Bass for sale

i was in a popular waterford fish shop today and i saw 2 large bass in the display. they looked very dark across the back and not at all like the imported farmed stuff. i asked the shop assistant where they were from , and she proudly told me they were caught in the back strand of tramore on rod and line. i told her it is illegal to buy or sell wild sea bass, but she insisted she was allowed to buy from anglers because they were allowed to keep two per day.

my questions are: was she right?
how does she know if he was an angler and not an illegal netter?
is she allowed buy stock from an un-registered source?
who do i report this to if appropriate?

It is illegal. You can report to the local fisheries board.

She's wrong, entirely.

Report her.

(Wondering here now..... is it report to the Fisheries Board, or the SFPA? Pete/Bradan, watcha say?)

If you are a member of a sea angling club you might like to pass on the details to your club's conservation officer. He/She would then probably bring it to the notice of the provincial conservation officer who I know is very interested in this kind of illegal activity. As is the SFPA.
regards.
timmy

And we worry about new anglers knowing the rules regarding Bass laws. These clowns who are only into their profits regardless of how they get them should be prosecuted and a message sent out to others. Also highlights the general lack of knowldege about Bass out there if fish shops don't know!

Weldone for reporting it.

Any response from the authorities?

The person that is selling the bass to this fish shop is probably keeping as many bass as he can catches as well. It is obviously a financial thing.

Well done to greengiant1980 for confronting the fish shop.

Hopefully there will be a satisfactory outcome.

Name & shame the shop concerned... thats what I say!

I'm not sure whether this is a matter for the fisheries board or the SFPA. Unfortunately, I'm not sure whether the SFPA or fisheries boards know themselves whether it's their responsibility.

I've become concerned recently that bass are falling down the cracks between the SFPA and the fisheries boards. It seems to me that the SFPA are focused on significant commercial operations (i.e. large vessels / official ports) whereas illegal bass fishing (and sale) happens on a smaller but very widespread scale that passes way under the SFPA radar.

On the other hand, with the SFPA around I think the fisheries boards feel they can no longer enforce some of the regulations.

This is a problem I've seen a lot recently. A shop in Howth was selling what they advertised as "wild line caught bass" for €19.95/kg only last Monday. From what I've heard, this is too cheap to be imported from somewhere like France where they have a legal line-caught bass fishery. (They were also seperately selling farmed bass for €10.95/kg.)

I've become concerned recently that bass are falling down the cracks between the SFPA and the fisheries boards.

Bad news. Time for some positive action by anglers and angling organisation to force the issue back onto the agenda.

The answers they give to emails to the Central FB, Regional FB and the SFPA could shed some light on official thinking. Anyone local want to have a go?

Ring the Central Fisheries Board, Angelsea St Clonmel 05280055 and they will give you names of local Bailiffs, who you can contact. Also if you look up the CFB website the police are part of the CFB so they must have some responsibility for fisheries protection

Here's the regulation. Its pretty clear.

http://www.attorneygeneral.ie/esi/2007/B25444.pdf

There seems to be a problem with "anglers" selling bass in East Cork/West Waterford. During the summer some sportsmen on an east cork beach with a sackful of schoolies were challenged by a disgusted real angler. He was met with the response that he could f-off if he didn't want his car burned. Presumably this wasn't the first time they were there. Catch rates on this beach by legit anglers are nothing like they were in previous years. It doesn't take much to ruin a fishery. Thankfully I understand these gentlemen were done by the SRFB. (who are the people you should call)
But there wouldn't be a problem if there wasn't a market for them. I'd take this shop a copy of the regulations and ask them why you shouldn't report them. You're obliged to know the fishing regs - so are they .

i reported the shop to the fisheries board this morning and it is being passed on to an inspector. hopefully action will be taken, and a message sent to others considering buying bass. These regulations are obviously not common knowledge, and that leaves it up to us to be vigilant and act on our suspicions. Admin, can i name the shop? (please, they deserve to be boycotted.)

All in Waterford know the shop its not the first time Questions about this shop have come up even on this site in the past

yeah we all know this shop in waterford ,as well as buying bass for as long as i can rember before the bass laws i new lads who used to go fishing for bass for money not just sell the extra ones they caught.most of the fish going into this shop are coming from the saleens-tramore area thats why the area is a shadow of its former self.its not just this shop or shops that buy bass restaurants also buy them and its up to us to report them.all imported bass are small and when you get a big steak of bass or see them in shops report it.

I'm not sure whether this is a matter for the fisheries board or the SFPA. Unfortunately, I'm not sure whether the SFPA or fisheries boards know themselves whether it's their responsibility.

I've become concerned recently that bass are falling down the cracks between the SFPA and the fisheries boards. It seems to me that the SFPA are focused on significant commercial operations (i.e. large vessels / official ports) whereas illegal bass fishing (and sale) happens on a smaller but very widespread scale that passes way under the SFPA radar.

On the other hand, with the SFPA around I think the fisheries boards feel they can no longer enforce some of the regulations.

This is a problem I've seen a lot recently. A shop in Howth was selling what they advertised as "wild line caught bass" for €19.95/kg only last Monday. From what I've heard, this is too cheap to be imported from somewhere like France where they have a legal line-caught bass fishery. (They were also seperately selling farmed bass for €10.95/kg.)

Sorry, didn't see this thread until now. The regional fisheries board is charged with enforcing the byelaw relating to bass for sale, and fishery officers have powers to inspect shops and restaurant facilities and paperwork. In this case, the SRFB would be the RFB with the remit. If it happened in our area, we would be very interested in it and not pawn off responsibility to the SFPA.

Teacher, I'd be interested to know what regulations you feel the RFBs cannot enforce since the SFPA was established? I can't think of one....

I would think a letter/article in a local newspaper would highlight this issue in the Waterford area, and atleast promote to the general public a message regarding knowledge about where/how the fish they purchase have been caught.

If prosecution of the retail outlet concerned is pursued by the SRFB, then the matter should make the local press and hopefully by naming and shaming that shop on a grand scale, it should act as a warning to any other local business's tempted to buy illegal fish.

Best situation with a fishmonger/shop selling wild Irish bass would be to report to both SFPA and Fishery Boards, neither organisation has specific 'rights' over the bass legislation, SFPA deal with a lot bigger cases trawlers/food safety issues etc. but do also carry out inspections in relation to bass. Drop me a pm about the shop if you wish and I'll pass it on. Local SFPA office is in Dunmore East harbour, i'm sure Bradan has contacts for Fishery Board down there.

Well lads anybody know if anything happened? Are the shop still selling bass? I have little faith in the powers that be.

Just as a matter of interest do fish need to have the same traceability as other foods? These could be an angle for prosecution if they can not prove the fish are taken from Irish waters.

I have yet to ever catch a bass and I feel like it will never happen reading about the poaching that goes on.