Richard Seager/ Sea Angler Magazine

[Toerag]

Scotty, Maverick & Jabee - thanks, I appreciate your comments, and I know that many people are into C&R, but there must still be a lot of people looking to take home a couple of hundred quid's worth of fish to flog to their local pub. Let's face it, 3 of you have piped up on this thread out of how many anglers doing the alderney trips each year, 600+?? I unfortunately suspect that you are in the minority, as most 'hard-core' anglers like us are. Guernsey Sea Fisheries base their stats on boardings they make of vessels (I've seen them doing it twice last summer) and inspection of the fish holds, so they must have a pretty good idea of what's being taken.

Norm - you too have a good arguement, the value is much more than the commercial value, and in my ideal world of all fishing being done with rod & line it shows the way forward. However, the fact still stands that the sheer numbers of charterboats are now causing overfishing themselves, average flatty size has dropped dramatically in the past couple of years, and more boats jump on the bandwagon each year.

[Norm B]

Scotty, Maverick & Jabee - thanks, I appreciate your comments, and I know that many people are into C&R, but there must still be a lot of people looking to take home a couple of hundred quid's worth of fish to flog to their local pub. Let's face it, 3 of you have piped up on this thread out of how many anglers doing the alderney trips each year, 600+?? I unfortunately suspect that you are in the minority, as most 'hard-core' anglers like us are. Guernsey Sea Fisheries base their stats on boardings they make of vessels (I've seen them doing it twice last summer) and inspection of the fish holds, so they must have a pretty good idea of what's being taken.

Norm - you too have a good arguement, the value is much more than the commercial value, and in my ideal world of all fishing being done with rod & line it shows the way forward. However, the fact still stands that the sheer numbers of charterboats are now causing overfishing themselves, average flatty size has dropped dramatically in the past couple of years, and more boats jump on the bandwagon each year.

I would like to see the Alderney, and other C.I's impose a bag limit on fish landed daily in their waters. Genuine anglers wouldn't object if it was a fair one and most charter skippers would probably welcome it as it will improve or prolong their season. It wouldn't go down too well though if the commercials just took more of what was left though, perhaps a quoto for them too based on what they've declared last year.

[chappers]

This is the reason I asked, if most of their catch gets put back then why do they need the ice? Guernsey Sea Fisheries reckon the UK charter vessels take 7 tonnes of turbot out of Alderney waters each year, about the same as the local commercial fleet (Alderney and Guernsey).

 

 

Scotty, Maverick & Jabee - thanks, I appreciate your comments, and I know that many people are into C&R, but there must still be a lot of people looking to take home a couple of hundred quid's worth of fish to flog to their local pub. Let's face it, 3 of you have piped up on this thread out of how many anglers doing the alderney trips each year, 600+?? I unfortunately suspect that you are in the minority, as most 'hard-core' anglers like us are. Guernsey Sea Fisheries base their stats on boardings they make of vessels (I've seen them doing it twice last summer) and inspection of the fish holds, so they must have a pretty good idea of what's being taken.

Norm - you too have a good arguement, the value is much more than the commercial value, and in my ideal world of all fishing being done with rod & line it shows the way forward. However, the fact still stands that the sheer numbers of charterboats are now causing overfishing themselves, average flatty size has dropped dramatically in the past couple of years, and more boats jump on the bandwagon each year.

 

This is starting to become a bit of a bone of contention between the english charter skippers and the Guernsey fishermen, and I agree with Toerag that not all anglers are as conservation minded as others, the problem for the charters and their crews is that the Guernsey Fisheries board DO actually back their fishermen and will start excluding or imposing bag limits on the English boats.

Its up to the english Charter fleet to start regulating themselves before they get regulated themselves or even excluded from fishing around the waters of Guernsey.

Toerag is right when I first started to go to Alderney, back in the mid to late 80's there were only a couple of boats makeing the crossing with another handful making the crossing to Guernsey.

Last summer on any one of 4 nights on the island there were btween 7 and 12 english charter boats over, now while that must be excellent for the islands economy, and I know that there are a couple of businesses that must be totally reliant upon this trade for survival, it is not good for the fish stocks.

I have definitely noticed a decrease in the average size of the flatties.

There are also rumours of at least one english charter skipper selling turbot, not on the island I might add.

[Sharkbyte]

Bag limits for all species are the way to go here.

 

At the end of the day the Bailiwick of Guernsey calls the shots but it would be nice to see them implement the kind of restrictions the UK were to gutless to put in place BEFORE the fishings knackered.

 

Is there not enough examples from around the world demonstrating what happens if no action is taken?

[FishingGuernsey]

Bag limits for all species are the way to go here.

 

At the end of the day the Bailiwick of Guernsey calls the shots but it would be nice to see them implement the kind of restrictions the UK were to gutless to put in place BEFORE the fishings knackered.

 

Is there not enough examples from around the world demonstrating what happens if no action is taken?

 

This is exactly what we want them to do but they don't want to listen or act when it's mainly locals complaining. I don't see a total ban as best measure except perhaps in some circumstances. I feel that most islanders would be in support of a reasonable bag limit but only if adequate other measures were put in place to control commercial takings. Guerns are pretty stubborn and their stubbornness often outweighs logic and common sense.

 

Charter boats do bring something to the local economy but only if they stay overnight and use the hotels/B&B's. Mark up in Alderney does best with his excellent tackle shop in a van down on the quay.

 

If you want to express you opinion to the States of Guernsey, one of the most effective ways is through the local paper by emailing newsroom@guernsey-press.com with your (short) letter. Most of the local politicians will pick up on these and quite often the editor will approach the relative authority for a response to go alongside in the paper.

 

The more noise that is made the better.

[Steve Coppolo]

I just sent my letter. Please let me know if they print it.

[Leon Roskilly]

Keep an Eye out here Steve:

 

http://www.thisisguernsey.com/discus/messa...1779/11779.html

 

or maybe here:

 

http://www.thisisguernsey.com/discus/messa...html?1143126719

[trouty]

Not all anglers are so conservation minded. The rumours of some who see selling their catch as a way of subsiding their trip never stop, and why is so much ice needed if everone is practicing catch and release?

[Newt]

and why is so much ice needed if everone is practicing catch and release?

It helps keep the bait fresher?

 

They subscribe to the American perversion of ruining a perfectly good glass of whisky by diluting it with ice?

[FishingGuernsey]

It helps keep the bait fresher?

 

They must use a lot of bait!!