 

Because they are the only large predator left to get on with the job.

 

So with those kind of forces at work, how effective are a few blokes with rifles going to be, and for how long?

 

It's all about getting things back to some kind of balance, plenty of big bass and maybe cod to sort out all those pouting, and as the number of competing predators increases so the numbers of seals should reduce to match what nature has left to share.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Jim Roper]

Norm, get the message? People shouldn't eat Bass!

[Guest jay_con]

yes norm leave the bass for the gill netters and trawlers.

 

what about the cod ? can we still eat them? as its only bass were bothered about right?

[Jim Roper]

Cranfield:

Just imagine if it was announced that as from Ist November 2004, anyone wishing to fish in salt water must have a licence.

.........................

How many sea anglers wouldn't buy one ?

I spoke to a chap on the harbour wall at West Bay at the weekend. His children and grandchildren were engrossed in catching all sorts of small fish and crabs with cheapy tackle. "Would you be doing this if they had to buy a license?", I asked.

"Not likely" was the reply.

I can't think of a better way of discouraging new starters, resulting in fewer anglers. Of course, that appears to be what some posters want.

[Leon Roskilly]

Jim Roper:

Jim Roper:

Just imagine if it was announced that as from Ist November 2004, anyone wishing to fish in salt water must have a licence.

.........................

How many sea anglers wouldn't buy one ?

I spoke to a chap on the harbour wall at West Bay at the weekend. His children and grandchildren were engrossed in catching all sorts of small fish and crabs with cheapy tackle. "Would you be doing this if they had to buy a license?", I asked.

"Not likely" was the reply.

I can't think of a better way of discouraging new starters, resulting in fewer anglers. Of course, that appears to be what some posters want.

er,

 

Youngsters don't need a freshwater licence, it's not very likely that they'll need a licence to fish in the sea.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Jim Roper]

Leon Roskilly:

 

Youngsters don't need a freshwater licence, it's not very likely that they'll need a licence to fish in the sea.

 

Tight Lines - leon

Only half the party were kids. The other half were parents and grandparents.

[hector]

Jim Roper:

Don't we pay enough tax allready?

 

Where does the VAT on fishing tackle go?

 

Just been told that my £5.64 per hr job will disappear next year!

Sorry to hear that mate ,sort of puts things into perspective. There are a lot of people out there who fish on a shoe string budget.

[Scotty T]

Another cracking suggestion from the good ideas club!!! What I want to know is how the hell would they police it ???