Halibut ( Feb Issue of SA)

[dale]

after much discussion with Marine Harvest who are the company who own and run Scotish fish farms. the halibut which was featured in the feb issue contrary to the doubters around has been declared as a wild fish.

Platform PR are the company who handle all the enquiries directed to MH.they sent my extensive library of pictures of the fish to their experts who confirmed the fish did not show the necessary markings of a farmed fish. they also confirmed with the local farm that indeed there has not been a mass escape and wondered what facts the rumour mongers were basing their stories on.

on a positive note the commercial landings of halibut this size have been on the increase recently and it may be this species is making something of a recovery after years of exploitation.

[Davy Holt]

Since this is aimed directly at me, I’ll make a couple of comments.

 

1. No fish farm will freely admit to having escapees, especially the PR side of it due to the repercussions for the company.

2. Not once did I say there had been a mass escape, I said there was a *few* that had escaped.

3. The facts this are based on is there has never been a fish farm of any type that has never had escapees, information from an employee and the fact that the Halibut was caught less than a mile from the farm… coincidence???.

 

It would be nice to think it was a wild fish but the odds are stacked against it.

 

More on this thread can be found at:

 

http://www.the-lounge.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338

 

[ 03. February 2004, 08:06 AM: Message edited by: Davy Holt ]

[spasor]

Dale/Davy.

I don`t care. I just want to catch one.

Paul.

[saint_1877]

Catch one from the shore then I'll be impressed

[Davy Holt]

Hiya,

 

It is quite possible, the only *live* wild Halibut I've seen was surface feeding 30' off the shore, all be it at the base of a 150' cliff.

Given I had the gear at the time, it could have been hooked quite easily, but the fight wouldnt have lasted long as this thing made a joke of the UK record. It was at least 10' long though probably nearer the 12' mark

[saint_1877]

Dunno bout any halibut farms on Etive? Do you think mine was wild? Even for a small one it certainly gave a good account for itself on a fairly stiff beachcaster.

[Davy Holt]

Hiya,

 

No there aint any Halibut farms on Etive and I dont think there ever have been.

So there is every possibility the fish was wild.. did you get any photos of it????

[saint_1877]

A shoddy very dark picture yes lol! I'm in no doubt as to what it was. The next day after catching it I went to the sea life centre on the banks of Loch Creran and saw some bigger specimens so that confirmed it for me.

[Kieran Hanrahan]

Hi Davy

 

Halibut like the base of sea cliffs but I never realised they would wander into such shallow water. What was it feeding on? Time of year?

 

Thanks

 

Always been an ambition of mine to land a big flattie

[Salar]

Davy Holt:

Hiya,

 

It is quite possible, the only *live* wild Halibut I've seen was surface feeding 30' off the shore, It was at least 10' long though probably nearer the 12' mark                  

I wonder if you could catch a halibut on the fly? Now that would be interesting