regional differences

[sam-cox]

QUOTE:challenge

We only fish wrecks because that’s what the biggest majority of our anglers want to do.

 

 

I do apologise, I thought you were a commercial fishing boat rather than a charter angling boat. My mistake, Im sorry.

[Guest challenge]

QUOTE:challenge

We only fish wrecks because that’s what the biggest majority of our anglers want to do.

I do apologise, I thought you were a commercial fishing boat rather than a charter angling boat. My mistake, Im sorry.

That’s ok Sam. Am glad we don’t fish commercially as I don’t think we could afford the quota.

[Leon Roskilly]

One of the arguments between fishermen and scientists is that the fishermen have moved on, following the fish, whereas the scientists still continue to trawl areas that haven't produced fish for years.

 

The result is that the scientists say the fish are missing, whereas the fishermen say there's plenty of fish, you are just looking in the wrong places.

 

The scientists respond that as stocks diminish, they shoal together more closely, leaving large barren areas between the remaining congregations.

 

With modern fishing-finding capabilities and modern gear, the fishing boats are (up to a certain point) able to locate and catch increasingly smaller fish congregations and maintain their level of catches, but by sampling much greater areas the scientists say they have a better view of the whole picture.

[Guest challenge]

One of the arguments between fishermen and scientists is that the fishermen have moved on, following the fish, whereas the scientists still continue to trawl areas that haven't produced fish for years.

 

The result is that the scientists say the fish are missing, whereas the fishermen say there's plenty of fish, you are just looking in the wrong places.

 

The scientists respond that as stocks diminish, they shoal together more closely, leaving large barren areas between the remaining congregations.

 

With modern fishing-finding capabilities and modern gear, the fishing boats are (up to a certain point) able to locate and catch increasingly smaller fish congregations and maintain their level of catches, but by sampling much greater areas the scientists say they have a better view of the whole picture.

Leon I understand what you are saying. I agree with you on your theory of what you think that scientists and fishermen do.

But then where is this so called efficient trawler fleet working in the North Sea?

Like I have said, we know where all the hot spots are but there’s no body fishing on them. The reason why is because there are very few boats fishing for cod anymore.

In fact there are very few boats (British) in the central and southern North Sea fishing (commercially) for anything.

We know Leon because where out there week in week out through the summer months and I assure you there not there

[Guest challenge]

No problem. If charterboats should ever come under the quota system they would be allocated quota for free of course - as all present quota were given for free to the commercial vessels in the first place.

We would have to buy quota because the amount that the government allocate you for free would not keep us going for ten days a month never mind the 28 we average in the summer months.

[Leon Roskilly]

But then where is this so called efficient trawler fleet working in the North Sea?

Like I have said, we know where all the hot spots are but there’s no body fishing on them. The reason why is because there are very few boats fishing for cod anymore.

In fact there are very few boats (British) in the central and southern North Sea fishing (commercially) for anything.

We know Leon because where out there week in week out through the summer months and I assure you there not there

 

 

Interesting to see the landings data etc in the latest statistics.

 

The landings were up 8% by weight over 2004, whereas the number of fishermen were down by 6%

 

(Less men needed for more output, a classic sign of increased efficiency within any industry)

 

Cod are down, but haddock are up.

 

If you are interested, there are quite a few breakdowns of the figures by species and area caught etc, which shows a story, but most of all it says that UK boats are catching fish somewhere.

 

See: http://www.sacn.org.uk/Conservation-and-Po...Statistics.html

Edited August 28, 2006 by Leon Roskilly

[big_cod]

Very interesting stuff as to why you dont seem to see many boats challenge on long trips ,but the fact is it cant be viable to fish there any more or there would be boats there, me old mate charlie decided a few weeks ago to give his old stomping grounds ago or pipes ago where he used to fish very very well up to 7 or 8 years ago he got a trip but said he wouldnt be going again it was only the price of the fish that made it viable.

I went out the 18 mile then on to the 22 mile on saturday passed a very large beamer probably dutch and 2 pair teams from bridlington towing round the wreck i was working they were also there the day before fishing in the same area so they must have been on some sort of fishing haddocks codlings etc i would imagine but they wouldnt have been there 2 days running if it wasnt worth while we fished very well the days we were there friday probably better than saturday as the tides were lifting sharply but none the less the guys were very happy with mainly cod but some really nice pollock and some cracking coalies the fish were taking pirks and shads .

Had dave barham from boat fishing monthly out with me just after that last big blow on the massive tides a couple of weeks ago didnt really exspect big licks but took probably 100 cod of one wreck which was to my surprize after the blow the feature is in next months boat fishing monthly.

Edited August 28, 2006 by big_cod

[Jaffa]

Interesting to see the landings data etc in the latest statistics.

 

The landings were up 8% by weight over 2004, whereas the number of fishermen were down by 6%

 

(Less men needed for more output, a classic sign of increased efficiency within any industry)

 

Cod are down, but haddock are up.

 

If you are interested, there are quite a few breakdowns of the figures by species and area caught etc, which shows a story, but most of all it says that UK boats are catching fish somewhere.

 

See: http://www.sacn.org.uk/Conservation-and-Po...Statistics.html

 

Aye Leon, it interesting to look at the landings statistics, with "Landings into the Uk by UK vessels, by area of capture, a damn sight more relevant to what Challenge was saying , than your lumping togeather of everything from Pelagic to shellfish, from Cornwall to the Barents Sea !

 

Still, gave you a chance to slip in the political message, however dodgy the facts

 

(Less men needed for more output, a classic sign of increased efficiency within any industry)

 

To save anyone else having to wade through them, these are the recorded landings by Uk vessels from the central North Sea :

 

[/b]2000 48105 tonnes (pre Cod recovery plan)

 

2004 32736 tonnes

 

2005 27019 tonnes

 

Seems to back up what Challenge says as far as i can tell.

 

Since GlennK is bound to be interested in cod I also looked up Uk landings of them for the central North sea;

 

2000 6613 tonnes

 

2004 1909 tonnes

 

2005 1363 tonnes

 

Its hard to think in tonnes of fish, but if anyone is familar with the 3ft by 2ft by 6 inch fishboxes that get washed ashore (up North anyway..) then a tonne is about 20 of them.

 

Chris.

 

btw just spotted that the entire years UK 2004 and 2005 cod catch for that area, would fit into the tanks of the Altaire or any of a dozen or more Scots Pelagic boats! Even the total Uk demersal landings for the central north sea would be peanuts in pelagic fishing terms.

 

 

 

Chris

[Guest challenge]

Big cod.

The reason we do not see many fishing vessels is simply because there are none. How do we know there are not fish in the areas we steam across? We only stop at wrecks. Glad you had a good days fishing as you reported, we have good days to. We have had many hundred stone wrecks, great fishing for us and not a commercial fishing boat to be seen for miles. Why? Because there are none.

Regards,

Jaffa.

Thank you.

[Leon Roskilly]

UAVs could scout the seas around Britain, looking for shoals of fish, for example, and direct trawlers towards them

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1860787,00.html

 

 

Hmmmm! Give them sonar capabilities and they may even be able to find the last two cod!!