An Alliance Between Anglers And Commercials?

[Guest johnfranz]

stavey:

Binatone no worries, my mistake as well as yours, have you tryed to persuade many commercial skippers to pop up here to have a look and maybe make some comments it would help to keep this thread a bit more lively and obviously the more opinions the better, if not what did they say?

Hi stavey. Have just had a couple of my friends (both commercials) round and spent a couple of hours looking through the different threads.

They like many of my other friends who are fishing had also never heard or seen this forum before (but then again why should they) they where quite amused at some of the negative attitudes that some of the forums members have. But where (as I was) quite impressed at the enthusiasm and the genuine concern of many anglers about the future of there sport.

On the question of an alliance, they said that they would be more than willing to talk to any angler about any concerns he or she has on what could be done to help a recreation and a commercial interest fish side by side.

They don’t seam very keen to come on to this forum as they say that there are some on here who would find it a good opportunity to have a slating match from behind the comfort of there monitor screens.

This I am afraid to say is a shame. I did point out to them that this forum does not represent the opinion of every angler, only the ones who want there opinions read.

They did point out to me that the forum member (new) who did seam to be catching plenty of fish, and was a ex commercial, was not blaming commercials half as much as the other charter skippers who don’t seam to catch any where as much fish as he does.

They said that they put that down to him being an ex commercial fishermen and therefore knowing that although fish have tails they won’t always swim towards where you fish. Therefore to catch them you have to go and find them. As our ex commercial friend seams to of done.

A commercial fisherman will steam for hundreds of miles sometimes in his quest for fish when it is knot found on his local grounds, it’s a way of life, it’s what you do.

Knot catch nothing run home get on your computer log onto a forum and slag of an industry for the simple reason that you where not capable of catching the needed fish, by the only way that you know how. Good fishing stavey hopes to catch you again when next are home.

[spanner]

The problem is though that you shouldn't have to steam for hundreds of miles to find fish...... that is a sign of how poor things have become.

[Guest johnfranz]

spanner:

The problem is though that you shouldn't have to steam for hundreds of miles to find fish...... that is a sign of how poor things have become.

That’s a new one on me spanner. Have always spent time and money searching for fish.

That’s what it is all about. The same as autumn was saying somewhere, that a part of the enjoyment he gets from angling is finding the correct spot to fish, selecting the correct bait, and using his local knowledge and experience to eventually catch his fish.

Sorry if I have missed quoted you there autumn as I can’t be bothered to look back and highlight exactly what you said. But I think it was something along them lines.

Yes I agree with you spanner there is not the fish that there was, it just means that you have to put a bit more into what you do to get what you want out of it. Regardless of what you do. Recreational or commercially.

[Toerag]

Binatone, what's the arguament against increasing MLS and mesh size from the commercial side? Is it purely that there'll be loads of expensive gear made redundant? How long does a net last assuming that you don't get it snagged up? (I'm talking gillnets and trawls here).

[Guest johnfranz]

Toerag:

Binatone, what's the arguament against increasing MLS and mesh size from the commercial side?  Is it purely that there'll be loads of expensive gear made redundant?  How long does a net last assuming that you don't get it snagged up? (I'm talking gillnets and trawls here).

Torag.

If you want to start another thread up regarding fishing methods, the gear that commercials and recreational use. Then when I am next home I will be glad to contribute. But I really must go sorry. I can tell you that the life span of a trawl usually depends on how long DEFRA allow you to use the size of mesh you have in it.

[Guest jay_con]

quote:

---

Originally posted by binatone:

 

 

They don’t seam very keen to come on to this forum as they say that there are some on here who would find it a good opportunity to have a slating match from behind the comfort of there monitor screens.

This I am afraid to say is a shame. I did point out to them that this forum does not represent the opinion of every angler, only the ones who want there opinions read.

---

mmmmmmm. Sounds like a case of pot and kettle

[Old Man of the Sea]

My apologies to Stavey for going off the thread again.

As an ex-commercial fisherman, I just want to comment briefly on the subject

of discards.

 

I agree with what Binatone says about discards. I have never personally

witnessed large quantities of undersized codlings being discarded, in the

way the Whitby spawny fishing has been explained on this forum recently.

 

A trawl designed for towing across a hard bottom is by no means as efficient

as most people think, and only catches a small percentage of what is there.

You shoot it, tow it over a given area where you think there might be fish,

haul it and hope there is something in the cod end. You may have all these

fancy electronic gadgets in the wheelhouse, but what you get in the cod end

in the long run has far more to do with the skill, experience and intuition

of the skipper.

 

If I am wrong, and the trawlers are catching large quantities of undersized

codlings off Whitby, then there is another way of looking at the current

situation. To catch so many small codlings must mean there is a phenomenal

quantity of small codlings about. Taking into consideration the inefficiency

of the hard ground trawl, the handful of boats left, and the fact they can

only fish fifteen days a month, the vast majority of small codling will not

be killed. Although the situation may be far from perfect, and it is a great

waste to kill these small fish, this proliferation of small codling bodes

well for the future.

[Guest jay_con]

Couldnt agree more OMOTS. Lets hope things are looking rosier which will mean qouta's etc can be set higher and the guys can earn a better living without so much stress and hassel.

 

Can I just ask you 1 question. The majority of fish (codlings)landed recently have been smalls, of that there is no debate. My friend from the filleting factory says he has seen nothing but smalls for the past 3 weeks. A lot of these fish just over the size limit. Im left wondering how the trawl is so selective???? In being able to catch so many thousands of fish around the 35+ cm mark whilst not catching those which are 34- cm and would have to be returned dead. An absolutely marvelous net wouldnt you say.

 

Just 1 further point. Were you still fishing in 96, 97 and 98?? And what do you know about discards at this time. Were there not thousands of undersize discards in those years too? The lads ive talked to, some of which were trawling at that time have described it as mass slaughter with more fish going back dead than were brought ashore, they say the main area for this was down off the coast at Flamborough where millions of small codling seemed to shoal together in late winter and early spring. The lads I talk about have since left the fleet and gone on to other jobs. I know half a dozen lads who all tell a very similer story, Im just wondering why they have lied to me.

 

[ 11. October 2005, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: @AUTUMN@ ]

[Ian Burrett]

 

 

Here's one for you Autumn

How can 80 per cent of a boat's catch be a bycatch?

 

Details at

http://www.wwf.org.uk/news/n_0000001871.asp

[Guest jay_con]

I would like to draw old man of the sea's attention to a study carried out on 2 local boats in Autumn 2003 during the herring spawn period. These are quotes from that study on the boats Abbey Leigh and emulator who utilised single trawl methods.

 

"The smallest cod caught was 21cm, and the size ranged up to fish of 75cm or so,but the most abundant cod were fish of size 30 to 40 cm that were likely to be the one and two year class (year classes 2001 and 2002)"

 

"These data suggest that this fishery is mainly targeting young fish and that old large fish are not abundant on these grounds"

 

"If the results of this project are seen as typical of cod fishing in the area in all years then the yorkshire coast fishery should be regarded as predominantly an immature fishery"