Fishing Patrols

[starlight]

Living where i do in France, where everyone seems to fish for the table, i can see why some immigrants who come from catch to eat countries struggle with our ways. When fisherman start to struggle to catch all sorts of reasons start to get invented as to where have the fish gone???. I am not saying that it is ok for them to take fish, it is not, any fishery owner or club does not want their fish nicked as they cost money. As other members have said on this thread the only way forward is for the anglers to protect their fisheries. I heard a while back that some eastern europeans were fishing over a council run day ticket water that i used to fish alot. This water is well run with regular rounds done by the rangers. These foreign anglers were reported to the rangers for knocking carp on the head, when approached and asked for their license and day ticket money they threatened the ranger with a great big knife!!! he then called the police who did not even come over! what really does wind me up is that if i had done that over there?? i would of been in a bloody cell!!!

[Guest Rabbit]

Rabbit, Gozzer and the others denying that there is a problem:

Do poles know that the taking of fish is illegal? YES!

Do they continue to remove them? YES

 

The poles that started this whole problem where genuinely ignorant of the law. (and as such may be given benefit of the doubt)

 

The Poles that are doing it today NEVER never fish it alone!! There have been a number of cases where Riparian owners have been thrown in their own waters or challenged by stating there are no signs in Polish, when confronting the rustlers.

Is this the action of "innocent", illegal "fishermen"?

 

We have Poles on our estate, where I have witnessed people (fellow Poles) coming to the house at night and exchanging a parcel for money. This may be totally be something innocent, but is must be seen as coincidental, do you not agree!

 

Please read what I say ...I don't deny there is a problem, I do try and 'educate' foreign anglers on OUR practises over here.does not include by and large the taking of coarse fish. As I have said I believe it's up to fellow anglers to do something, the police CPO's or whatever will not do a thing.

As far as your 'evidence' regarding brown paper parcels then I suggest you confront the individuals concerned and demand to see the contents. It might just be their laundry

Edited October 25, 2007 by Rabbit

[Guest Rabbit]

270,000 poles registered for work in the UK in 17 months.

One fish dinner per person per week, consisting of 1lb of freshwater fish (live weight) for 2 years = 12,737 metric ton’s of fish.

 

I suggest you watch the Poland episode of Mat Hayes’s “Lake Escapes to see what impact this can have.

 

I did and it was pretty damning too. That more then anything convinced me there was a problem that we don't want over here.

[Ken L]

What would be interesting is a nice sign in Polish, Arabic, Serbo-Croat and Ukrainian (Just four that spring to mind) saying "It is illegal to remove fish from this water" so it can be printed off and posted up.

[kleinboet]

Rabbit, just how much do think you are achieving by 'educating' them. Do you deny my other statements?

The Poles know that we in the UK return our fish, but they will say they didn't know (or a hundred other excuses) and just ignore the rules here. If you were in Poland and found that (please not this is not the case but just for example!) refuse to eat Lamb, you would go with it as you are a guest in THEIR country!

That is all that We are asking - that they obey OUR laws!!

As for the parcel please read it properly - I stated that it may be COMPLETELY INNOCENT!!!

[Fastd]

Well my passing a few hours has ceratinly open a topic of debate.

 

In my opinion there are three seperate offenders being discussed here.

 

1. The europeans who fish for fun and kill their catch because that is what they do at home.

 

Education is the answer tothis ...and perhaps signs in polish on our water at to what the uk rules are. I first came across this type of anglers on a trip to the yorkshire ouse at Dunsforth during the foot and mouth crisis ..if that dates it. Three anglers in the next peg above us were getting eels and keeping them...I have no problem with that. Then they got a bream...and killed it...then they got a barbel...I went up to have a look and they were going to kill it...I saw red and despite a language barrier and there being three of them I told em what I thought ...they put it back. It turned out that at home they killed what they caught. this was ignorance of rules as opposed to organised crime.

 

2. Fighting Cocks Lake . Yarm.

 

Fish up to and exceeding 20lb have been found filleted in the margins after been shot with cross bows. The people doing this were foreign...and violent when challenged. fortunately here in the NE they match fire with fire and the problem ceased. This is organised gangs collecting fish for sale. With cod and salmon at over 10 quid a kilo its easy money...and they sell it to there mates back in the digs.

 

3. Large carp being offered for sale without a section 38 certificate.

 

This is a uk based thing. We know what a thirty + carp is worth...and if you catch one you could potentially make a big killing if only you had the right contacts. The EA are looking into this and it has nothing to do foreigners whatsoever. As I mentioned there were some major enquiries into where the first stillwater babel came from..I do believe a fish trader lost his license but no fish were removed from the suspected ponds although some were removed for dna sampling.

 

This is uk based organised fish crime!!!

 

So ...if u add to this the cormorant problem...and pollution threats....Its a wonder we catch anything.

 

Yes our coarse fishing faces a new threat in terms of foreigners...but only from the point of veiw of education into how our coarse fishing works.

 

I wont even start the conversation regarding where alot of our 40+ carp originated. (not to mention catfish) But france is a short train ride away...a transit van and a tank with a blower...easy money. Illegal ..yes...going on...of course it is!

 

Cheers

#Dave

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Good post Fastd.

 

You are right, fish removal of one form or another has always gone on. I was chatting to a fellah the other day on terrys pool at earlswood.........very well to do fellah and clearly had been angling for many decades. He was catching bream and roach and chucking them in his bag to use as live/dead baits elsewhere. I wonder how many of 'him' there are throughout the country and how many tons of fish they remove each year? Does anyone pass comment or complain? No, of course they don't.

 

The big fish removers are another group which have existed forever too, but who complains when a new 30 appears in their local pool? Nobody of course.

 

As for selling big fish...........well, I gotta admit, its something thats crossed my mind!!! If I caught a mint 25 or 30 pound koi or ghostie from the river or canal and had someone to sell it to, would I sell it? I'd agonise over the decision for about 3 seconds before putting the money in my wallet I reckon! Just how much is a 16lb goldfish worth anyway??? (unfilleted)

[Dick Dastardly]

I think you are probabley about right Fastd (not so sure what a Section 38 is though! )

 

This is a subject that is allways cropping up on here (often by the same people with the same arguments).I reckon I fish as much if not more than most on here.I also have done this in two sepperate areas which both have significant populations of Poles and other various Eastern Europeans.Im sure it must go on to a certain degree but I have never actually seen it myself.Suprising really as some of the waters Ive fished this year are open to all and certainly not guarded at all.

 

So I ask the question,how many of you have actually seen this sort of thing going on? ie some one actually illegaly killing fish to take home to eat as opposed to being told of it in your local pub/tackle shop or reading it onthe internet or in the press.

 

This is a genuine question and I would hope that all who have offered thier opinions here could answer.

[Steve Burke]

What would be interesting is a nice sign in Polish, Arabic, Serbo-Croat and Ukrainian (Just four that spring to mind) saying "It is illegal to remove fish from this water" so it can be printed off and posted up.

 

Notices in umpteen languages are now available free of charge from the EA. You will however need to have them made into signs.

[Ken L]

So I ask the question,how many of you have actually seen this sort of thing going on? ie some one actually illegaly killing fish to take home to eat as opposed to being told of it in your local pub/tackle shop or reading it onthe internet or in the press.

 

Yes