Wild Bass for Sale Legally - Question

Can somebody advise me on the legislation around selling wild sea bass in Ireland?

I was in a fish shop in Howth on the weekend and they had advertised for sale Wild Sea Bass, the card also said the origin was the NE Atlantic. Does this make it legal to sell? They were big fillets and obviously not farmed bass which are always of uniform size (and were on sale in a different part of the display.)

I asked the guy if he sold much of the 'Wild' sea bass and he commented that he sold a lot of it the day before.

I'll be back out there and would happily challenge them if I was sure they are doing something illegal? The question is , are they ?

Colm

not sure on that 1 , could be legal where they were caught, maybe fisheries could enlighten you on that 1

if the bass are caught outside Irish waters then they can sell them as wild bass,
tbh they are all large reputable fish mongers and they would know better not to sell illegally caught bass. I've had this conversation with a couple of them out there and they are well aware of it.

S.I. No. 367 of 2007

BASS (RESTRICTION ON SALE) REGULATIONS 2007

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 3rd July, 2007.

I, EAMON RYAN, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 15 of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 (No. 8 of 2006) hereby make the following regulations—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Bass (Restriction on Sale) Regulations 2007.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 July 2007.

3. In these Regulations

“Bass” means Dicentrarchus labrax

4. No person shall sell or offer for sale bass other than bass that has been imported into the State.





GIVEN under my Offical Seal,

28 June 2007

EAMON RYAN

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources

4. No person shall sell or offer for sale Bass other than Bass that has been imported into the State.

that doesnt mean it hasnt been caught here and then imported back into Ireland which apparently, is happening in a few places. im not saying this is the case here, but it could be.

it could also be wild Bass caught anywhere around Europe. theres a post in this forum from a dutch guy with a link to pics of Bass on a dutch trawler. more Bass in the pic than you could imagine.
the guy in the shop could be telling porkies as to where it was caught.

Ya ive seen the same down here in midleton,east cork.Bass of a good size with a ne atlantic origin sign for sale

for this type of activity there would neccessarily need to be a valid paper trail and proper documentation.......

Hi Jim,

That brings to mind the English bloke that went and bought 2 gold bars legally from another country then sold them in the UK,

He then used the same paper work to smuggle untold amounts of gold into the country and would be still at it today only for the fact he was caught.

if the Bass are caught outside Irish waters then they can sell them as wild Bass,
tbh they are all large reputable fish mongers and they would know better not to sell illegally caught Bass. I've had this conversation with a couple of them out there and they are well aware of it.

...makes no difference to some of them man,i know for a fact that 2 years ago a shop bought 100 boxes(500kg)of bass taken in one haul 60 miles sth tuskar by an irish vessel/skipper/owner.taken by forklift off boat straight onto lorry right under the noses of sfpa.

Howya lads,

just an attempt to clear a couple of things up on this one without causing a storm,

With reference to Irish waters, the UK, France and Belgium can fish inside the 12mile limit in most areas along the South and East Coast. This agreement remains in force until 2012 (I think). The French land bass caught inside the 12mile limit and land into Dunmore East on occasion so given that the company who owns the boat with the bass is registered in another Country, it could be construed that the fish are being imported even though they have been caught in Irish waters.

The above point does not however mean that there is no illegal landings and sale of bass going on in the Country or the fact that other Countries can catch "our bass" in our waters is right.

Despite the large quantities of fish that the Irish fleet catch in Irish waters each year, it is interesting that the bulk of your frozen cod in the chippers is imported from Scotland, a large amount of plaice in the fish shops and supermarkets is imported from Iceland and the Faroes and is fairly easliy identified as the skin looks much blacker and darker spots.

I am sure you are all aware of the bass topics about the various sites because of the interest that the Federation of Irish Fishermen have put to the Department to allow their members to access the bass stocks outside the 12 mile limit.

Currently no Irish vessel is allowed to catch bass in ICES sub areas VI and VII (effectively where the fleet fishes).

from two years ago http://www.probassfisher.com/2008/10/pier-in-howth.html

They are french fish i asked the shop not so long ago.

and greek

and greek

nah...Iwould know if such a thing

and greek

nah...Iwould know if such a thing

sorry.... the sign saying "whole greek sea bass" must of been a misprint, ill get on to the fish mongers and tell em

and greek

nah...Iwould know if such a thing

Greece is the main producer of European seabass and seabream, Turkey, Spain and France are runners up only
http://www.trade-seafood.com/directory/ ... ducers.htm

Greece-based aquaculture producer Selonda (supplier of LIDL and ALDI btw.) wants to control at least half the production of all seabass and seabream in Europe and Turkey within the next five years. The company is now Greece’s second largest farmed fish producer, responsible for every fifth bass and bream in the country. The company is already on track to achieving its goal after acquiring a 46% stake in Fjord Marin Turkey, while the remaining 54% is owned by the Norwegian company Fjord Marin AS. The two companies produce around 35 000 tonnes of bass and bream. In Greece, six companies account for around 80% of production. More than 300 companies share the remainder.
http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/330 ... ket-report

and greek

nah...Iwould know if such a thing

Greece is the main producer of European seabass and seabream, Turkey, Spain and France are runners up only
http://www.trade-seafood.com/directory/ ... ducers.htm

Greece-based aquaculture producer Selonda (supplier of LIDL and ALDI btw.) wants to control at least half the production of all seabass and seabream in Europe and Turkey within the next five years. The company is now Greece’s second largest farmed fish producer, responsible for every fifth Bass and bream in the country. The company is already on track to achieving its goal after acquiring a 46% stake in Fjord Marin Turkey, while the remaining 54% is owned by the Norwegian company Fjord Marin AS. The two companies produce around 35 000 tonnes of Bass and bream. In Greece, six companies account for around 80% of production. More than 300 companies share the remainder.
http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/330 ... ket-report

me and my big mouth
thanks for the links and the lesson Austrian .Some interesting things there that I was more than happy to found out.

It's not illegal to sell wild Irish caught bass

It is only illegal for an Irish registered vessel to have on board or sell wild bass so if a French or other EU vessel wants to catch and land bass here it is legal

and greek

nah...Iwould know if such a thing

Greece is the main producer of European seabass and seabream, Turkey, Spain and France are runners up only
http://www.trade-seafood.com/directory/ ... ducers.htm

Greece-based aquaculture producer Selonda (supplier of LIDL and ALDI btw.) wants to control at least half the production of all seabass and seabream in Europe and Turkey within the next five years. The company is now Greece’s second largest farmed fish producer, responsible for every fifth Bass and bream in the country. The company is already on track to achieving its goal after acquiring a 46% stake in Fjord Marin Turkey, while the remaining 54% is owned by the Norwegian company Fjord Marin AS. The two companies produce around 35 000 tonnes of Bass and bream. In Greece, six companies account for around 80% of production. More than 300 companies share the remainder.
http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/330 ... ket-report

me and my big mouth
thanks for the links and the lesson Austrian .Some interesting things there that I was more than happy to found out.

dont mention it