Pair Trawling in the Channel

[wurzel]

is it still mr Turnble who takes all the lobsters at Whitby?

[Guest jay_con]

I think mr turnbel still exists But from what I understand a chap called mr russel now takes a lot of lobsters. He has a big lockup locally where he stores them in tanks untill he has a buyer. From what I uderstand he has a huge area full of tanks supplied with freshly filtered water. Big cod would be able to tell you more.

[Leon Roskilly]

Jaffa:

Obviously in a differnt world to you. Its that bad down there?!

I found this series of articles revealing.

 

As well as what Wurzel has had to say.

 

Sailing Close to the Wind

 

A complete lack of empathy at the heart of Europe

 

The choice cannot be between black times and black fish

 

Breaking the Law to Survive

 

We seem to have allowed a culture to develop which says that because the rules are flawed, it is acceptable to break the rules (wink! wink!)

 

But even if the rules are changed, they are still ignored because that culture and mindset persists.

 

Maybe that's what's behind the emerging DEFRA crackdown where summonses are 'flooding out', based on satellite tracking and log book entries going back three years (they thought that they were safe!).

 

Somethings Up!

 

Things are going to be different in future.

 

TL- leon

[Guest jay_con]

I understand that there is a lobster release programme locally. One of the authorities better idea's. Some time ago they bought lots of lobsters from the fishermen, cut notches in thier tales and then released them. It is now illegal to land any notched lobsters. Who knows what happens in the dead of night though?

[Guest jay_con]

Good news that Leon. Ive said for a long time now I felt the screws were tightening. Mr Bradshawe appears to have finally whipped his crew into action. For once I can say I think they actauly did a good job. Lets hope these summonses result in the required penalties to make these commercials think twice before they decide to over step the mark (or duck and dive as some people here seem to call it)in the future. (thats if they have of course - Guilty untill proven otherwise and all that.

 

These summonses seem to be dropping through letter boxes nationwide?

[Guest jay_con]

This is an horrific quote from the third article:

 

"At least 80% of the Scottish fishing fleet is breaking the law almost every time they put their boats to sea"

 

And to think we have individuals here involved in the fishing industry from north of the border who beleive nothing illegal goes on - Come on guys who you trying to kid.

[wurzel]

So you don't think when I say It's not Possible to be viable and legal that I'm telling the truth.

[Leon Roskilly]

wurzel:

So you don't think when I say It's not Possible to be viable and legal that I'm telling the truth.

Sadly Wurzel I do.

 

Too many people with too much technology chasing too few fish

 

And the technology is getting better all the time, and the fish are getting fewer (but it's easier to find those few - so catches don't go down until the stock collapses )

 

It's not matching the number of boats, nor the number of fishermen, to the stock.

 

It's about making sure that no more fish are killed than nature can withstand.

 

(actually it's a whole lot more complicated than that, it's also about which fish are killed at what age and what is the ecological interaction between the different species and the whole of the marine environment)

 

But no one knows exactly just where that point is.

 

So why should fisherman give up their careers and profits if there are fish to be caught?

 

And should we risk the stock, whilst hoping that the natural cycles of highs and lows will make everything OK, if we can just get through the next couple ofyears?

 

Lows are followed by highs which ar followed by lows that are............

 

 

When the fish keep getting smaller.

 

When almost every low is lower than previous lows.

 

When almost every high is lower than previous highs.

 

Nature is telling us something.

 

 

But while there are still fish to be caught and expenses to be paid, and everyone thinks that the rules are mistaken (as sometimes they are!)......

 

 

20 tackle shops in a town, none making enough to survive.

 

15 go out of business and 5 survive.

 

Who cares. That's business.

 

 

20 fisherman trying to make a living out of a stock that can only support 10.

 

Do we have to wait until only 2 remain and the stock is f***d for a long, long time?

 

Or can we act to make sure that 10 fisherman can look to a good future (and sadly 10 must find another way to make a living)

 

More clever minds than mine are addressing these fundamental problems, and it is they who will either have the courage to act or not.

 

I was once in a meeting with some high-powered officials and we floated the idea that maybe the politicians would prefer to see the stocks fished down, the industry brought to it's knees, broken and grateful for crumbs, rather than act with authority to do what had to be done to preserve the stocks on which the industry depends, and face dealing with militant fishermen demanding compensation for being prevented from fishing.

 

The official simply shrugged!

 

That's not what I want for our fishing industry.

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

[ 27. March 2005, 02:03 AM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

[big_cod]

Hi guys,been at sea chasing those endangered cod, its fishing not to bad but well down on last year spring mentoined the state of the lobster potting, i personally dont know the full ins and outs but a friend tells me who is one of big guys as far as potting is concerned, lobsters are been put under to much presure due to the increased effort, there is no seasons anymore they are been hammered 12months of the year once upon a time you went potting through the summer and long lineing through the winter but due to the cod shortedge they are potting all year and we are talking up 2000 potts per boat, this only means one thing lobsters are getting scarce its going to go the same way as white fish over fished ,but a little bird told me that stiff regulatins on pott numbers are to be introduced to try and stop the shellfish been tottally hammered some how i think this has happened before ,i seem to recall this method of over exploytation as taken its toll on another fisherie

[Guest jay_con]

Big cod?????

 

I thought last year was a bad year? so if this year is worse???