Bass 45cm Mls Consultation

[Simon Everett]

Just noticed, there is nothing about the proposed increase in bass Minimum Landing Size on here.

 

In case some of you don't know, there is a consultation going on at the moment with YOU. The subject is the question of whether the MLS (Minimum Landing Size) of bass should be raised to 45cms and the corresponding increase in net mesh size introduced. The answer is of course YES, to both.

 

The current 36cm MLS does not permit the bass to spawn before it can be legally targetted. The proposed 45cm one does. BASS have been monitoring the spawning success of each year for the last 31 years. The same stretch of the Tamar is netted and a count taen of the year 1 and year 0 fish. This is done evry year at the same spot, in the same week for the entire week. The results for the week are then averaged to get a fairly accurate idea of how well the fry have survived. I have to report bad news, last year the spawning success was not very good in comparison to previous years. Little wonder when you consider the decimation that occurred to the spawning shoals during spawning. Anyway, there is another aspect to consider - if we get a spell of about 10 days of continuous frost it can (and has) cause a total mortality of the fry - which means that year there is NO recruitment into the fishery. As the sustainability of the fishery is based purely on that recruitment taking prespawning fish is a very dangerous gamble t take (the 36cm MLS) but one that is being taken at the moment.

 

We need the 45cm MLS to be introduced this year to protect the very strong year class of 2001 which is coming up to 36cms this coming year and there fore will soon be the target of commercial netsmen. By introducing a 45cm MLS those fish will gain some protection which should allow them to spawn before they can be netted in any quantity. It will,of course, mean that you as anglers will also have to adhere to the 45cm MLS (about 2lbs) but you should be doing that voluntarily now anyway (in fact you should be releasing anything under 3.5lbs but that is as maybe).

 

PLEASE: write a short note to the following address and register your support for the proposed 45cm MLS AND the increase to mesh size as outlined in OPTION 2 of the consultatin paper. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - just say

 

" I am a keen angler and I would like to see bass protected until they have spawned at least once. I want to register my support for the introductin of the 45cm Minimum Landing Size and the increase in net mesh size as proposed in option 2 of the consultation paper."

 

Send it to:

Nicola Clarke, Bass MLS Consultation, Coastal Waters Policy, Fish Industry Management, DEFRA,

3-8 Whitehall Place, London. SW1A 2HH

 

OR email to bassmls@defra.gsi.gov.uk

 

Then, get as many of your friends and relatives to do exactly the same - we need a HUGE response to this if recreational sea angling is to gain any ground against the commercial exploitation of our fish stocks. WE have a right to have a say in how those stocks are managed, especially those species for which recreational sea angling has proved to be a more worthwhile investment. If you want to see your fishing dramatically improve then do as I ask - write your letter and get as many work colleagues, fishing friends, football/rugby club friends, relatives and tackle shop owners as you can to register their support too. It will be worth the effort - the 45cm MLS will appear as nothing when you can RELIABLY expect to go out and catch a 5lb bass, in place of a 1.5lb bass. This has proved to work in America where there bass stocks were completely collapsed - in 10 years of tight regulatins the stocks were at an all time high. Give the fish a chance and they will do the rest.

 

Thank you for taking the trouble to read this and thank you too to those who do respond - whether through reading this or if you already have. BUT have you encouraged anyone else to respond? See how many you can get to.

Simon.

 

 

 

 

By the way - I should have said, the cut off date is 6th February, so get cracking over the Christmas period where you will see loads of family and friends!! A good chance to get some extra responses.

 

keep this at the top! It is too important.

[nifty]

Further to Simons post,

 

If you live in Wales, then you need to address your post to Carwyn Jones, the AM responsible for this here.

 

I E- Mailed him a couple of weeks ago and received a reply from his assistant, and it seems he is with the angler on this I do hope so!

 

Stuart.

[Simon Everett]

Nifty,

will you please put up a post like mine above for the Welsh readers please?

Put up the name address and then the email address so those good folks can write/email the good fellow.

 

Thank you.

[Rapala]

Nifty,

will you please put up a post like mine above for the Welsh readers please?

Put up the name address and then the email address so those good folks can write/email the good fellow.

 

Thank you.

You dont have to actually LIVE in Wales to respond to the Welsh version of this consultation. If you fish there, travel there, spend money and holidays there, etc etc all because you fish for bass there, then thats enough. After all the Welsh Tourist Board have this year been advertising Wales as having the best bass angling in the UK. If thats what they think, and they are obviously keen on advertising bass as a recreational sportfish to line the coffers of their tourist industry, then the W.A. ought to have no problems in supporting these recomendations.

However, politicians being politicians, the more encouragement they get from the travelling angler, who can be bothered to put pen to paper to do his bit, the better.

[Simon Everett]

Good point. It would be worth pointing out just how much each angler travelling to fish for bass in Wales spends - and there fore just how much those bass are worth, providing they stay there and don't get netted out from under our feet.

[nifty]

I sent my e-mail to Carwyn.Jones@Wales.gsi.gov.uk and got a reply but it might be worth having a look at the BASS site for more advice.

 

Rapala,

Your right about the Wales tourist board promoting Bass fishing and obviously at some cost. I e-mailed them in October last year to put forward my concerns that in my opinion the Bass fishing was in fact declining and all their investment would be a complete waste of money unless measures were bought in to protect what is a valuable resource to the Welsh tourism industry.

 

I did receive a reply from Rhys Llywelyn stating their concern and along with the EA in Wales, were putting as much pressure on the Assembly to "Restrict the plunder of our fish". He advised me at the time that the best thing was to express my concerns to Carwyn Jones as it is through his office that any changes will come about, so He's the man to bombard with your mail.

 

nifty

[Simon Everett]

Evereyone write to him Carwyn - we have to keep the pressure up. If you can actually write rather than email it does carry more weight - and I believe they are duty bound to reply. I shall try and find an address for Welsh Assembly members.