Bad news for Channel Island angling

[Socksy Squirrel]

http://www.thisisjersey.co.uk/news/news1.html

I thought this may be of interest and it is not only our fish that they are taking but large numbers of fish from the south coast of England

[maximo]

pure and total scum of the earth.no thought of anything but themselves and pure greed.they will never learn until its too late.at least the storms up north are keeping them tied up.

[Toerag]

Old news I'm afraid Socksy, and incorrect at that. I saw them at the end of a tow in early December when I was out wrecking and sent Guernsey sea-fisheries an email to let them know that I'd seen them. They were well aware of their presence but were not excessively concerned as they actually trawl for Scad & mackerel, not Bass & Bream. Here's the owners website:- http://www.jaczon.nl/index.htm

The Bass & Bream story was concocted by the 2 Guernsey boats that pair trawl for bass and bream to stir things up. Speaking of bass, there have been at least 5 or 6 bass over 15lb caught on rod & line in the past week in guernsey waters, biggest 18-9 (new bailiwick & C.I.record if claimed)!!!!

What is bad is that the pair trawl ban does not include the Guernsey 12 mile limit, although they haven't been seen that close in yet this season.

Max - the storms don't bother trawlers of this size. In the recent F12 storm in the channel only 1 trawler took shelter in Guernsey's harbours, the closest harbour to the marks.

 

[ 14. January 2005, 04:40 PM: Message edited by: Toerag ]

[Grant]

Do you think those guns at Noirmont still work? Beyond words really- no doubt the local reaction will end in no real action being taken.

 

So now being hit by the French from the other side as well as this, looks like I may as well pack up.

[maximo]

a bit of stirring among themselves toerag is that to get locals on their side.

they must be big trawlers to put out in that as it even blew the stranraer ferry aground.

btw what happened to the spanish trawler in difficulties off scotland ,anyone know.

there was one in difficulties off st bees last night as well dont know what happened there either.

[Socksy Squirrel]

Hi Toerag,

 

I believe the story originally started in the Guernsey Evening Press before spreading to the JEP.

If scad and mackerel are all they are after then it is not too bad.

However they must be hoovering them up like mad.

The black bream population off the islands has picked up recently, all we need is a few mad trawlermen and it will be back to zilch again.

I would be careful about arguing that the population of bass are healthy on the basis of a few large fish, these fish are usually solitary due to their cannnibalistic ways and seldom caught by commercial fishermen, it is the shoals of smaller fish that they target.

[Pugs]

buy a sub and sink'em

[Toerag]

Socksy - yes, the story did originate in the GEP before Xmas. The Guernsey Pair trawlers (all 2 of them) were trying to say that they would be forced out of the areas they fish for bream & bass by the big boats, and that all the local boats would end up chasing the same fish & going bust. Bass- One of the commercial potters discovered a 'new' mark in February last year when he saw gannets diving. It is impossible to fish the mark using any method other than rod & line, but there are so many bass that 200kg per angler per day is commonplace, and for the commercial boys that's good money at this time of year!! At the moment the mark is producing bass between 3 & 10lb all the time, with a sprinkling of bigger fish on some days. I had 22 bass over the weekend including 3x 10lb'ers, and that was only on shads, those with live eels were getting a lot more. As to the conservation argument, that's been done to death on here, I kept 3 fish. As to the potential record, allegedly the fish was sold before being properly identified, so there will be no claim. I'll post some pics later of boats on the mark, they're quite amusing.

[Socksy Squirrel]

Hi Toerag,

 

At 200kg+ of fish per angler per day how long do you think this mark will last?

You might not be keeping all your fish but I bet some guys are.

[Leon Roskilly]

The proposals in the Bass Management Plan would put an end to much of this kind of thing if it's adopted.

 

see http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/sacn/latest/i...ex.php?view=223

 

More importantly if it is adopted within the waters around Guernsey.

 

It seems that some local Guernsey anglers are needed to ensure that it's taken it forward there.

 

Tight Lines - leon