Thames Estuary fishing

[Leon Roskilly]

Do you know Leon you could

 

If the law does'nt specificly rule out the use of undersized bass for use as livebait at sea without landing them, ie bring them ashore, then the charges would get thrown out

 

 

See: http://www.defra.gov.uk/fish/sea/conserve/...umfishsizes.pdf

 

(includes table of minimum landing sizes)

 

MINIMUM FISH SIZES

 

General

 

36. The EU minimum sizes are set out in

Annex XII of Regulation 850/98 (Table 5).

For both finfish and shellfish undersized

animals are not to be retained on board,

transhipped, landed, transported, stored,

sold, displayed or offered for sale.

Undersized animals must be returned

immediately to the sea.

 

Note the underlining of 'immediately'

 

 

I doubt that a netsman, bringing into his boat undersized fish, using them to bait his pots, and lowering them back into the sea would get away in court claiming that he had 'returned' them

 

And neither do I believe that an angler bringing an undersized fish in, attaching it to a hook and lowering it back down to be used as bait would get away with it either!

 

Of course, as with all laws, the only way to find out for sure is to try the defence in court!

 

 

Never the less, the minimum landing sizes are there as conservation measures with the intention of allowing fish to grow to a certain size before they are to be killed by anglers or fishermen.

 

When anglers are fighting to ensure that conservation is given proper consideration over the exploitation of the resource, and enforcement of conservation regulations are rigorous, it does angling no favours whatsover when individuals choose to ignore either the rules, or the spirit of those rules, for their own interests.

Edited May 7, 2006 by Leon Roskilly

[Dave Godwin]

I think we have to ease up on this topic now as although a mistake was made by the sound of it.

We have no wish to put off a young angler from fishing or posting.

I am sure that Matt will learn and very quickly as he has a thirst for knowledge.

All part of the learning curve.

 

Dave

[Stoaty]

It's very sad here that you lot once again get all serious about a post that any sensible person can see was tounge in cheek. Angling is about having fun and enjoying yourselves. That includes a joke and a bit of banter in my book.

 

We didn't see a single bass of any size on saturday. If any of you thought Matt's post was serious you ought to go away and get a humour injection. Your laying some heavy stuff on a young lad. Lighten up. Enjoy your fishing.

[Sharkbyte]

Bull.

 

 

 

where in the message did i say a bass of 36cm?

 

point it out to me coz i wrote it and i don't see it.

 

they were around 20cm or so.

 

IF???? your on a wind up (not a cover up) DON'T follow it up by being rude to those rising to it.

 

 

I trust you will both be apologising to Leon for wasting his time.

[Stoaty]

Like I say, if you can't tell a bit of leg pulling and banter go away and get a humour injection.

[Dave Godwin]

Stoaty whilst i don't disagree with you, email, forums, text is all very flat and without any emotion.

The original post had no LOL, smileys etc.

Coupled with the fact that everybody who has answered has thought along the same lines, perhaps the posting could have been worded better for the mood in which it was intended.

It is not so a humour injection thats required in this instance i feel.

[sam-cox]

RIGHT! From the out set I have thought this to be a wind up but wasnt quite sure.

It wasnt a very funny wind up tp be honish, I know your only around 16 years old Mat but from our past conversations I have always thought you to be a very mature 16 year old.

This post to my mind is well beneath your normal standard. I feel you was more than a little naive of you to put such a post up like this as you know how many bass lover frequent these pages.

 

Lets all move on I say, and Mat I look foward to your proper reports for the rest of thew summer!