Recreational Sea Angling Fisheries

[Tom Pinborough]

I would like your thoughts and polite comments on this subject, would you support RSA areas?

Are there any in your area , do you have experiences of them in the uk or abroad.

If RSA fisheries where to be established , they would be for the development and enhancement of angling

These RSA fisheries would not be a replacement to your normal rights of access to sea angling.

ie if area A was a RSA fishery, this would not close off area B.

 

Find below a few preliminary thoughts to get the discussion going.

 

These RSA fisheries could be beachs , inshore areas , estuaries , wrecks, reefs , headlands,

deep water areas etc

 

1 No commercial fishing in RSA fishery ?

 

2 No gill nets or destructive forms of trawling

Should there be allowances for marine stewardship fisheries eg herring fishery blackwater estuary, potting etc

 

3 Closed season for spawning ?

 

4 Catch and release on certain species ( mullet, stingray)

this can be difficult on deep water fish

 

5 Bag limits ( say xxxx fish per species or an overall number per fishing session)

mackeral fishing ? (30 fish bag)

 

6 Raise mls of all species (to allow species to reach at least 50% sexual maturity size)

eg bass 36cm to 55cm this allows bass to spawn more often and grow to improve quality of fish, apply this concept to other species.

 

7 code of conduct for anglers ( I know some have been already written) are they good or bad

To be responsible for own litter.

To be aware of other conservation sensitive areas ie RSPB breeding times or overwintering

grounds

 

8 Hooks ? barbless, circle no stainless steel hooks.

 

9 No gaffs , landing nets only

 

10 competitions and matches , measure and release only in these RSA areas

 

 

cheers

 

Tom

 

Tom Pinborough

 

NFSA Conservation Group

http://www.Nfsa.org.uk

BASS Restoration Project Team

http://www.Ukbass.com

Sea Anglers Conservation Network (SACN)

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/sacn

[Satchmo]

Sounds like a great idea, but who would designate which areas were to be RSAs? Wouldn't we just end up with 'leftover' areas that the commercials don't bother with anyway. They would surely veto any establishment of an RSA area which has always got their nets filled.

I guess it wouldn't make the situation any worse than it is now but for anglers to take it seriously it would need a neutral body with some 'bite' to designate areas that actually have real potential for fishing and can actually enforce the boundaries!

Also I don't agree with the barbless hooks idea.

[Alan Taylor]

Originally posted by Tom Pinborough:

These RSA fisheries could be beachs , inshore areas , estuaries , wrecks, reefs , headlands,

deep water areas etc

 

[/quote

 

Hi Tom/all, my first reaction was "in your dreams"

RSA fisheries, imagine a chess board, now overlay the squares, say 5 miles square over the entire coastal and offshore area of the UK. The black boxes get fished for 2 years and then left for 2 years.

 

1 Yes but look at the Skerries, it is still trawled at night.

 

2. Agree

 

3. Very much agree

 

4. yes

 

5. This is difficult, some people only get to go boat fishing a couple of times a year, try telling them that they can only take 5 Cod after all the expense of the trip. Mackeral, yes limit bags but who will stop the angler that just wants to fill his/her freezer for winter baits.

 

6. Yes.

 

7. That is second nature to serious anglers.

 

8. No stainles - agreed.

 

9. I like the net idea but gaffs will still be used for common skate and as long as they are used properly then no problem.

 

10. Yes, I have read in Sea Angling News reports from clubs that do the catch and release in matches.

 

It is bit of a big subject Tom, sorry I could'nt do that fancy bit where I fill in between the original text my answers.

 

A total ban on gill netting (wrecks and reefs) would would improve the quality of angling for boat and beach anglers for the simple reason that the fish would be allowed to breed. The way things stand at the moment our bread and butter fish (Cod, Pollock and Ling) are being wiped out as I type while they are trying to spawn on the wrecks :mad:

 

I sympathise with the groups that are trying to protect the Bass, Sharks, Dolphins, Whales etc but the life of 90% of our target species (as anglers) begins on the wrecks or would do if given the chance. BAN GILL NETTERS before it is too late.

 

Alan(nl)

[Jim Roper]

More employment for more jobsworths, I suppose.

 

I've never tried to get a conger out of the surf with a landing net.

[Cranfield]

The suggestion as made, would be a "win-win" situation.

Any area that Commercials were banned from using, is a good idea.

The size limits,take home quotas, seasons etc. must eventually come to sea fishing.

 

Experience from other Countries show, that a strict regulation of the Commercial Fleet and size limit/quotas on Recreational Fisherman, is the way to help fish stocks.

 

The dificulty will be the policing of such a system.

[Newt]

Cranfield:

...The dificulty will be the policing of such a system.

If it were possible then a very public seizure and sale at auction of the first couple of offending boats and your enforcement problems after that would be minimal.

 

After a few years when fishing was better both within and without the restricted areas, probably even the commercial skippers would be more inclined to go along.

 

The US Gulf Coast (Gulf of Mexico) is doing some excellent work with size and bag limits and population studies every year so the limits can be adjusted to fit conditions.