Bass being commercially exploited again!?

Hi all,

copy of the letter I fired off to mr Killeen yesterday.

Dear Mr. Killeen,

I am very alarmed to hear that you are considering allowing commercial fishing of bass to resume by the irish fleet. As a former resident of Lahinch and a regular visitor to Lahinch each year for recreational fishing, I've witnessed first hand the devastating effects of commercial fishing on the numbers of bass in the area. 20 years ago stocks were healthy then trawlers devasted the stocks and liscannor bay was almost cleaned out of fish due to the short sighted tactics employed by boats from Aran and abroad. In the last few years stocks have started to recover a little but by no means to the levels they were 20 years ago.

Each year I travel to Ireland with a group of angling friends from the UK for the sole purpose of bass angling, in the mid 90's we gave up and instead travelled to Madeira, Iceland and Norway for our fishing holidays as a direct result of the extremely poor bass stocks in the Liscannor area, it has only been in the last 3 years that we have returned, convinced by my fellow irish anglers that the situation had improved.

To put this in context, the Irish fleet has proven it is incapable of self regulation and seems determined to focus on short term financial gains which will result in total destruction of our bass stocks which may never recover. Angling tourism contributes significantly to the irish economy, brings in much needed tourists to small communities around our coast and helps sustain local economies. These tourists, like myself, will return time and time again if we manage such a wonderful natural resource properly.


The fish in our seas are a national asset, the number of irish anglers exceeds the number employed in commercial fishing, we too should have a say in the future of our fisheries.

Long term thinking has never been a hallmark of Irish politics, but you have a real opportunity here to do the right thing, the ethical thing, focus on helping sustain and develop the angling tourism industry that benefits local communities and not bow to the pressure of commercial fleet for the profit of a few individuals at the expense of a national resource.

I trust you will listen to the voice of reason and not that of greed, you've already seen where such thinking has led our country.

Yours sincerely,

David Williams
London
N16

Good man Dave!

John D.

hi,
page 8 of sunday times in main section have a story about it. Whats the point in destroying the thing that thousands of people flock to ireland for. Bass are already rare, but are stocks will be gone if we let the beam trawlers, drift netters, and industrial trawlers back in,
Fabregas9200

Should be an item with corbyeire on the 7pm nuacht on TG4 this evening (Sunday).

hi,
page 8 of sunday times in main section have a story about it.

Here's a link to that article ...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 052683.ece

http://beo.tg4.ie/main.aspx?level=nuach ... 1637525505

hi ye can watch the slot they gave me - unfortunately it was at 6.45, not at 7pm as it is on weekdays so most people missed it!!!

i got my one point across about the tourists travelling form abroad out on this one but the rest was edited out - but at least the intro highlighed the points about anglers dissatisfaction after 20years of a ban with a recovery not a restablisment and that the numbers are still so low - the tg4 people were very open to our position

it was first story on a 15min news update

Fair play Brian thanks again for doing it

nice one lads. fair play. every bit helps.

the Fif guys point was that it was a different population and 50 miles off shore etc. etc. and not going to effect shore anglers - but then the tg4 voice over indicated that board failte were happy with the current law and how it helped tourism etc.

its a battle alright - they left out my bit about rural areas, jobs etc.

Good article in the Irish Times today (Monday):

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ire ... 92478.html

More videos with our supporters here:


http://youtube.com/watch?v=dUwrqpeMxgI

Great stuff corbyeire!

Hi Teacher. I didn't realise that Paul Young filmed a video in Citywest.

That's great.

As Damien Dempsey sings - it's all good

Good work lads!

"Our" bass are on the move again. Unfortunately so are the commercial fishermen.

http://www.visserijkotters.nl/2010/03/09/zeebaars-trek-arm22-klaas-adriana/

Greetings, Paul

thats disgusting. can i copy/paste the pictures??
i'd like Tony "sure our Irish boats wont do any harm" Killeen to see them., , i'm sure he thinks they will catch a handfull everyday.

A single picture is worth a thousand words..... Preventing that happening to Irish Bass is exactly what this campaign is all about.

A single picture is worth a thousand words..... Preventing that happening to Irish Bass is exactly what this campaign is all about.

wasnt sure about copyright laws etc. gonna stick them on the usb, print them off and send them to him and ask if he has proof that a week of fishing like this from 40 boats wont kill off the stocks, let alone a month or years "fishing" like this.

thats disgusting. can i copy/paste the pictures??
i'd like Tony "sure our Irish boats wont do any harm" Killeen to see them., , i'm sure he thinks they will catch a handfull everyday.

Sure U can red, or u can just send the thread.

Here's a statistic from a recent dutch bass-survey (february 2010). It is showing the reported numbers of bass (in million kg's) that have been landed over the years.



The culprits are: France (blue line), Italy (red line), Netherlands (black line) and other country's (dotted line).

Source (in dutch): http://www.kenniskringvisserij.wur.nl/NR/rdonlyres/FBF25733-4CE4-45D4-A827-F40A6474FF26/101744/C00710Kennisdocument_Zeebaars.pdf

Mind you, be very careful these statistics aren't going to be used against you. Other country's are catching millions of kg's of bass. Some might even be catching them in Irish waters.

After a conversation and a submitted letter.
A Postive Reply from
Conor Lenihan TD
Minister for Natural Resources

12th March 2010


Sea Bass Fishery


Dear Mr. Roe,



I refer to your recent representations regarding the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) proposal that Irish commercial fishing vessels be allowed to target sea bass and land it when caught in offshore waters.



As you may be aware the making of regulations for the management of the sea bass fishery is a matter for the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Recently, I expressed a number of concerns I have regarding this proposal, particularly given the status of sea bass stocks and their importance and contribution to sea angling.



Despite the absence of a commercial sea bass fishery in Ireland for almost two decades, there is no empirical evidence of any significant or consistent increase in sea bass abundance based on available indices, and stocks remain depleted. As Ireland's indigenous bass population is slow-growing and late maturing compared with European stocks, I share the concerns voiced by fisheries managers that any resumption of the commercial sea fishery would adversely impact on stocks.



I support the proposal that the International Council for Exploration of the Sea should be requested to examine the latest data on the status of sea bass stocks and propose management measures for this species. I expect, however, that the Minister of State responsible will not agree to the FIF proposal in the absence of robust assurances from scientists that it will have no negative impact on Irish Sea bass stocks.



Yours sincerely,



________________________

Conor Lenihan TD

Minister for Natural Resources

looks a bit more promising than the replies ive had from tony killeen.
never got a reply from conor lenihan tho.

Eel Conservation Measures
This month, I established bye-laws which bring into effect Ireland’s National Eel Management Plan. The Eel Management Plan was devised on foot of an EU Council Regulation which provides for the sustainable use of the European eel stock.

The European eel stock is now so depleted that it is outside safe biological limits. Ireland’s responsibility is therefore, to develop a recovery plan for the stock of European eel and thus the bye-laws close the Eel Fishery here, until 2012. This will have the effect of conserving Ireland’s eel stocks and allow it to recover.

I am aware of the potential negative impact that these measures may have on eel fishermen. However, the eel stock is now so depleted, that if we did not act, it would have serious impacts for future generations. The ESB is undertaking the trap and transport operations, and there is real opportunity for skilled eel fishermen to get involved in these operations.

This is from the Green Website, written by Eamon Ryan. Parallels to Bass, he really should have an understanding for what we are trying to do for Bass.