COD AND BASS DECISIONS

[seajunky]

FISHING TACKLE TRADE CONCERNED OVER UK MINISTER’S COD AND BASS DECISIONS

 

The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) today hit out at two key decisions taken by UK Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw, which the association says could seriously affect recreational sea angling in the country.

 

The minister recently refused to increase the minimum landing size for sea bass despite three years' of lobbying from EFTTA and UK organisations including the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society (BASS).

 

Then last week, he agreed an immediate increase from 100kg a month to one tonne a month in the amount of cod that can be caught by small commercial fishing boats -after pressure from the newly-formed National Under Ten Metre Fishermen's Association, a small organisation that was only set up at the beginning of January 2008.

 

(If they can do it in such a short time, then we as Recreational anglers must be able to make difference also).

 

EFTTA president Gregg Holloway, said today: "We are surprised that a small, newly established fishermen's organisation was able to persuade fisheries ministers over cod quotas within such a short time.

 

The sportfishing community in UK has repeatedly asked for a moderate increase of the minimum landing size for sea bass (from 36 cm to 42 cm) in an effort to save more baby bass from capture before they have the opportunity to spawn - thus securing future fish stocks. The request has been pending for more than three years.

 

The sportfishing sector has put huge efforts and resources into this issue and recently we were very disappointed that the Fisheries Minister, Mr Shaw, turned down the previous minister's proposals to raise the landing size.

 

EFTTA continues to be amazed by the unbalanced attention given to the two fishing sectors. The value of sportfishing has been proven to yield more in monetary terms than commercial fishing, yet all government attention and investments seem to go on commercial fishing."

 

Bass are a slow growing and late maturing species, capable of growing to over 20lbs, living some 25 years and capable of spawning up to 15 times. But the Minister's decision means they can be harvested as baby fish at just 36cm (around just 1lb in weight) and before they have ever had the opportunity to spawn.

 

EFTTA believes the value of recreational sea fishing for bass is worth considerably more than the commercial sector and in addition, supports thousands of businesses and livelihoods.

 

However, increased inshore netting, as well as the development of the controversial method of pair-trawling for spawning congregations, means that anglers now rarely encounter fish of the stamp and quality which anglers most prize.

 

Added Mr Holloway: “We would like to see more of the bigger bass in the waters as this is what the recreational sector relies on. Having more big fish also contributes to a more natural and healthier age structure in this fish stock.”

[steve good]

FISHING TACKLE TRADE CONCERNED OVER UK MINISTER’S COD AND BASS DECISIONS

 

The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) today hit out at two key decisions taken by UK Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw, which the association says could seriously affect recreational sea angling in the country.

 

The minister recently refused to increase the minimum landing size for sea bass despite three years' of lobbying from EFTTA and UK organisations including the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society (BASS).

 

Then last week, he agreed an immediate increase from 100kg a month to one tonne a month in the amount of cod that can be caught by small commercial fishing boats -after pressure from the newly-formed National Under Ten Metre Fishermen's Association, a small organisation that was only set up at the beginning of January 2008.

 

(If they can do it in such a short time, then we as Recreational anglers must be able to make difference also).

 

EFTTA president Gregg Holloway, said today: "We are surprised that a small, newly established fishermen's organisation was able to persuade fisheries ministers over cod quotas within such a short time.

 

The sportfishing community in UK has repeatedly asked for a moderate increase of the minimum landing size for sea bass (from 36 cm to 42 cm) in an effort to save more baby bass from capture before they have the opportunity to spawn - thus securing future fish stocks. The request has been pending for more than three years.

 

The sportfishing sector has put huge efforts and resources into this issue and recently we were very disappointed that the Fisheries Minister, Mr Shaw, turned down the previous minister's proposals to raise the landing size.

 

EFTTA continues to be amazed by the unbalanced attention given to the two fishing sectors. The value of sportfishing has been proven to yield more in monetary terms than commercial fishing, yet all government attention and investments seem to go on commercial fishing."

 

Bass are a slow growing and late maturing species, capable of growing to over 20lbs, living some 25 years and capable of spawning up to 15 times. But the Minister's decision means they can be harvested as baby fish at just 36cm (around just 1lb in weight) and before they have ever had the opportunity to spawn.

 

EFTTA believes the value of recreational sea fishing for bass is worth considerably more than the commercial sector and in addition, supports thousands of businesses and livelihoods.

 

However, increased inshore netting, as well as the development of the controversial method of pair-trawling for spawning congregations, means that anglers now rarely encounter fish of the stamp and quality which anglers most prize.

 

Added Mr Holloway: “We would like to see more of the bigger bass in the waters as this is what the recreational sector relies on. Having more big fish also contributes to a more natural and healthier age structure in this fish stock.”

 

Hi seajunky

 

QUOTE / EFTTA continues to be amazed by the unbalanced attention given to the two fishing sectors. The value of sportfishing has been proven to yield more in monetary terms than commercial fishing, yet all government attention and investments seem to go on commercial fishing."

 

"Since joining the Common Market 30 years ago, the British fishing fleet has been reduced to less than half its size and is still in decline"

 

"Brussels now has control of how and when we fish and how much fish we can catch. The UK provides the EU with 70% of its fishing but we are only allowed 13% by value of the quota species. (confirmed by Frans Fischler, fisheries commissioner 2002). This 13% equates to about 20% of the total catch in British waters and is stilll worth £500 million a year, which means that we are giving away to EU interests about £2 billion a year in fish plus the value added costs of boat building and repair, fish processing, employment and ancillary services, in total about £2.5 billion.(DEFRA UK Sea Fisheries Statistics)"

 

The commercial and sportfishing monetary imbalance has only arisen due to our managers not looking after UK interests at EU level. Perhaps after the RSA sector is licenced and has bag limits, then all this money that you all kept saying that the goverment receive from the anglers may decease as much as the commercial value did, thats what the CFP and licencing done for the UK fishing industry

 

 

The decision not to increase the mls for bass was a commen sense decision as any benifit would have been wasted as discards.

 

If you want to have bigger bass then go further offshore where there are still good numbers or do something meaningful like apply to the EU for a closed season while the bass are spawning in the English Channel.

 

The Minster has not increased the cod quote he has just reallocated it, by giving some more now and decreasing it in other parts of the year

 

steve

Edited February 7, 2008 by steve good

[Steve Burke]

If you want to have bigger bass then go further offshore

 

How far do you propose we cast from the beach, Steve?

Edited February 7, 2008 by Steve Burke

[steve good]

How far do you propose we cast from the beach, Steve?

 

Hi Steve Burke

 

It depends where you are, there is still good bassfishing to be had, last year was quite good for large bass on parts of my bit of coast

 

steve

[hastfish]

they have not give the under 10s any more cod . just our whole year quota ,come october ,unless they get us more cods we will be out of work for 3 months through missmanagment by deffra

[H.A.]

unless they get us more cods we will be out of work for 3 months through missmanagment by deffra

 

Bloody shame!

 

Defra really should do something to put more and bigger cod back in the sea by October at the latest.

 

[Leon Roskilly]

It depends where you are, there is still good bassfishing to be had, last year was quite good for large bass on parts of my bit of coast

 

steve

 

Maybe not for much longer Steve?

 

We have already seen what it has done to the bass fishery - fishermen had no choice but to chase a non-quota species like bass because they were pushed off the cod, and it has put added pressure on the bass.

 

Full Story:

 

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displa...e=sidebarsearch

 

We have tens of small boats from Mevagissey crying out after being forced to fish (nets) for bass when there's already too much pressure on that fishery; and in Looe four similar small boats haven't been to sea for four weeks.

 

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displa...e=sidebarsearch

 

When commercial fishermen go into print saying they are worried about what's now happening to the bass, I really start to worry!

Edited February 7, 2008 by Leon Roskilly

[steve good]

Maybe not for much longer Steve?

 

Full Story:

 

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displa...e=sidebarsearch

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displa...e=sidebarsearch

 

When commercial fishermen go into print saying they are worried about what's now happening to the bass, I really start to worry!

 

Hi Leon

 

So you didnt worry much when I wrote to Joe Borg fisheries commissinar asking to ban pair trawling on the English Channel breeding stock, or did you

 

Maybe I should have asked for a closed season instead, anyway one little voice amounts to exactly nothing, I sincerely hope he enjoyed making his paper areoplane with it, do you think he managed to fly it into the trash can on his first attempt, tenner says he did, had mountains of practice lol lol

 

 

steve

[hastfish]

if i have no cod to fish i could always go bassing then you can shout again. we all need afair amount off fish i agree but putting familys on the dole nots the answer

[steve good]

Bloody shame!

 

Defra really should do something to put more and bigger cod back in the sea by October at the latest.

 

 

Hi H.A

 

Maybe we can get DEFRA to send us our quota in the form of fish fingers or fish cakes, they could buy them from their green pretenders the supermarkets which means we wont go fishing and you can standing on the freezing beach catching all the large cod you want.

 

DEFRA will only say you cannot have your cake and eat it.

 

 

steve