Conservation Minded Anglers Should be Happy

[thedogs]

For years now sea anglers have been lobbying government to cap commercial effort.

 

We seem at times to be bombarded with pages of information about conservation this conservation that, and about responding to various consultations.

 

Despite some very hard lobbying, those who represent sea anglers haven’t really achieved much.

 

However inshore commercial effort one of my local estuaries the Backwater has been dramatically cut this season and this cap happens year after year and seems to be increasing in length each year.

 

The cut in inshore commercial pressure is caused by a type of green fluffy weed, often refereed to as May weed.

 

Anglers will know the stuff, it’s the stuff that clings to your line and gathers around your leader knot.

This weed is the kiss of death to a gill-netter, it clings to the mono meshes just as it does an anglers line. It renders a gill net useless, so the commercials either move offshore to try and avoid the weed. But most inshore boats are to small to get out past this problem and hang their nets up until mid to late October when the weed thins out.

 

The weed now starts much earlier and finishes later and this length of time seems to increase each year. Its speculated that climate change, coupled with nitrates from field are causing this.

 

The only down side that I can see is that no RSA representatives have had their egos massaged.

 

There are many ways that nature caps inshore commercial effort, the phospherosense makes the dawn or evening shot nets glow bright green so gill nets wont work.

Weather to stops some effort. Group all these natural things together and it aint easy being an inshore gill netter in the 21st centry.

[five bellies]

For years now sea anglers have been lobbying government to cap commercial effort.

 

We seem at times to be bombarded with pages of information about conservation this conservation that, and about responding to various consultations.

 

Despite some very hard lobbying, those who represent sea anglers haven’t really achieved much.

 

However inshore commercial effort one of my local estuaries the Backwater has been dramatically cut this season and this cap happens year after year and seems to be increasing in length each year.

 

The cut in inshore commercial pressure is caused by a type of green fluffy weed, often refereed to as May weed.

 

Anglers will know the stuff, it’s the stuff that clings to your line and gathers around your leader knot.

This weed is the kiss of death to a gill-netter, it clings to the mono meshes just as it does an anglers line. It renders a gill net useless, so the commercials either move offshore to try and avoid the weed. But most inshore boats are to small to get out past this problem and hang their nets up until mid to late October when the weed thins out.

 

The weed now starts much earlier and finishes later and this length of time seems to increase each year. Its speculated that climate change, coupled with nitrates from field are causing this.

 

The only down side that I can see is that no RSA representatives have had their egos massaged.

 

There are many ways that nature caps inshore commercial effort, the phospherosense makes the dawn or evening shot nets glow bright green so gill nets wont work.

Weather to stops some effort. Group all these natural things together and it aint easy being an inshore gill netter in the 21st centry.

 

 

Hi nitrate levals and May weed that lasts until October, In my humble opinion Sam (and thats all it is ) would fustrate a leasure angler as much as any Netter would.

[thedogs]

But its the fish which are the important thing. And due to this there is less effort on fish. So although frustrating to both rsa and commercial gill netters at the end of the day it still remain an cap on effort.

[five bellies]

But its the fish which are the important thing. And due to this there is less effort on fish. So although frustrating to both rsa and commercial gill netters at the end of the day it still remain an cap on effort.

 

 

Good point Sam,

 

I have had very unscientific descussions with Anglers about the effect of May weed on the fish them selves,the concensus seems to be that a lot of our target speicies move ofshore with the arival of the bloom, do you think this is the case or do you believe that the more dificult conditions account for a drop in catch rates?

[thedogs]

Good point Sam,

 

I have had very unscientific descussions with Anglers about the effect of May weed on the fish them selves,the concensus seems to be that a lot of our target speicies move ofshore with the arival of the bloom, do you think this is the case or do you believe that the more dificult conditions account for a drop in catch rates?

 

 

 

I would agree that this weed does push fish around the estuary. It seems to be through out thge water colum. Although indevidual bits of weed are very small collectivly its a pain in the are for both anglers and gill netters.

I dont think fish enjoy this weed as I would think it gets caught in their gills or at least a nusense to them.

[thedogs]

My only reason for this post was to offer hope to the uneducated conservation minded sea anglers that are ****ed off that the campaign aint going anywhere.

 

Even without any help from RSA lobbyists, DEFRA or any other body inshore commercial effort on the river Blackwater has been cut!

Some boats are still working the maplins and just out side the river blackwater but basically all commercial effort ftom sails point right the way up river has been cut!

__________________

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Nice to know we have some support

[H.A.]

Even without any help from RSA lobbyists, DEFRA or any other body inshore commercial effort on the river Blackwater has been cut!

 

God works in mysterious ways.

 

Know of any cheap under10s on sale, Sam?

 

[Guest challenge]

The government must have been listening to somebody about capping commercial activity over the past ten years because they have caped, decommissioned and demolished sixty percent of the fleet.

[barry luxton]

The government must have been listening to somebody about capping commercial activity over the past ten years because they have caped, decommissioned and demolished sixty percent of the fleet.

 

 

Indeed, a couple of the boats i believe belonged to the Stevensons, the odd couple of mill was paid out for a couple of clapped out trawlers. No bad money if you can get it. Don't forget they volunteerd for the decommissioning so they really can't winge afterwards, can they.