twaite shad bag limits.

After seeing a Fair number of shad being kept whilst fishing the river barrow recently ,I was wondering how people would feel about getting a bag limit set so that these fish get a fair chance to run the river .
As they only appear for a short period and are only really available to anglers for this time in late april into may should we be trying to give them better protection .
They are a fantastic sports fish on the light tackle that is required to catch them and not an ideal table fish due to the amout of bones ,but if they continue to be taken in high numbers from the few spawning rivers in ireland they could be lost forever in a few years .

I think this effort is one we should look at. I've sent an email to Duchas re: this [url]http://www.cfb.ie/fisheries_research/SHAD/article.htm[/url] and am waiting for a reply. I basically want to know if anyone is following up on the effort started 6/7 years back.

Any help I can provide I will do so.

A bag limit seems very reasonable. Are they even worth eating?

I think they are quite bony ,but you can eat virtually any fish if you are hungry enough :lol: , bass ,trout .salmon and coarse fish are protected by bag limits so why should shad be any different , the fight is spectular on light tackle and there are only a few rivers left that actually have these fish run into them .
I have sent an email of to Willie roche of the central fisheries board and hopefully if something can be started now by the start of next years run of fish there may be something in place were you can approach people and let them know of regulations .

Welldone guy's,

Its thanks to people like you lot that we still have reasonable fishing....for now :!:

well worth doin ronald, while there still plentyful, bag limlt and licence!, whats going ti happen when the non nationals "find them"?

whats going ti happen when the non nationals "find them"?

it wouldn't surprise me if it was a member of the carp eating brigade who was putting them in the bag :shock: .

there should be a bag limit on all fish to be honest,,, yes even mackeral :lol: :lol:

Good thinking Ronald. I remember the late Des Brennan campaigning for a minimum size and bag limit for bass when the sea appeared to be alive with them.(In the 1960's) Today's bass anglers should be thankful that he had the foresight to see that unrestricted fishing (both angling and commercial) would have a devastating affect on a vulnerable species. BTW it's not only foreign nationals that require educating, we have an indigenous population of "anglers" on the island of Ireland who don't care about conservation in any shape or form. Good luck with your campaign Ronald.

there should be a bag limit on all fish to be honest,,, yes even mackeral :lol: :lol:

I agree Denis. I have had many conversations about this with our club members. I'll put up another post on the topic so we don't go off topic on this one.

On the shad front, I personally think the population is dangerously low at the moment. From what I have been told they are now only running one river in Ireland. We also have to remember that they are running this river to spawn. My own opinion is bring a camera and a certified scales and put them all back. :!:
Kev

Hi just to keep everyone updated , I have recieved an email from Willie Roche of the cfb , he was unaware of the problem of shad being taken in numbers and is going to let the relevant fisheries boards know ( they are protected from harvesting under a european directive ) ,he also agrees that a bag limit would be a good way forward ,on the keeping fish for specimen awards , there is a possibility that from next year a fin clippng and scale sample similar to that used for coarse fish may be used from next year for dna to identify fish .
Maybe nothing will be in place for this years run of fish but hopefully by the time next years run comes restrictions may be in place to protect these fish ,and at least give grounds to anglers approach people ,especially as this takes place in a relativly small area over a short period of time .

Fairplay to you Ronald, I agree totally with Dennis and Kevin..

my mate worked on the shad in the cfb - for all intents and purposes they are considered extinct from every other river

cant remember the fishing effort but he did mention getting one in another river - enough said

my mate worked on the shad in the cfb - for all intents and purposes they are considered extinct from every other river

An awful shame. I remember 30 (maybe even just 20) or so years ago Salmon fishermen could take in large hauls of shad (both allis and twaite) on the Slaney at Ferrycarrig and Killurin as bycatch.

this lad would bring tears to your eyes telling you about filing salmon rivers as extinct - an awful state of affairs

if you's want to protect them why would you be fishing for them when they are spawning?

its the only time you can get them on the run in may

but in the grander scheme of things are you making a valid point - i dont know does the stress of catch and release put them off spawning? - obviously dont be taking them like the idiots in the other thread!