Cod "doomed" due to climate change.

[Guest @Winter@]

Skippy you seem to be getting into it. Get your teeth into this report which comes from the fishermans favourite scientists Cefarse.

 

 

The cefas NE coast FSP surveys 2003: places COD discards per hour at 30 codling per hour per boat. These Studies were undertaken on the Whitby Boats Abbey Leigh and Emulator. Discards were said to be paticulally high to the south of Whitby and in particuler between scarborough and Flamborough where at times discard rates reached 190 codling per hour per boat. Looking at cod sizes taken from the herring spawn it was noted that : The most abundant cod were fish of 30 to 40 cm that are

likely to be one and two year cod (year-classes 2001 and 2002). These data suggest that this

fishery is mainly targeting young fish, and that large old cod were not abundant on

these grounds. The catchability of large cod is known to increase with increased

towing time, but although towing times were variable during the project, most were of

2 to 3 hours duration, which should have been long enough to catch large fish had

they been present.

 

Discards were said to be significantly lower to the north of Whitby. So would it not make sense to close the grounds south of Whitby at Herring spawn time?

 

Now 2003 was a poor year for small fish as the cefas year class studies show. What would the discount rate be when there was an abundance of small fish?

 

 

These were the cefas summary and conclusions of the yorkshire coast fishery.

 

Summary and conclusions

• Abbie Lee and Emulator, two 16m trawlers with 300 KW engines, fished for cod

off the Yorkshire coast in the period late August to late October, using 80 mm and

120 mm nets rigged for fishing rough ground. The gears used may have

influenced the observed geographic distributions of fish on different ground types,

as noted in the cruise reports at Appendix 2.

• The project found high catch rates of mainly young cod (30 to 40 cm) up to a

maximum of 450 fish per hour in an inshore band between Scarborough and

Flamborough Head, and lower catch rates, generally less than 100 fish per hour in

the surrounding area to the north and further offshore. Such spatial structuring in

catch rates (proportional to abundance) is rarely evident in the results of research

vessel groundfish surveys, where the haul positions are much more widely spaced.

The fishery persisted over the duration of the project, and the cod appeared to be

feeding heavily on herring and herring spawn.

• Discarding was highest at the fish-rich locations. The highest average retention

rate occurred when the 120 mm mesh net was used by Abbie Lee, whereas

retention by Emulator was reduced when the 120 mm mesh net was used.

• Cod were fairly uniform in size throughout the fishing area, mainly between 30

and 45 cm. These are most likely to be one and two year old fish.

 

 

During the same period, CEFAS Endeavour was engaged on the 3rd Quarter

English Groundfish Survey of the North Sea, using the standard International

Bottom Trawl Survey high-headline GOV trawl. She made a small number of

hauls near the locations of low cod density in the offshore part of the project area,

and obtained similar catch rates, although these were much lower than in the high

density location inshore.

 

• If the results of this project are seen as typical of cod fishing in this area in all

years, the Yorkshire coast fishery would be regarded as predominantly an

immature fishery, providing information about the recruitment of cod to a very

localised area. Repeat of the survey in spring using an 80 mm mesh might be

useful for warning of a large year-class about to become vulnerable to the fishery,

thereby permitting measures to be taken to reduce wastage due to discarding.

However, provision of information relevant to the assessment of the wider North

Sea cod stock would require a very much more extensive project.

 

 

 

Now after reading that be aware that the boats would only fish in the non fish rich araes for the benefits of the scientists. When they are out there making a living they use the fish finding equipment to ensure they ar allways in the fish rich areas. Thus the discard rates at herring spawn time would be nearer the 190 fish per hour per boat most of the time. A lot of dead fishies in a year when there was not an abundance of likkle fishies about. Would the rates be double or more when there are a lot more small fish about? If what doc says is correct about a lot of little codling around now then next october could see them all slaughtered, a lot being discarded.

 

Im glad you don't consider it typical. Why did BC use that example to try and say why Steve was wrong though? Is Steve expected to know what is typical in the NE?

 

Whats the problem with divulging an estimate of charter landings btw?

 

 

Better ask Bc. At a guess he doesnt know and why should he. Why not ask him what he catches he should be able to guess that one. Dont go multiply it by 17 though. Remember not all are as good as him

Edited January 6, 2006 by @Winter@

[skippytheroo]

Just trying to imagine how good the fishing would be on this coast if there were nursery areas banning trawling at critical times for say five years. I know I always say I dont mind blanking but it does get a little repetitive, tho I must say i have doen vastly better this year but I think that is more down to my knowledge and experience and trying new marks than anything else

 

All those one and 2 lbers now would be like 5 and 6lbers.....Im sure someone will correct me on this one,,, TIA Leon ,,,,,,, but they will have spawned once at least so encouraging more small codlings to feed on the herring spawn in peace in the gentle knowledge they not gonna be drowned on some greedy trawlermans boat while he rummages through collecting mom and dad for his plastic yellow box :P

 

Everyone benefits

 

There are more larger codling out there hopefully all year round on the rough ground around Whitby. and more Moms and dads out there hopefully heading to shore come winter time for the rich pickings from the lugworm and juicy crab rich beaches and rocky shores that adorn our coastline.

 

I accept that herring spawn time sounds like a kind of "fill yer boots" once a year "make up for all those bad weeks when the fishing was poor" kind of time for the trawler men....but times are tough now and by the sound of it if something isnt done soon times are gonna get a whole lot tougher really quick.

[Guest @Winter@]

As your knowledge improves skips so do your catches there is a definate positive correlation. Id love to apply my knowledge now to a year like 97. You would have to do catch and release because you wouldnt be able to carry them. Why we never fished with 2 hooks that year is beyond me. If it could be like that every year id happily return my fish.

[skippytheroo]

Lol I have to C+R if I went to Boulby Just about got the feeling back in my legs

[Guest @Winter@]

LOL. youd be ok after a few goes. I was at RHB today. your new found spot looked perfect. Wish I had more than an hour I would have had a go.

[skippytheroo]

As your knowledge improves skips so do your catches there is a definate positive correlation.

 

 

From what Ive heard from other anglers this year seems to be fishing either really well or totally crap :P the areas fishing well seem to be localised then the fish are gone somewhere else....is this usual behaviour? I only have last years experience to go by Even my own experience shows this....I had a corking night down at RHB one night a month back caught about 10 fish in all one 8lb another 2 of about 4lb ish that I kept and a load around the 1 to 1 and a half pound mark that went back.....Went back couple days later and caught nothing in similar conditions

[Guest @Winter@]

In an average year and when the conditions are right you should be able to get 4-6 fish from most marks. This year as youve seen its all or nothing. Ive been lucky as ive managed to guess where they will turn up, and guessing it has been half the time. There are some great anglers in our club who are pulling there hair out as luck has not shone on them yet this year.

 

Ill give you a couple of extracts from my diary of 97 just to illuistrate what fishing used to be like.

 

Tuesday 20th jan

 

sea state Big NW

Fished west pier 7-10

Fish - 21 between 1 and 6 pounds. All fish returned.

Bait fresh lug

 

Thursday 22nd jan

 

Sea state dieing NW

fished rock mark south of Whitby

fished 8-11

fish 18 between 1 and 4 pound. All returned un weighed

Bait crab and worm

 

Thursday 12th March

sea light NW

Fished upgang beach

fished 6-11pm

fish 17 between 1 and 4 pounds

Bait lugworm

 

 

MAny many more nights like that skippy in that year.

 

Now ask big cod about 86 and he will be able to tell you of catches of 30 plus in a few hours.

[big_cod]

Ok then IF WE SAY CAUGHT 100 COD THAT WHERE BIG PRIME FISH FOR THE MARKET WE WOULD HAVE TO TETURN 2 TO THE SEA THAT WHERE NOT MARKETABLE. Is that clear. Work it out from that. If you would like me to give you the actual numbers from the last thirty two years? Will you please hang on till I get home, then give me a week to work it all out and I will post no problem.

It’s 2% of a lot of fish I can tell you that. But are 2% discards acceptable? that is the question?

 

 

Binitone 2% YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT IS ABSOLUTE RUBISH .

 

ARE YOU REALLY A TRAWLER SKIPPER I AM BEGINNING TO WONDER.

 

DISCARDS HAVE BEEN KNOW TO BE UPTO 50%

[big_cod]

Binitone 2% YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT IS ABSOLUTE RUBISH .

 

ARE YOU REALLY A TRAWLER SKIPPER I AM BEGINNING TO WONDER.

 

DISCARDS HAVE BEEN KNOW TO BE UPTO 50%

 

Just to give the guys on here some idea abbeylee did a survey 3 years ago for defra went out during the day water clear didnt get a lot of fish something like 30 codling in the trawl ,skipper lets try towing in the dark we will catch more fish.

 

Did a 2 hour tow in the dark 374 codling out of that 93 were under size discard returned now is that 2%, if we cast our minds back to the eighties god help us.

[wurzel]

Hello Every body

 

I would have thought discards have been greatly reduced with the interduction of 120 mm cod ends and square mesh pannels, also don't forget there are a lot less boats fish for cod.