French Pair Trawlers & the Palegic Fleet

[Leon Roskilly]

I would also like to see an end to the French winter bass fishery( have done for the last 20 odd years),but I doubt it will ever happen, If the boot was on the other foot would you give it up? It's about what is obtainable.

 

There is considerable and growing opposition to the winter bass pair trawl fishery amongst the French inshore fleet.

 

(Large landings damage the market of the smaller inshore vessels and reduce the stock, particularly of larger, more valuable fish).

 

Some supermarkets in France are refusing to sell wild bass during the spawning season, and so the boycott is spreading to concerned members of the public.

[corydoras]

There is considerable and growing opposition to the winter bass pair trawl fishery amongst the French inshore fleet.

 

(Large landings damage the market of the smaller inshore vessels and reduce the stock, particularly of larger, more valuable fish).

 

Some supermarkets in France are refusing to sell wild bass during the spawning season, and so the boycott is spreading to concerned members of the public.

This I know to be true. My late (French) father-in-law detested pair trawlers. One thing I will never really understand is why there is such a demand for bass. IMO it is a vastly overrated as an eating fish, like eating fishy cotton wool. I would rather have a nice haddie any day of the week.

Edited November 20, 2006 by corydoras

[Andrew Syvret]

This I know to be true. My late (French) father-in-law detested pair trawlers.

 

Hi folks,

 

FWIW

 

I agree, ending the senseless pillaging of spawning agregations should be our unified first goal, IMHO

 

context below from a couple of emails I received earlier this year - the French have been carcass tagging in a range of schemes for some time now

 

I understand despite the supermarket U-turn described below, opinion is firming up against the pair trawl fishery - who knows what will happen this winter

 

be well

 

AJS

 

 

From a survey of French bass prices:

 

Of a total of 52 price checks

 

The average price of line caught bass : 17,58 Euros/Kg (based on 12 price checks)

 

That of trawled bass: 11, 77 Euros/Kg (based on 34 price checks)

 

That of farmed bass: 10, 46 Euros / Kg (based on 6 checks)

 

From a sign at a fish counter:

 

"In collaboration with "The European Bass Group" The Saint Nazaire branch of Leclerc's has decided not to display bass for sale during the reproductive period, this step has been taken to conserve the resource. We will restart selling this product as soon as the spawning season ends. Thankyou for your understanding and support."

 

Rough Trans 22/02/06

 

La Turballe defends its bass fishery.

 

The St Nazaire branch of Leclerc’s is to restart selling bass. It gave way to fishermen’s arguments yesterday.

 

“Our intiative was not made to harm a profession. On the contrary, our position sought to find a just balance”. The Director of the St Nazaire’s branch of Leclerc’s had decided to stop selling bass during the reproductive period. (Saturday’s Ouest France). He was questioned by fishermen from La Turballe, on the Saturday morning.

 

“There is no reason for your initiative since Ifremer’s report on the bass resource of October 2003 shows that the bass stock is not overexploited” Dominique Lebrun, the Chairman of La Turballe’s Sea Fisheries Committee, confirmed , yesterday. Daniel Noblet the Director of the branch of Leclerc’s met the fishermen at La Turballe, Monday morning. He listened to their arguments “ After this meeting, I think I will restart selling wild bass very soon.” . He took action in order to protect the bass stock from fishing practices, even during the repoductive season . According to Ifremer, “ One should know that the closure of the fishery during the reproductive period, generally has a minimal impact on the renewal of the stock”. Fishermen are, in any event, limited to 5 tonnes of bass per week per boat."

[essexbuoy]

Hi folks,

 

FWIW

 

I agree, ending the senseless pillaging of spawning agregations should be our unified first goal, IMHO

 

context below from a couple of emails I received earlier this year - the French have been carcass tagging in a range of schemes for some time now

 

I understand despite the supermarket U-turn described below, opinion is firming up against the pair trawl fishery - who knows what will happen this winter

 

be well

 

AJS

From a survey of French bass prices:

 

Of a total of 52 price checks

 

The average price of line caught bass : 17,58 Euros/Kg (based on 12 price checks)

 

That of trawled bass: 11, 77 Euros/Kg (based on 34 price checks)

 

That of farmed bass: 10, 46 Euros / Kg (based on 6 checks)

 

From a sign at a fish counter:

 

"In collaboration with "The European Bass Group" The Saint Nazaire branch of Leclerc's has decided not to display bass for sale during the reproductive period, this step has been taken to conserve the resource. We will restart selling this product as soon as the spawning season ends. Thankyou for your understanding and support."

 

Rough Trans 22/02/06

 

La Turballe defends its bass fishery.

 

The St Nazaire branch of Leclerc’s is to restart selling bass. It gave way to fishermen’s arguments yesterday.

 

“Our intiative was not made to harm a profession. On the contrary, our position sought to find a just balance”. The Director of the St Nazaire’s branch of Leclerc’s had decided to stop selling bass during the reproductive period. (Saturday’s Ouest France). He was questioned by fishermen from La Turballe, on the Saturday morning.

 

“There is no reason for your initiative since Ifremer’s report on the bass resource of October 2003 shows that the bass stock is not overexploited” Dominique Lebrun, the Chairman of La Turballe’s Sea Fisheries Committee, confirmed , yesterday. Daniel Noblet the Director of the branch of Leclerc’s met the fishermen at La Turballe, Monday morning. He listened to their arguments “ After this meeting, I think I will restart selling wild bass very soon.” . He took action in order to protect the bass stock from fishing practices, even during the repoductive season . According to Ifremer, “ One should know that the closure of the fishery during the reproductive period, generally has a minimal impact on the renewal of the stock”. Fishermen are, in any event, limited to 5 tonnes of bass per week per boat."

 

Shame on the U turn Andrew, however at last the principle got established

[steve good]

Fare enough Steve,

 

So if that is the case do you feel its fair to stop the French pair trawlers and not you ?

I am only trying to look ar the arguments that would come from the French or the EU.

 

I would also like to see an end to the French winter bass fishery( have done for the last 20 odd years),but I doubt it will ever happen, If the boot was on the other foot would you give it up? It's about what is obtainable.

 

Hi Peter

 

when I said close the bass spawning fishery I said to everyone which included myself.

 

the 17 pairs of trawlers can use any size nets they want, some of these trawlers do really well fishing where i fish in the 6 to 12 mile zone during the summer, they are hardly in need of afew shilling

 

closeing the cod fishery after it has collapsed can not be compared to closeing the bass stocks, that has got an existing breeding stock

 

regards steve

[wurzel]

Hi Peter

 

when I said close the bass spawning fishery I said to everyone which included myself.

 

the 17 pairs of trawlers can use any size nets they want, some of these trawlers do really well fishing where i fish in the 6 to 12 mile zone during the summer, they are hardly in need of afew shilling

 

closeing the cod fishery after it has collapsed can not be compared to closeing the bass stocks, that has got an existing breeding stock

 

regards steve

 

 

Hello Steve

 

Ihave a problem with this close the bass spawning fishery, when and where do they spawn? I don't think the bass, in fact I am certain the bass in the SW approaches are not spawning aggregations, they are just over wintering, no doubt some spawn with in or around the six mile of the SW coast as some move to your area and probably spawn there. I know that the Thames estuary bass spawn in the outer Thames, I know of another area just north of Yarmouth were bass spawn, or should I say fish full of spawn are caught, The bass in this area spawn during May and June depending on weather.

So to protect all spawning bass are you proposing to ban all bass fishing from February to June? Would that not lead to a lot of discards? It would for me.

The only reason I want the French pair trawlers stopped is because every bass they catch is one that I ain't,

same reason why anglers would like to see you and I stopped.

Do you feel that the winter French pair bass fishery has effected your summer catches?

[Andrew Syvret]

I have a problem with this close the bass spawning fishery, when and where do they spawn? I don't think the bass, in fact I am certain the bass in the SW approaches are not spawning aggregations, they are just over wintering,

 

FWIW

 

While there is of course the possibilty that things have changed/are changing due to climate change & other unidentified factors, I think you will find oocyte (egg) staging work done on pair trawlers working in the SW Approaches has conclusively proved that spawning takes place offshore (as well as in suitable localised coastal habitats I don't doubt).

 

Pickett & Pawson's Sea Bass Biology, Exploitation & Conservation states "In early February, bass begin to spawn offshore in the western English Channel and Celtic Sea. Temperature probably provides an important cue for the initiation and location of spawning, because bass eggs are rarely found where the water is colder than 8.5-9.0 degrees C. As with many other marine species, bass spawn in mid-water, and the eggs are widely distributed in the open ocean and may be found throughout the water column."

 

AJS

[wurzel]

Hello Andrew

 

Define off shore.

I mean, say to Cliff on the KT off shore is 7 miles out to the rough Towers, Off shore to me is 40 or 50 miles off to the deep water, to John on the Chieftain it's 100 miles off, how far offshore is offshore to Pickett & Pawson?

 

I still say a lot of bass, not all bass perhaps, spawn local to their summer grounds, it's nothing to do with global warming, they have always done so.

[Andrew Syvret]

Hello Andrew

 

Define off shore.

I mean, say to Cliff on the KT off shore is 7 miles out to the rough Towers, Off shore to me is 40 or 50 miles off to the deep water, to John on the Chieftain it's 100 miles off, how far offshore is offshore to Pickett & Pawson?

 

I still say a lot of bass, not all bass perhaps, spawn local to their summer grounds, it's nothing to do with global warming, they have always done so.

 

 

Wurzel,

 

understood - shall we make an arbitrary decision between ourselves and say beyond the 12 mile limit for the sake of this discussion? this measure often seems to suit CEFAS - of course we are talking principally about the English Channel/Western Approaches winter pair trawl fishery here - not some of the more "exotic" places further north where bass are being found more regularly these days

 

from mapping of egg abundance in sample trawls, I'd say a Channel bass's "offshore" is considerably further than 12 miles in reality, but there you go - if you have a look at CEFAS's historic research on the pair trawl fishery you'll see where the bulk of French/Scottish effort is put in

 

I too have seen what most would classify as "ripe and running" fish on the beaches/in "shallow" water here in Jan/Feb/Mar, but the reality is most folks have never seen what fully hydrated, bursting, bass ovaries actually look like and the fish on the beaches I mention are not in this state, but at the stage before - classified by P&P as "gravid" - it is very easy to confuse the two conditions, if follows therefore that a journey "offshore" (however defined) for a gravid fish turning rapidly into a spawner, could easily be just a day's swim (particularly with the Channel's macro-tidal regime) - I understand also that it may be the case that bass "batch spawn" i.e. a bit at a time over lunar/tidal cycles - this is very common behaviour in perciform fish - in theory then, fish may spawn some, return "inshore," recover and go thru the cycle again...

 

I don't doubt some bass spawn "local to their summer grounds" but could you define "local"? likewise please confirm what you mean by "a lot"...

 

to my mind the logic of an industrial scale pair trawl fishery for winter spawning aggregations of slow growing fish is akin to the logic of a farmer going out each spring and killing his prize bull & cattle bloodline - those fish would make a greater "value" (however defined ) in the hands of "inshore" fishermen, anglers & artisans...

 

enough for now

 

AJS

[Steve Coppolo]

Top post Andrew.