A Question about the Defra Bass Consultation

[Jaffa]

I've been rereading the DEFRA consultation, and while most of it is clear enough, im confused by this paragraph:

 

Increase in minimum landing size

 

We propose that the legislation, in the form of a Statutory Instrument (SI), should prohibit the landing of any bass less than 45cm. This would apply to all UK registered vessels landing into English ports.

 

The legislation would also prohibit the sale, exposure or offer for sale, or possession for the purpose of sale of bass which is less that 45cm. This would apply throughout England. The proposed SI would not apply to bass taken from a commercial fish farm, as this is covered by separate legislation.

 

The carriage of bass smaller than the proposed MLS would also be prohibited to English vessels throughout British Fisheries Limits (BFLs) taking into account devolution settlements and, on all British vessels when in BFLs. The Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) also explores other options such as a staged increase in the MLS, a regional approach and an increase in the MLS to 55cm.

I read

The carriage of bass smaller than the proposed MLS would also be prohibited to English vessels throughout British Fisheries Limits (BFLs) taking into account devolution settlements and, on all British vessels when in BFLs.

 

as meaning it would be illegal for a Scots boat to carry 36cm - 45cm bass in Scottish waters?

 

Could someone confirm Im just misunderstanding this somehow?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[Dan]

I've been rereading the DEFRA consultation, and while most of it is clear enough, im confused by this paragraph:

I read

 

as meaning it would be illegal for a Scots boat to carry 36cm - 45cm bass in Scottish waters?

 

Could someone confirm Im just misunderstanding this somehow?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

That would be my understanding but only from the written word, no idea what it meant to say, send it to the plain english society!

 

dan

[Steve Coppolo]

I don't know if it's a mistake or not, but I would imagine it actually means prohibit Scottish boats from carrying undersize bass in English waters. If the new MLS doesn't apply in Scotland, I can't see how they can prohibit Scottish boats from catching bass under that MLS in Scottish waters.

 

I don't know the answer, that's just my take on it.

[wurzel]

Hello Jaffa,

 

 

Quote

taking into account devolution settlements.

 

Doesn't that mean only if Scotland accept the BMP ?

 

It looks like I will be able to ignore the BMP so long as I fish out side 12 miles , which I mostly do, and land the bass on a foreign market, which I have often done in the past .

[sam-cox]

Hello Wurzel,

 

You mention you have landed and sold fish on a foreign market, how often and how much was bass? Do you think many English boats do this, and do you think much English bass is caught out side the 12 mile limit and landed on foreign markets.

Im just trying to establish if any large amount of bass are delt with in this way and how often. If its not a common thing then it wouldnt have a lot of impact would it.

Although I know you do catch bass you do primarilly target soles(when your allowed) so as I understand it bass is not your main catch.

[Jaffa]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one Dan

 

Walked the dog and then discovered this smiley

 

 

I'd imagine this is a mistake of some sort as Steve says, or we are reading it wrong. The main body of the consultation document states

 

4. To increase the value of the bass stock the Government is considering a range of

measures. The first is to increase the MLS from 36 cm to 45 cm of bass that may be

caught in UK fishery limits. This would apply to English fishing vessels wherever they

may be (except when in the Welsh territorial sea, where vessels would be subject to

Welsh MLSs), and Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh fishing vessels when in the

English part of UK fishery limits. Accompanying the proposal to increase the MLS, is a

complementary proposal to increase the mesh size in enmeshing nets (such as gill,

tangle, drift, trammel and seine nets) targeting bass. In effect only those vessels

landing catches from these gears composing over 10% bass will be affected.

 

meaning no effect on Scotland.

 

However the covering letter seems to say that while the Scots can catch, sell, or do whatever with bass, the one thing they cannot do is carry <45cm bass on their boats?

 

Wurzel, I'm not sure even the politicians really understand the effects of devolution yet. I was unaware the BMP effected Scotland at all, other than giving our boats a competitive advantage over the English of course . You would land your catch abroad and cut out UK merchants, just for the cheap fuel and to get around the BMP restrictions! Heavens above that someone would stoop so low!

 

Just as well this has been taken into account in the latest "cunning plan"

 

Going to return to that smiley

 

[steve good]

I've been rereading the DEFRA consultation, and while most of it is clear enough, im confused by this paragraph:

I read

 

as meaning it would be illegal for a Scots boat to carry 36cm - 45cm bass in Scottish waters?

 

Could someone confirm Im just misunderstanding this somehow?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

I think it means this.

Because scotland and n/ireland are devolved parliments and wales has its own assemble, they can now manage the waters around their coasts. I think uk waters is now english waters.

my defra office says that the scots can land 36cm bass in scotland but they cannot bring into enlish waters or land them in a english port

 

steve

[steve good]

Hello Jaffa,

Quote

taking into account devolution settlements.

 

Doesn't that mean only if Scotland accept the BMP ?

 

It looks like I will be able to ignore the BMP so long as I fish out side 12 miles , which I mostly do, and land the bass on a foreign market, which I have often done in the past .

 

Hi Wurzel

 

uk waters also means you cannot catch bass under 45cm in the falklands

 

steve

[Brian Carragher]

Maybe just maybe, being able to fish outside the twelve mile limit and landing bass of 36-45cm in a foreign port shows just how weak the BMP really is as a fishery management tool and how stupid it is to have a "fishery management tool for species survival" that is isolationist at its very best.

Surely whats needed is an EU wide approach to any percieved problem rather than a law that most of the EU bass fishers will ignore anyway and will not impinge on them nor restrict their landings anyway

Edited February 7, 2006 by Brian Carragher

[wurzel]

Quote

So why bother posting more anti-bmp on this site wurzel?

 

I will continue to punch holes the BMP, Lets face it it's not difficult as it's made of very thin tissue.

 

Quote

Maybe just maybe, being able to fish outside the twelve mile limit and landing bass of 36-45cm in a foreign port shows just how weak the BMP really is as a fishery management tool and how stupid it is to have a "fishery management tool for species survival" that is isolationist at its very best.

 

Spot on Brian