Can commercial fishermen and sea anglers work together?

[Steve Coppolo]

Hi Steve

 

Could you and Leon tell me where the 36cm to 45 cm bass are, they did not turn up last summer or this summer in my area, Wuzel reports the same for his area, have they just grown up to quick or have the French scooped them all up over the winter, so where are then?

 

regards steve

 

I don't know where they are Steve, but I've got a sneaking suspicion.

 

I've haven't had one between 36cm and 45cm this year. The times I've been out this year, we've been measuring the fish and taking scale samples to see which year class they are from. So far, out of somewhere in the region of 100 bass, only two have been over 36cm and they were both 37.5cm. The rest have all been between 32cm and 35cm, mostly 34cm.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that 98% of the bass caught on my boat this year have been just below the current MLS. I think they have taken a hammering by commercial fishermen, and not just the French ones either. Obviously, as an angler with a small boat I'm limited as to where I can go, so I'm talking of my experiences within a small area. But by the sound of it, it's happening in quite a few places around the country. Ther are local poulations of bass dotted all around the country. Once they have been found they are easy targets. I think that the possible increased MLS, and a slight drop in earnings for a year or two, has made commercial fishermen increase their effort this year, (and the end of last year), and those local populations have suffered as a result.

 

If I'm wrong and it's the winter pair trawl fishery that's made the 36cm to 45cm bass disappear, then the bass are already doomed.

 

That's my theory, and I'd be more than happy to hear other ideas so that we might get to the bottom of it.

[newtoseafishing]

hi darren

 

yes you are right a very large % of the uk fish goes to the eu and they then export back the rubbish fish to the uk .

 

i catch bass mostly very high quality and it is well sought after. thing is i can not satifsy the demand for it, i do not think you would like to pay the price that i get for it, i also catch dover soles this time of year and catch native oysters in the winter

 

are you a registered buyer and seller

 

regards steve

 

Sorry Steve, I have not logged on since I worte that message.

 

I am not quite sure what you mean by "registerered", I am new to this end of the game remember. Our Milford Haven depot is registered with MAFF and we get our regular visits, and we have a depot in Grimsby and would think that this is regisetered (its a fairly large wholesaler on Grimsby so I would have thought so although I am not sure if any boats land into us direct here). Our other depots specialise in supplying restaurants etc and have no dealing with the boats, only other wholesalers.

 

In any case, what the trade needs is quality so if I need to be registered with another body to be able to find this quality - then so be it!

 

I have a strong trade in stiff alive, extremely good quality bass and my customer base knows the difference between an apple and a pear and are willing to pay for it. However, as I get more and more into this trade (I have been involved in supplying meat for the past 15 years so fish is relatively new) my main concern is to stop all of our fish being exported abroad without passing through a UK market. Why can we not supply this fish to our own people and export whatever we do not want (so they get it 3 days old instead of me).

 

With regard to demand, nobody can ever satisfy the demand for stunning quality fish, thats why I need so many suppliers (and the less french I have on my book the better).

 

At the end of the day, nobody is going to get anywhere unless we all keep our principle's and if I can do anything to keep our product where it should rightfully be then I will.

 

I would like to exchange work details and maybe have a chat if you think there is any mileage here.

 

Thankyou very much for your reply.

 

Darren

[sam-cox]

QUOTE Steve Coppolo:If I'm wrong and it's the winter pair trawl fishery that's made the 36cm to 45cm bass disappear, then the bass are already doomed.

 

Whether its the winter pair teams targeting migrating and?breading bass or its inshore commercial activity the bass are still dead and gone!

[wurzel]

I don't know where they are Steve, but I've got a sneaking suspicion.

 

I've haven't had one between 36cm and 45cm this year. The times I've been out this year, we've been measuring the fish and taking scale samples to see which year class they are from. So far, out of somewhere in the region of 100 bass, only two have been over 36cm and they were both 37.5cm. The rest have all been between 32cm and 35cm, mostly 34cm.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that 98% of the bass caught on my boat this year have been just below the current MLS. I think they have taken a hammering by commercial fishermen, and not just the French ones either. Obviously, as an angler with a small boat I'm limited as to where I can go, so I'm talking of my experiences within a small area. But by the sound of it, it's happening in quite a few places around the country. Ther are local poulations of bass dotted all around the country. Once they have been found they are easy targets. I think that the possible increased MLS, and a slight drop in earnings for a year or two, has made commercial fishermen increase their effort this year, (and the end of last year), and those local populations have suffered as a result.

 

If I'm wrong and it's the winter pair trawl fishery that's made the 36cm to 45cm bass disappear, then the bass are already doomed.

 

That's my theory, and I'd be more than happy to hear other ideas so that we might get to the bottom of it.

[wurzel]

oops try again.

 

Hello Steve,

 

If they have been hammered by UK commercial fishermen I don't know when or where, the bass left last year at 34 to 35 cm and so far have not returned, there are a few showing off shore at 36 to 38 cm but nothing like the numbers expected, I keep my ear pretty close to the ground and have not heard of any large catches of small bass being made any where on the South East coast this year, there are very few boats fishing and reports of good catches soon spread.

I still think there is time for them to show, things are still a bit topsy turvy after the long cold spring, every thing still seems to be happening a month late.

 

It goes to show that if the BMP is implimented it will be no gaurantee of loads of bigger bass.

[Mikec]

oops try again.

 

Hello Steve,

 

If they have been hammered by UK commercial fishermen I don't know when or where, the bass left last year at 34 to 35 cm and so far have not returned, there are a few showing off shore at 36 to 38 cm but nothing like the numbers expected, I keep my ear pretty close to the ground and have not heard of any large catches of small bass being made any where on the South East coast this year, there are very few boats fishing and reports of good catches soon spread.

I still think there is time for them to show, things are still a bit topsy turvy after the long cold spring, every thing still seems to be happening a month late.

 

It goes to show that if the BMP is implimented it will be no gaurantee of loads of bigger bass.

 

We were having some great fishing on the south coast until the last few weeks. Now we can't find any fish under 2kg. or above 400g.

 

The rag spawn was 2 months late, the spider peel has only just started, lobster crawl 3 weeks late, red mullet, giltheads or trigger fish haven't shown but the water temp is above average. This season seems all over the place. Now we have strong North / North East winds in August.

 

Thats fishing. A concept fishery scientists can't grasp.

[wurzel]

[quote name='Mikec' date='Aug 7 2006,

 

Thats fishing. A concept fishery scientists can't grasp.

 

 

Hello Mikec

 

Thats fishing, A concept fishery scientists can't grasp , you forgot to add DEFRA and anglers.

[steve good]

I don't know where they are Steve, but I've got a sneaking suspicion.

 

I've haven't had one between 36cm and 45cm this year. The times I've been out this year, we've been measuring the fish and taking scale samples to see which year class they are from. So far, out of somewhere in the region of 100 bass, only two have been over 36cm and they were both 37.5cm. The rest have all been between 32cm and 35cm, mostly 34cm.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that 98% of the bass caught on my boat this year have been just below the current MLS. I think they have taken a hammering by commercial fishermen, and not just the French ones either. Obviously, as an angler with a small boat I'm limited as to where I can go, so I'm talking of my experiences within a small area. But by the sound of it, it's happening in quite a few places around the country. Ther are local poulations of bass dotted all around the country. Once they have been found they are easy targets. I think that the possible increased MLS, and a slight drop in earnings for a year or two, has made commercial fishermen increase their effort this year, (and the end of last year), and those local populations have suffered as a result.

 

If I'm wrong and it's the winter pair trawl fishery that's made the 36cm to 45cm bass disappear, then the bass are already doomed.

 

That's my theory, and I'd be more than happy to hear other ideas so that we might get to the bottom of it.

 

hi steve

 

i thought they may have gone further north what with the warmer water, if they have been caught up then the pair trawls have had them. it does not look good.

 

regards steve

[steve good]

Sorry Steve, I have not logged on since I worte that message.

 

I am not quite sure what you mean by "registerered", I am new to this end of the game remember. Our Milford Haven depot is registered with MAFF and we get our regular visits, and we have a depot in Grimsby and would think that this is regisetered (its a fairly large wholesaler on Grimsby so I would have thought so although I am not sure if any boats land into us direct here). Our other depots specialise in supplying restaurants etc and have no dealing with the boats, only other wholesalers.

 

In any case, what the trade needs is quality so if I need to be registered with another body to be able to find this quality - then so be it!

 

I have a strong trade in stiff alive, extremely good quality bass and my customer base knows the difference between an apple and a pear and are willing to pay for it. However, as I get more and more into this trade (I have been involved in supplying meat for the past 15 years so fish is relatively new) my main concern is to stop all of our fish being exported abroad without passing through a UK market. Why can we not supply this fish to our own people and export whatever we do not want (so they get it 3 days old instead of me).

 

With regard to demand, nobody can ever satisfy the demand for stunning quality fish, thats why I need so many suppliers (and the less french I have on my book the better).

 

At the end of the day, nobody is going to get anywhere unless we all keep our principle's and if I can do anything to keep our product where it should rightfully be then I will.

 

I would like to exchange work details and maybe have a chat if you think there is any mileage here.

 

Thankyou very much for your reply.

 

Darren

 

hi darren

nice to hear from you again

 

if you email me at spgathergood@yahoo.co.uk tell give you my phone number it would be nice to a chat

 

regards steve

[steve good]

oops try again.

 

Hello Steve,

 

If they have been hammered by UK commercial fishermen I don't know when or where, the bass left last year at 34 to 35 cm and so far have not returned, there are a few showing off shore at 36 to 38 cm but nothing like the numbers expected, I keep my ear pretty close to the ground and have not heard of any large catches of small bass being made any where on the South East coast this year, there are very few boats fishing and reports of good catches soon spread.

I still think there is time for them to show, things are still a bit topsy turvy after the long cold spring, every thing still seems to be happening a month late.

 

It goes to show that if the BMP is implimented it will be no gaurantee of loads of bigger bass.

 

hi peter the under 1 kilo bass did not turn up last summer and this summer in any numbers like normal down here at central south coast

 

regards steve