Climate change, Fish Stocks etc

[Huge_Vitae]

Sorry to be the Devil’s Advocate here but considering in depth all the information available we do seem to be looking for an answer that does not exist.

 

Personally I think some of the measures outlined would have worked if put into practise years ago….

 

Sadly I am coming to the conclusion that we are just too late and we are all about to realise that the situation is far worse than we realise.

 

Consider this fact as an indication, this May (4th) is my eldest son’s 21st Birthday. I vividly recall in her last few weeks of Gestation my Wife sitting in the garden sunbathing. When do I recall sunbathing in the garden much before July in recent years? Never.

 

In 1987 whilst away for the Easter weekend with the territorials I got heat stroke on a march and was taken to Aldershot military hospital. Do you think there is a risk of this happening to anybody this Easter?

 

Remember the old wives tales, some of which are based on fact and knowledge built up over generations. Remember the saying “The seagulls are inland, there is a storm coming” How long has it been when I have looked across my fields and NOT seen a seagull? How many councils and businesses now pay to have seagull deterrent devices placed on buildings in towns?

 

When I first moved into my current house, a farm in a rural area some 10 years ago I would regularly hear a bang on the roof as seagulls dropped crabs onto the roof collected from a nearby river to break them open to eat. I have not heard this now for several years. Every time I look out onto the River Medina at low tide I see people turning rocks and digging for peeler crabs and basically damaging the habitat of various species.

 

The point I make is that we all now talk of climatic changes and the LONG TERM EFFECT to the environment and fishing etc, but in truth and in the scale of things I seriously believe that the long term effect should be transposed backwards so that we all can see the damage that we have done, and perhaps with sadness realise that it is far too late.

 

Being from the background I am I would not easily climb into bed with Greenpeace. Yes I support some of their causes and issues but find as with all things that some policies do not sit well with me.

 

We as a nation believe that we have basically a “straight line political system”, that is to say we have right wing politics and left wing politics. The views of an extreme right winger are opposed to the views of the left. This is incorrect. Politics are actually a circle. The more right wing you move the more you become closer to the views of the left.

 

Could we boycott supermarkets or demonstrate about the methods used to catch the fish we eat? How can we, when others see us as the people doing the damage and you certainly have to agree that we do contribute to the effects. For some years now I have only fished with squid, baitfish and artificials. That way I gain some smartie points, in my own mind, that the damage I have contributed to the eco system has at least in some way gone back into it. But where do you draw a line. I drive a car!!!

 

Others have pointed out that Fish Farming is not the answer, and I have to agree on the basis of the facts reported. Then consider the removal of marine life for animal food.

 

Who is to blame for BSE? Basically many years ago farmers produced meat by ‘normal’ methods. The price of the meat on the market place was simply supply and demand fed. In a poor year the price of, say beef would rise and the beasts would attract greater prices at market and all the way along the chain to consumer. Along came the Common Agricultural Policy, Farmers are guaranteed a fixed price for produce and the race was then on to produce as much goods as you could at a guaranteed price and stock became fed up on hormones, animal protein and the consequence was BSE.

 

I wonder how long before they realise that pigs don’t normally eat vast quantities of sand eels and there could be a ripple from this in years to come.

 

A few weeks ago I was reading a circular from my local M.P. Outlining his views on the CFP. HERE HERE Later that week I stopped him in the street to discus the issue of pair trawlers and illegal fishing. My opinion I will reserve on the Member’s understanding of the issue!

 

I have put a Poll up in fishing polls Vote Here and would ask that you take the time to vote. I want to see if it is of use to put up a larger survey so that all (not just AN members) can vote. As I see it now, we have to immediately stop some fishing. Declare certain estuaries and rivers as off limits to all fishing and bait digging and attempt to somehow reseed these areas with Worms, Shell fish and sand eels and leave the area for a few years to re-establish the bio-diversity of the area. Open it for fishing and close off another area. Crop Rotation was one of the major advances in Agricultural Methods dating back hundreds of years. Most farmers still use this method over artificial methods to ensure the condition of their land and its productivity for years to come it is strange that because we cannot see the damage we have done that we continue to exploit it until it is a dust bowl of the marine world.

[David.W]

Wow Huge, I think I agree with everything you said there.

 

The weather is all over the place these days, food doesn't taste like it did, I thought my bacon had a taste of fish sometimes, now I know why :mad: .

 

As far as I know cows should eat grass, not other cows and artificial stuff.

 

And don't even get me going about MP's and what they know (or don't know)!!!

[Huge_Vitae]

Thanks Dave,

 

I think sometimes we may go about things the wrong way. We all like to fish and use various tactics, rigs and bait. I have a mind to go fishing for politicians and as far as I see the best bait to use is votes.

 

I think Leon posted an article about a survey up nawf! with peoples opinions on fishing industry. Fishermen, if they choose to stand up and be counted are an immence voting force in this Country. It is about time that we changed the system around, never mind us asking the politicians for support, with an election imminent it is about time that they were after us for support.

[David.W]

We do need somthing to be done and soon. The world let alone our little part of it is so screwed up that in a few years there may be no way back.

 

The truth is I don't think I've met a politician that I trust or totally believe, and I've met a few.

[Jaffa]

Nice post Hugh. disagree with you about fish farming , but do agree with a lot of the rest.

 

Don't know if you have noticed Thurso Anglers signature:

 

"Colonel Gadaffi, knows more about fishing than the whole of westminster put together"

Alex Salmond 2004 SNP Leader

 

I don't agree with Salmond on a lot of things but he does know a lot about fishing and I don't assume he was joking with that quip

 

Curious how the Scottish areas most dependant on commercial fishing rejected the mainstream parties years ago and turned to the Lib Dems and Scottish nationalists. These parties have usually sold themselves as the most "environmentally friendly" (or a cynic might say "so removed from power they can advocate any policy") .

 

Anglers could have an effect on the vote but I'd bet you would be hard pressed to find that many MP's that understood anything about the issues.

 

Personally l'll be more likely to pick an MP who has a solid background in science or engineering, regardless of the party they represent.

 

Richard Dawkins for Prime Minister!

[Leon Roskilly]

Jaffa:

Personally l'll be more likely to pick an MP who has a solid background in science or engineering, regardless of the party they represent.

Aaarghh! We're not having Thatcher back, are we?

 

Tight Lines - leon

[David.W]

Umm, she's still better than some of them that are in there now though

[big_cod]

ON THE TOPIC OF LETS PULL OUT OF THE CFP AHAA VOTE CATCHING I WONDER JUST WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE AH NNFO YES FISH IT TILL IT IS TOTTALLY NACKED, A FREE FOR ALL YES THAT MAKES SENCE DOESNT IT---- I THINK-----

[Jaffa]

Leon Roskilly:

 

Leon Roskilly:

Personally l'll be more likely to pick an MP who has a solid background in science or engineering, regardless of the party they represent.

Aaarghh! We're not having Thatcher back, are we?

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

Wonder how many more any of us could name though? On the other hand I can think of any number of lawyers.......

[sam-cox]

To completly bann all types of fishing and bait collecting I feel would be a overkill.

Maybe the upper estuaries could be catch and release angling only and maybe mid to outer estaries have bag limits enforced.

As for crop rotating our fishing and bait collecting marks I think most of us deasent anglers already do that.

I dont like to think its to late regarding global warming as this premotes depression and the feeling that we are doomed forever.

Far better to promote good econamy in our travel, to promote good practices in our angling and bait activities collecting. Positive thinking always gets more done.