An Alliance Between Anglers And Commercials?

[stavey]

Im not to sure about the 30 year thing stavey. This might be reality in under 10. Im just thinking about how quickly the channel stocks dissapeared. WAs it you who spoke about how poor chesil had become.

 

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I did not about chesil autumn, but the cod fishing off the beach here in sussex as been non existant for decades mate and i am the old man telling the grand kids and showing photo's about how i used to catch cod off the beach whe i was a lad

[JB]

Ian Burrett:

John and Michelle

What do the anglers do with £3000 worth of prime filleted fish. I can't believe it is for their own use.

The majority of people wouldn't have the freezer room for such large ammounts and I can only believe they must be selling it or swapping it for ale.

Hello, Ian!

Michele here, this time. You asked what our anglers do with their fish when they catch in abundance. This is a question I have often asked our anglers, out of my own natural curiosity. In the five seasons I've worked with John, I can honestly say that not once has an angler confessed he sells any of his catch. Of course, this might be because it is not prudent to do so, as we publicise the fact that it is illegal for non-commercial fishermen to sell their fish. However, I tend to believe they are telling the truth. It seems that most of our anglers have lots of family, friends and colleagues eager to share in their fish bounty - as I am sure you have noticed yourself when you've had a good catch. I know that some of our regulars are well geared up and have large deep freezers at home exclusively for fish.

I have noticed that the barter system is still thriving in this country.

However, I don't actually know the legality of bartering - especially with food products. I have often wondered about it. Okay, I understand that swapping a few fillets for some ale in your local would be illegal, if your fish was going to end up on a customer's plate. But what if the owner was a great mate, and the fillets ended up on his own table? What if you had another friend who was a farmer - is it legal to swap some of your fish

fillets for a few lamb chops? There must be a fine line somewhere. Can anyone enlighten me on this score? (On another thread, perhaps, as we've hijacked Stavey's yet again. Sorry, Stavey!)

 

Taking the "£3000 worth of fish fillets" figure already mentioned for an average day's catch: We normally carry twelve anglers per trip. £3000 divided by 12 is only £250 - not an excessive amount, surely? Nevertheless, whether each angler has £50 worth of fillets or £500 worth, our main concern is to ensure every fish caught on our boat arrives on the table in the best possible condition. Over the years, John had seen too many fish "go off" on warm days, and have to be dumped. He used to feel very angry and frustrated

if an angler neglected his catch, and consequently wasted it. We both hate the thought that any fish might 'die in vain'. To this end, John had a special on-deck chiller designed and manufactured. It cost a fortune, but has been well worth the expense. We feel that the best we can do is to deliver a good quality product to the quayside. What happens to the catch after that is up to our anglers - and their consciences.

 

Although John is a staunch advocate of an alliance between commercial and recreational fishermen, we are certainly not bringing them together on our boat under the guise of an assortment of anglers!

 

Michele

[Ian Burrett]

Michelle

I run three small charter boats and ten years ago insisted that all inshore fish we caught were put back. This is from my website

 

 

"We are, fortunately, in a situation that we don't need any individual party, so if you really need to take bags of fish home then look elsewhere."...

 

and guess what Michelle, We got busier.

 

There are many sport anglers now that enjoy the day out and enjoy putting fish back. Do the lads that are now going to Norway expect to return with sack loads of fish?

 

I can't remember the threads but there have been many on the subject of returning fish with blown swim bladders. It can be done.

 

By advertising the huge ammounts of fillets you are supposed to catch and having "specially made coolers" then Wurzel is right, You should be classed as commercial as many a small trawler would be happy with £3000 of fish for a days work.

 

 

Is this figure wholesale or retail price

[JB]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the reply. At the moment, I am up to my eyes with a maintenance job on the boat and Michele is now away visiting family for a few days. When she comes back we have a few long trips back to back. So weather permitting we will not be able to get back to you for a few days.

I can see where you are coming from. Ideally it would be a direction in which all charter skippers should be heading. Now that our season is drawing to a close, I am thinking of starting a thread on the condition of North Sea cod. Out of respect for Stavey we could reply to you on that one.

 

John Brennan

 

[ 17. October 2005, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: John and Michele ]

[stavey]

BY JOHN: Now that our season is drawing to a close, I am thinking of starting a thread on the condition of North Sea cod. Out of respect for Stavey we could reply to you on that one.

 

No worrys here john, i have negleted this thread somewhat lately, ive got so much going on with meetings and writing to sfc's and local councillors and mp's that its hard to keep up, so carry on please, but if you want to post another thread then of course thats up to you, and i would like to say thanks to you" and your good young lady michele for the input so far.

I will check back later and ad maybe a bit of a summary about this thread so far then, cheers...........

[Guest jay_con]

Hi Ian,

 

A year ago I would have been shocked at what you said. Now I sort of understand where your coming from.

 

Whitby is traditionally a cod port and it has become almost a culture to carry away a bag of cod fillets from your days fishing. I dont think the fishermen could see it in any other way and I never believed that anglers would want to pay good money to go home with half a dozen fillets or even none. But I have my ear close to the ground. Like you say Anglers go to Norway and return thier fish, Ive spoken to lads who fish down south and are happy to return thier fish. I was amazed to learn how many people are happy to pay good money to go macky bashing or pull up a few species like wrasse etc, but for some reason thats alien to me (please dont shoot me for that comment, remember the local culture here) people are happy to pay money to fish and return with nothing other than a memory and a picture, and yes im getting the feeling that if you market it right you could get a decent business out of it. Personally I wouldnt want to pay to catch makeral and wrasse but ive heared plenty say they would.

The only trouble I see here with the returning of cod is that I feel pretty certain that fish you just returned will end up in the pair trawl thats 500 yards away from you.

 

I think what Im saying is that although it sounds quite mad I do agrre with what you are saying - there are people who will pay Money for a good day and to leave with only a memory.

 

Sorry about the 1000 word post but it looks like thats the way of things and I didnt want to be left out.

 

[ 14. October 2005, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: @AUTUMN@ ]

[stavey]

Autumn (i am posting a lot you today) theres nothing wrong with your culture, and there is nothing wrong with the idea of taking one or two certain species like cod for instance, home for tea.

 

Cod are never going to be classed as a sportfish but that does'nt mean they dont need any protective measures, you have to build your case on how valuable they are localy to your fishing club and area, thats what i am trying to do for bass and mullet where i am. i will chip in when leon and the guys and the bigger org's ask me for the national issues because they have more sway and they are in place where it all happens so to speak.........

[Ian Burrett]

Autumn quote

 

A year ago I would have been shocked at what you said. Now I sort of understand where your coming from. unquote

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sort of understand is a very positive statement

 

And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks

 

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Another quote Personally I wouldnt want to pay to catch makeral and wrasse but ive heared plenty say they would.

 

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Why mackerel and wrasse whens theres species like Tope,smoothound, Mullett, bass and other fantastic sporting fish especially on light tackle. You don't have to stop people taking the odd fish home. In many countries they have a take home limit on each species

 

[ 14. October 2005, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: Ian Burrett ]

[Leon Roskilly]

This is one project where all stakeholders, including both commercial fishermen and anglers come together to plan a more sustainable and profitable future

 

http://www.investinfish.org/

 

http://www.investinfish.org/SeaAnglers.htm

 

http://www.investinfish.org/Fisheriesmanag...int-of-view.htm

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

[ 14. October 2005, 07:09 PM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

[wurzel]

Leon do you realy take in all that waffle, and I could not find the bit that says the commercail fishermen will agree to the bass managment plan.