Thornbacks

[thedogs]

I got a phone call from my X boss, skipper of a local commercial fishing boat. His voise was full of hope as he told me there has been a climb down on the new skate and ray law which was going to stop him targeting thornback rays.

He said that he thinks he,s now allowed to land 40 stone per week, although he wasnt sure if it wasnt 40 stone per day.

 

Can anyone in the know clarify the situation?

 

He also said he was told this aplied to anglers to, so does that mean bag limits of 40 stone per person? or if on a charter boat 40 stone per boat?

Edited March 11, 2007 by thedogs

[Leon Roskilly]

I got a phone call from my X boss, skipper of a local commercial fishing boat. His voise was full of hope as he told me there has been a climb down on the new skate and ray law which was going to stop him targeting thornback rays.

He said that he thinks he,s now allowed to land 40 stone per week, although he wasnt sure if it wasnt 40 stone per day.

 

Can anyone in the know clarify the situation?

 

He also said he was told this aplied to anglers to, so does that mean bag limits of 40 stone per person? or if on a charter boat 40 stone per boat?

 

 

When I last talked to the MFA on 2nd March I was told that the then current position then was that the MFA were monitoring landings during an 'education period' (no definite end date, just a 'guideline' of until the end of March).

 

They acknowledged that fishermen would be 'making hay while the sun shines' during this period, but generally would not be enforcing the new regulation, other than to advise fishermen that they should not be exceeding the 25% bycatch limit for roker.

 

They were also awaiting guidance from above, both from DEFRA and from the EU, aware that strenuous efforts are being made by fishermen to sort something out.

 

(I had earlier been told that the new regulations do not apply to recreational sea anglers, only licensed fishing vessels)

 

 

Since then there have been some meetings locally, but as this is a new EU regulation I can't see that anything will have changed. (Perhaps just some renewed guidance on what the local enforcement officers will or will not enforce, although that could land them in hot water with the EU if there are complaints).

 

Of course with so much talk going on, things do have a habit of being misunderstood or chinese whispers distorts the message.

 

 

You could try getting an update by contacting the MFA

 

see: http://www.mfa.gov.uk/contact/portoffice.htm#east

Edited March 11, 2007 by Leon Roskilly

[thedogs]

Two weeks ago while in North London I made the bad decision to park my van in a bus stop, so I could nip into a shop to purchase a drink.

Last week a I received a fine of forty quid through the post for a parking offence. Far cop I thought must not do that again.

What happened to my education period?

Hit em and hit em hard I say, once one had been nicked and fined heavily the example would be set!

 

As for chinese whispers, I know nothing about that sort of thing! lol

[nick]

well said Sam

[wurzel]

well said Sam

 

 

 

WHY???

[thedogs]

The guy I spoke to is aderment there has been a climb down, but anglers I have spoken to are also aderment the ban hasnt changed.

Does nobody know? Wurzel catching fish is your job, do you know if your now allowed to catch 40 stone a week?

[osprey]

The guy I spoke to is aderment there has been a climb down, but anglers I have spoken to are also aderment the ban hasnt changed.

Does nobody know? Wurzel catching fish is your job, do you know if your now allowed to catch 40 stone a week?

 

 

as long as you have got plenty of other fish you can land much more than 40 stone of roker a day, for eg if you catch 400 stone of mixed fish you can land 100 stone of roker not that we are goin to catch 400 stone of mixed fish

 

as long as you have got plenty of other fish you can land much more than 40 stone of roker a day,

 

sorry meant to put 40 stone a week not day

[Leon Roskilly]

The guy I spoke to is aderment there has been a climb down, but anglers I have spoken to are also aderment the ban hasnt changed.

Does nobody know? Wurzel catching fish is your job, do you know if your now allowed to catch 40 stone a week?

 

Sam, Why don't you give the Marine Fisheries Agency a call?

 

They are the ones responsible for enforcement of the new regulation, so hopefully they would know.

 

http://www.mfa.gov.uk/contact/portoffice.htm#east

 

Telephone: 01255 508973

 

Ask to speak to the Fisheries Officer

 

email: mailto:harwich@mfa.gsi.gov.uk

Edited March 13, 2007 by Leon Roskilly

[wurzel]

The guy I spoke to is aderment there has been a climb down, but anglers I have spoken to are also aderment the ban hasnt changed.

Does nobody know? Wurzel catching fish is your job, do you know if your now allowed to catch 40 stone a week?

 

 

The latest news to day is that a 25% by catch only is now in force for the North sea only.

 

It's about the last straw for most boats in this area.

[thedogs]

I have taken your advice Leon and sent a e-mail asking to clarify.