Bass ban - but stay more vigilant now than ever - pleeeeease

Is there a similar ban/season elsewhere in NW Europe?

Nowhere else is Europe. Out of all the fish in all the European waters, Bass in Ireland is the only fish reserved and protected for angling.

If the law was changed from being allowed bring 1 Bass rather than 2, would it be more benefical than a month of no fishing? Or what about placing a "no fish to be kept period", maybe 2 months where fishing was allowed but no Bass could be kept?
Does the month make a difference, surely the taking of fish is more detrimental?
From what i understand and i am open to correction on this but the month came in originally as it was taught that this was the Bass's spawning season but in fact there is no real research or data to back this up and it is more of a theory?
I know that recreational fishing for Bass doesnt even touch the numbers that trawlers (be it accidental or not) and illegal netting take but as a keen Bass angler i think that by dropping the number of fish a person can take and by allowing them to be fished for but not kept might be the way forward.
I am not a vigalante on this opinion so no need for anyone to jump down my throat, i totally agree with the ban and by no way am i saying it should go but i just wondered what other peoples taughts were on it?
I know its a sensitive subject with people and i have said it to people myself during the month as i always give people the benefit of the doubt, some people just need to be educated and some just need a little reminder.

The problem is allot of poachers are not taking the allowed bag limit, They just take take and take. If an angler takes a bass during the ban, its poaching. If an angler takes more than 2 bass on any given day, its poaching... Thats the problem, to many anglers just dont care.

Was on Dalkey harbour last evening asked two lads getting off boat if they had any joy they told me they caught Sea Bass I asked they them to show me., ur man held it up, I told him it was Ballan Wrasse not Sea Bass he was not impressed

nice one guess that took the look of his face!!!!

I think tackle shops are in the best position to educate and find themselves with numerous opportunities during each season to do so.

John D.

I think tackle shops are in the best position to educate and find themselves with numerous opportunities during each season to do so.

Along with

Tackle companies
Angling journalists
Magazine editors
Anglers or angling shops with blogs
Fishing guides
Charter boat skippers
Hotel and B+B owners
Angling service providers..........each and probably far more have responsibilities to the fishery!

Good point Jim!

I was thinking about a way in which almost every angler could be contacted.

Not all anglers use B&Bs, hotels, guides etc.

However, every angler requires tackle to catch bass therefore I simply thought that tackle shops would be highly likely to encounter most if not all bass anglers.

But of course all the other avenues are critically important too.

Thanks,
John D.

Good point Jim!

I was thinking about a way in which almost every angler could be contacted.

Not all anglers use B&Bs, hotels, guides etc.

However, every angler requires tackle to catch Bass therefore I simply thought that tackle shops would be highly likely to encounter most if not all Bass anglers.

But of course all the other avenues are critically important too.

Thanks,
John D.

What about the ones that know about the ban but just dont care?

If people are shopping on-line in Japan, or they dont use B+B's, or they are not a member of any organisation etc John, I think they need to receive or at least see that info here on the ground from many other sources, the more the better!

Was on Dalkey harbour last evening asked two lads getting off boat if they had any joy they told me they caught Sea Bass I asked they them to show me., ur man held it up, I told him it was Ballan Wrasse not Sea Bass he was not impressed

He might have been grateful if you told him that you wouldn't have to report him to the fisheries authorities after all!

If people are shopping on-line in Japan, or they dont use B+B's, or they are not a member of any organisation etc John, I think they need to receive or at least see that info here on the ground from many other sources, the more the better!

I'm really sure, that lads capable of buying tackle from japanese online store are well able to check the current regulations on their angling.
I fish a lot in different regions, in Ireland, in Poland, Sweden, Czech, Slovakia etc, as fishing is more or less my profesion, and FIRST thing I do is to check CURRENT regulations in the place that I want to fish, check where to get licences etc. Hard to imagine someone well used to internet won't do the same, just to see how to fish specific place etc.
It is really surprising for me, that you have such problems with guys breaking the law and fishing for bass during the close season. It is only a month, next t nothing, compared to closed season for trout or salmon.

prepare to be surprised!

Same time if you catch and keep bass 10 meters on NI side you are not a criminal

Also did you know that kissing your partner in public place in Dubai will take you to prison straight away

So we live in a strange world with strange rules in this strange world

LOVE IT ! !

Same time if you catch and keep Bass 10 meters on NI side you are not a criminal

Also did you know that kissing your partner in public place in Dubai will take you to prison straight away

So we live in a strange world with strange rules in this strange world

LOVE IT ! !

And your point

Same time if you catch and keep Bass 10 meters on NI side you are not a criminal

Also did you know that kissing your partner in public place in Dubai will take you to prison straight away

So we live in a strange world with strange rules in this strange world

LOVE IT ! !

Did you know that in the 70's Bass where nearly wiped out thanks to over fishing?....

Did you know because of the conservation efforts people flock to Ireland just to fish for bass?

Did you know that if Ireland did not have the conservation on Bass there would be none on the Irish coast now?

Did you know that Ireland is not Dubai?

Same time if you catch and keep Bass 10 meters on NI side you are not a criminal

Also did you know that kissing your partner in public place in Dubai will take you to prison straight away

So we live in a strange world with strange rules in this strange world

LOVE IT ! !

Did you know that in the 70's Bass where nearly wiped out thanks to over fishing?....

Did you know because of the conservation efforts people flock to Ireland just to fish for Bass?

Did you know that if Ireland did not have the conservation on Bass there would be none on the Irish coast now?

Did you know that Ireland is not Dubai?

So its not all the foreigners who caused and causes the problems here and there ?
For all of your questions my answer is YES ! Well, now im thinking here, how many tourists actually come to Ireland just for Bass in these days when the eco climate is so s*** and tourism is nearly dead ...

Chill pill !
Any changes have been made with this rant here ?
Sry to say now but this is the same s*** just different year here !

So its not all the foreigners who caused and causes the problems here and there ?
For all of your questions my answer is YES ! Well, now im thinking here, how many tourists actually come to Ireland just for Bass in these days when the eco climate is so s*** and tourism is nearly dead ...

Chill pill !
Any changes have been made with this rant here ?
Sry to say now but this is the same s*** just different year here !

The fishing tourism in Ireland is worth about 30 million a year, thats without any home grown trade which by the way is around 500k anglers. The trout and salmon fishing is also high on the tourism agenda and pike used to be until the lakes, canals and rivers got raped... Tourism is still very much alive and kicking, maybe not as strong as it used to be but still strong.

Also I have never once said foreigners are the 100% problem in Ireland, I always say the problem is about 10% anglers (of all nationality's) and 90% trawlers and dredgers. The reason Bass have survived is because the boats are NOT allow to catch fish in Irish water EVER!!!!! Bass poaching has always been there, so by taking away 1 part away it helped them survive.

Doberman, Every time you post you are always putting down the ban, you make it sound like the ban is stupid, I'm not sure if its because your native language is not English or if your a poacher, but thats why you always get a bad response to your posts, not because your a "foreigner"....

1. 500k anglers, sounds interesting ...

What i really dislike about this false caring is that theres no ban for Cod fishing ... Noone cares about them ?
Or whiting or other species ? You all love only bass ? ? ? Or other species are not in danger ?
I never said the ban is stupid, i mentioned already that in my point of view the ban is too short and should be at least 2 months.
But what i dislike here is that actually u talking so much about the local law here that u making also NI and UK people to feel themselves like a criminals.
Every season 1 highlighted post will do, where it says its a ban time again with all the laws explained.

Keep it simple without stupid childish rants ....

Or come up here with your hero things and show us the guy you sent to prison because he caught 1 fish during the ban period.
And il give you high five !

What i really dislike about this false caring is that theres no ban for Cod fishing ... Noone cares about them ?
Or whiting or other species ? You all love only Bass ? ? ? Or other species are not in danger ?

But what i dislike here is that actually u talking so much about the local law here that u making also NI and UK people to feel themselves like a criminals.


Keep it simple without stupid childish rants ....

Or come up here with your hero things and show us the guy you sent to prison because he caught 1 fish during the ban period.
And il give you high five !

The "NI and UK people" would love to have the same rules we have here.
I tell you your good at working people up the wrong way but your getting silly now
Time to put down the laptop.

i'm one of these NI, UK people you are talking about mate. and i in NO way feel like a criminal
nor do a lot of my mates who are hardened bass anglers along the derry and north antrim coast.
we love our sport and the vast majority of bass anglers i know return 80% of their bass catches in the north as we recognize the value of the limited bass stocks available to us on our northern shores.
in a sense we self regulate as we respect the species, so with no laws in place up here we still do'nt rip the arse out of it by killing every bass we catch.
a few lads take 1 or 2 now and again for the table and the rest go back to fight another day.

it's just a matter of choice and decency on our part,
and just on that, it's worth mentioning that a lot of the regular bass anglers up here have been pushing for the same legislation to protect our bass as currently exists over the boarder. it's just common sense if we want our children to be able to catch them in years to come.