Do Bass Nursery Areas Benefit Anyone ?

[barry luxton]

Hi Captain

 

Those two ships were fishing my area (IoW to Brighton) also outside the 12 afew weeks ago, I think they are seiners

 

I dont know what they are catching but it takes them 6-8 hours to sought out their catch before they re-shoot their net

 

Probably takes them all that time measuring all the bass they caught that has just left the nursery areas

 

steve

 

As the captain has said it makes sence that they are targetting other fish and the bass is a by-catch, along with the limit on the amount they can take the bass stock is safe and being fished sustaianably, isn't it.

[Leon Roskilly]

They are fishing for either herring, sprats, mackerel or scads. No doubt they are fishing legally. Any bass bycatch is a bonus.

 

Any idea of what speed they are towing at?

[steve good]

Each boat can elect to land 5 tonne of bass per week or 15 tonne for the month.

 

Pair trawling for bass is illegal for UK boats down in the South-West, out to 12 miles.

 

(Outside of 12 only a few UK boats with a track record are licensed to pair-trawl for bass).

 

If anyone has evidence that boats are illegally pair-trawling in the restricted area, they should contact the Marine Fisheries Agency.

 

Hi Leon

 

Other member states can pair trawl right up to our 6 mile limit our few boats got to stay outside the 12 mile limit WHERE IS THE SENSE IN THAT fishery management decisions like these are beyond my comprehension.

 

I believe the suits in Noble House London are a bunch of ankers, thats why the fishing industry is being flushed down the tiolet.

 

There is nothing at all NOBLE about our so called fishery managers and their decision

 

steve

[glennk]

Thanks for your replies men. The two ships in question are still in the area. My guess is that they are still processing last nights catch.

 

I take your point Barry about what they are allowed to land. Let's just suppose they catch fish they have no quota for or more bass than they can land (probably never happens). Its back over the side with it as I know you are aware. Their discards alone would probably pay to keep most of the under 10m fleet tied up.

 

I'm glad that some of you appreciate what goes on over the horizon.

 

Maybe the throw it back, maybe they just land it anyway because they know the chances of being caught are very slim, just like landing black cod into north east ports.

[Captain Sensible]

Any idea of what speed they are towing at?

 

Yes Leon, between 3.5 and 4.5 knots.

Edited November 23, 2008 by Captain Sensible

[Steve Coppolo]

No matter what they are towing at, and what they may or may not be catching, pretty soon the proper winter bass pair trawl fishery will start up again. (Maybe someone could post up some pictures of them landing their catch, just so we can see what 15 tons of prime spawning size bass looks like?) But never mind, I'm sure there are a couple of blokes with a rowing boat and 100 yards of gill net and a few anglers that need sorting out somewhere.

[Leon Roskilly]

Other member states can pair trawl right up to our 6 mile limit our few boats got to stay outside the 12 mile limit WHERE IS THE SENSE IN THAT fishery management decisions like these are beyond my comprehension.

 

When the CFP was reviewed in 2002, for the first time each EU country was allowed to introduce it's own conservation rules within the 12, in discussion with nations with specific grandfather rights.

 

Unfortunately, this has been interpreted as such rules only applying to fleets with grandfather rights with their agreement, and France has declined to accept the restrictions.

 

With the CFP up for review again in 2012, and DEFRA currently gathering views and information on proposals for possible changes, BASS are pressing the Minister to take forward proposals that such conservation measures should be applied to all boats fishing within the 12, whatever fleet they belong to.

 

see: http://ukbass.com/2008/10/bass-tells-minis...p-for-2012.html

 

NFSA have backed this position when it was raised at the last Marine Stakeholder Forum meeting, and SACN at the quota talks with the minister, when the under 10s were proposing restrictions in return for being allowed to land more rather than discarding, also stressed to the Minister that any such restrictions should apply to foreign vessels competing with the inshore fleet within the 12.

 

However, responding to the BASS proposals in Fishing News, Jim Portus has argued

 

South Western FPO chief executive Jim Portus sounded a note of caution on the BASS call.

 

He told FN: "While I have every sympathy for John Leballeur's position, we should remember that what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander.

 

UK fishermen enjoy various access rights to the waters of other member states and we should consider those rights.

 

"For example, UK scallopers and in particular ours in the South West have access to the French scallop fishery in French waters inside 12 miles and our scallopers would not happily relinquish that

access option.

 

"There are many more examples that in the longterm would be costly to the West Country fishing

industry, and we must look at the whole issue before pressing the minister to fight for UK boats only in UK waters.

 

(Slightly missing the point that BASS is not looking for foreign boats to be excluded, but those with grandfather rights should at least fish to the same rules to protect the fishery as UK boats within our 12).

 

So, don't be too hard on DEFRA Steve (at least not in this instance, Oh! well, well if you really must ), because as well as listening to the pleas of UK anglers and inshore fishermen, they are being told by other UK fishermen that they must also bear in mind the rights of their larger brethren who choose to go across and fish inshore along foreign coasts where they too have grandfather rights.

 

(ps It's Nobel House, not Noble House, that would be ironic)

Edited November 23, 2008 by Leon Roskilly

[Leon Roskilly]

Yes Leon, between 3.5 and 4.5 knots.

 

That'll catch bass

[Captain Sensible]

That'll catch bass

 

Try this link http://shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=235010670 . Look for the Cornelis Vrolijk Fzn and the Atlantic Princess.

[barry luxton]

Try this link http://shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=235010670 . Look for the Cornelis Vrolijk Fzn and the Atlantic Princess.

 

Thanks for that, what is the point being made, if we can see them so can the authorities, as long as they comply with current regs there is no problem. Once they have reached the amounts they can take they will move on?