Cod crisis? What cod crisis?

[thebigman]

Allowed for the fact that it was fillets by multiplying 80 stones by 3.

[Jaffa]

Having reread my post I'd just like to apologise to Glenn, Paul and John for my comments and i withdraw them all. Beer and posting are a bad combination; at least in my case!

 

Sorry guys.

[clem]

On another thread I'm keen to fight the commercial opinion that anglers are greedy Ba5tards that have a habit of selling their catches in order to stave off the premature introduction of bag limits and yet this Whitby bunch (possibly the most anti bag limit crowd of them all) do their best to portray all anglers as just that.

 

TheBigman, I believe that the figure of 80 stone is just the fillets.

 

Would this kind of fishing still be Ok if everyone decided to do it?

 

Bl00dy Neanderthals if you ask me.

 

Ok then Sharky would it be better for ten of us to go and buy eighty stone from the supermarket over say 1 yr., would that make it ok in your mind? Even if the fish was line caught would it help the cod stock?

In case you cannot work it out both options still the same . It is rare to find that sort of fillet on sale that was recently caught(size) so less fish killed and no seabed shagged.

Like I said before this type of fishing is and has been sustainable for years.

I bet the Dutch jigging boats are watching the situation as well.

[Puffin]

Ok then Sharky would it be better for ten of us to go and buy eighty stone from the supermarket over say 1 yr., would that make it ok in your mind? Even if the fish was line caught would it help the cod stock?

In case you cannot work it out both options still the same . It is rare to find that sort of fillet on sale that was recently caught(size) so less fish killed and no seabed shagged.

Like I said before this type of fishing is and has been sustainable for years.

I bet the Dutch jigging boats are watching the situation as well.

 

So, lets just see if I understand this.

 

These guys like the taste of freezer burnt cod and only go fishing once a year to fill their enormous home freezer that holds 8 stone of fillets as well as the burgers, peas, chips and all the other stuff?

[chappers]

On another thread I'm keen to fight the commercial opinion that anglers are greedy Ba5tards that have a habit of selling their catches in order to stave off the premature introduction of bag limits and yet this Whitby bunch (possibly the most anti bag limit crowd of them all) do their best to portray all anglers as just that.

 

TheBigman, I believe that the figure of 80 stone is just the fillets.

 

Would this kind of fishing still be Ok if everyone decided to do it?

 

Bl00dy Neanderthals if you ask me.

 

Have to agree on this one.

 

Ok then Sharky would it be better for ten of us to go and buy eighty stone from the supermarket over say 1 yr., would that make it ok in your mind? Even if the fish was line caught would it help the cod stock?

In case you cannot work it out both options still the same . It is rare to find that sort of fillet on sale that was recently caught(size) so less fish killed and no seabed shagged.

Like I said before this type of fishing is and has been sustainable for years.

I bet the Dutch jigging boats are watching the situation as well.

 

 

When are some people going to see that we as anglers, combined with the commercial fleet are haveing a dramatic effect on the fish stocks in our waters. Its not a case of commercials bad, anglers good. We as anglers can and are having an effect on the fish stocks and must take responsibility for our own actions before we can point our fingers at the commercial boys, we can't blame them for everything we must take responsibility for our part in this no matter how large or small it may be.

Openly bragging about catching 80 stone of cod fillets, as "proof" that there is no shortage of cod is doing nothing for the image of angling, try telling all the commercial fishermen, who have been forced to scrap their boats that there is no shortage of cod. But then I suppose you know more than the combined knowledge of the worlds scientists.

[Scotty T]

Would this kind of fishing still be Ok if everyone decided to do it?

 

Bl00dy Neanderthals if you ask me.

 

Totally agree with Sharkbyte, think Challenge and his 'customers' should head back to their caves.

 

Scotty t.

If you cannot read into what our anglers where saying then I find you quite funny.

 

I can't read into what your anglers are saying, mind reading never was my strong point. But the way I read it is that they are being short sighted, selfish, probably wastefull and generally sticking two fingers up to the practice of catch and release.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong laughing boy.

 

Scott

Edited September 27, 2006 by Scotty T

[JB]

How are anglers ever going to achieve anything if everyone is pulling in different directions? From thirty-odd years ago (when they were great in number) until now (when they are almost non-existent), commercial fishermen have been trying to persuade the government to get out of the CFP – totally without success. Whether they were right or wrong, at least they were relatively unified in their stance. However, judging by the opinions I have read on this forum, particularly on this thread, anglers are not at all unified in their beliefs.

 

As a charter skipper, I realised a long time ago that if I want to be successful at my job I must give my customers what they want. There is no doubt about it - they want fish, and lots of them. Therefore this is what I work very hard to endeavour to achieve for them.

 

In my experience, most boat anglers don’t care about the political side of angling, they just want to catch fish. You might say they are the silent majority. One thing they do realise is that they will get no help from our government. So if their so-called self-elected representatives keep jumping up and down and shouting “WE’RE HERE AND WE WANT TO BE RECOGNISED!” our government is going to say, “Okay. We recognise you. We also recognise the fact you need to be managed. And we will charge you for that privilege”.

 

I am not saying, “Do nothing”. I am just saying, “Please don’t attack each other and call each other stupid names. More constructively, find out what the majority wants before going to our government with suggestions as to how we might be further over-legislated. It is my belief that our government is the enemy and they specialise in ‘divide and conquer’. So we are playing into their hands.”

 

One of the things I have learned over the years is that boat anglers don’t like to be told what they want, or like, or what’s good for them. They like to make their own minds up about their sport.

 

There is a place for all types of anglers, including anglers who want to provide as much fish as possible for their families, friends and neighbours; anglers who are satisfied to catch a fish or two every now and again for their own table; and anglers who want to ‘catch and release’. And of course there are some anglers who will practise all these types of fishing, at various times.

 

There have been some nasty comments in this thread about what our anglers do with their catches. Some of our anglers do practise ‘catch and release’, but they are in the minority. Most of our anglers take home their catches. Just as an example, we have a very regular customer who catches a hell of a lot of fish with us, yet he and his family don’t eat fish. All of his catch is gifted to the old age pensioners in his neighbourhood.

 

We don’t ever want to see a single fish wasted. Within less than an hour (often within minutes) of being landed, all fish are professionally filleted and placed in the onboard chiller to keep them in perfect condition.

 

You might love me or hate me for what I do. You might call me names. But one thing you can’t call me is unsuccessful at my job. And that job is to always do my utmost to provide my customers with the best possible service and catch results I possibly can in any given circumstances.

 

From the point of view of chartering, what you or I think or say doesn’t matter. Anglers will go with the boats which give them what they want.

 

JB

[poogong]

Well said Glen and JB. comment removed. Newt. They themselves should go to the caves for harming the fish unnecessarily No wonder, few people are willing to post catch reports in this forum.

 

Please avoid comments that contain vague generalizations bashing many other forum members. Newt

[Scotty T]

Well said Glen and JB. comment removed. Newt No wonder, few people are willing to post catch reports in this forum.

 

comment removed. Newt

 

If you take the time to look there are plenty of catch reports where guys don't get slated.

 

Think on

 

Scott

[Guest challenge]

Let me assure you that my life would be a hell of a lot easier if they did not catch such large amounts of fish as they (our anglers) do at times.

But then again you ask any angler who goes with us if I have ever refused to do there fish or come to that have ever complained because there has been too much fish to process.

The reason for that is because I know and see the enjoyment that they get from having a great days sport like they do. I also see our regular anglers when the days are poor, they have witnessed the good days and just put the bad days down to fishing.

Is your problem that you have seen the good days and know regardless of what you do you are not going to see them days again?

Whitby has invested heavily in there angling industry. Be it new and fast boat for the inshore fishery or like john has done in a much bigger boat so that he can do the job that his anglers have wanted.

Long offshore trips are not everybody’s cup of tea. It’s a long time away from home, a long steam to get there and when you get there you are not guaranteed fish.

The weather and sea conditions play a big part, just like any other angling, these anglers are dedicated and love there sport and are only to pleased that they get the opportunity to take part in what must be unique fishing in the north sea.

The wrecks that we work (offshore) are only ever worked by us; there are no other angling boats that work them. Fortunately there are no commercial boats that work them. Because of the massive area we work and the amount of wrecks that we have most of our wrecks are only visited by us and our anglers (regardless of there catch) once a year.

John spends hours in the wheelhouse on a night time looking for new wrecks when he could be sleeping. Not because he wants to find more fish but because he knows that the more wrecks we have, the less times we will have to visit them. Therefore giving them time to restock and hopefully produce better fishing.

Hard work and dedication to his job has brought him and his angler’s success. Not moaning and bitching because there is nothing left to catch, and then when you do see someone catching refusing to except that the cod crisis is maybe not such a crisis after all.

Regards.

Edited September 27, 2006 by challenge