New legislation / fines: Salmon & Sea Trout

See here:

http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/A5 ... ns2006.doc

Now, if we had a similar carcass-tagging programme for bass, there'd be much less market for the poachers....

I admit to not being familiar with the details of carcass tagging, but I think this is a tricky one.

On one hand, we desperately need a mechanism to allow imported bass to be identified and distinguished from illegally netted Irish bass. We also need a way of gathering accurate data on bass catches. Current data is statistically too insignificant to provide a complete picture.

On the other hand, one of the attractive aspects of sea angling is the low barrier to entry by anyone. Should you prosecute a newcomer to sea angling who buys a setup for 20 quid, heads to the beach with 20 rag, catches a 12lb bass, doesn't know what it is and takes it to ask the tackle dealer what it is.

How would tagging operate in the reasonably unregulated recreational sea angling sector?

just read that... er check No. 31 :? :? :? :? :?:

just read that... er check No. 31 :? :? :? :? :?:

I noticed that too. It doesn't seem to relate too well to the existing regulations. :?:

Contravention of a bye-law prohibiting the fishing, or attempting to fish, for bass.

Think this refers to the closed season - 15th May to 15th June... probably left vague in case the byelaw is changed.

This document is the text used for on-the-spot fine notebooks that are issued to all fisheries officers. Obviously the printing costs are quite high, and if the books had to be changed every time a new byelaw was passed the cost would be a lot higher....

How would tagging operate in the reasonably unregulated recreational sea angling sector?

I'd hope that (batches of 5) tags would be available in any tackle shop for a small sum (like a fiver - I think I paid 30 for 5 sea trout tags earlier this year) to cover administration. ID should have to be produced, I guess to stop people wandering from shop to shop to get a pile of tags to put on poached bass.

You can get the next 5 on returning a log sheet (and maybe scale samples) up to a maximum of 15/year. Fines for not returning log sheets.

Something along these lines? I hate the hassle of tags, licences etc, but if we are ever to tackle the problem of bass poaching, we need to do something.

Just an idea....