Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:46 pm
If you witness the continued slaughter of Bass by so called recreational anglers at one
particular location in Wexford please write with photos if possible to David Dinsmore - this has got to stop - bass heads on the beach...no wonder we dont have legs to stand on!
It will dissappear very quickly if it continues....
Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:06 pm
As i'm not firmiliar with the location or the exact problem from the post all i can say is
As long as its only 2 per day over 40cm per person there is no problem. If its more than
that let Fisheries get off their butts and enforce the law.
As for where you clean them out i guess there and then is just as handy, crabs etc get
the left overs, probably better than going in the bin.
Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:44 pm
Im not posting on the basis of killing two bass of > 42 cm's per angler per day nor on the ecological soundness of cleaning fish at sea nor on the duties of the fisheries board......
Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:46 pm
can you be a bit more precise with your post jim where? are you talking about and how many? is a slaughter
Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:47 pm
Its obviously happening quite a bit at this location so why not get the fisheries board down for a few nights and sort it out...would their presence not be a deterrant and if they came down and made an example of a few guys on 1-2 nights and hammered these guys for taking the bass would it not help?
You can't expect people to stand up to these guys if the authorities can't be bothered to or are unable to lead the way...
Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:57 pm
jim your spot on ,people aren't seeing the bigger picture
the commercial fishermen for one would love to see this carry on, ah sure look the sea's are full of bass, they'd say anglers are catching them like mackeral from the beaches and then leaving heads ,carcasses, guts behind
apart from that , its summer time the weather is good people are
on holidays. imagine this its a nice day you pack the car kids grandma the whole works and hit the beach, you arrive and what do you find
rotten fish heads covered in bluebottles and flyblow

first thing into your head DIRTY ANGLERS
so what am i going to do about this .i know i'll report it to the local council and green party
so now we have the fisherman the c/council the green party and
god knows who else on our back . thats just another point of view .obviously the problem jim is saying is that anglers
are killing more than the limit which is unexceptable
Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:59 pm
Jim,
I fished the spot you are talking about twice in the past 3 weeks.
The first time I was there I had 3 and another two guys had 3 and 7 respectively. ALL bass went back, however one of the guys was a local man (released 7) and he told me that there were people walking up the beach laden with fish on other days. Crazy stuff.
The second time I was there I had 2 and another chap had 1. I released my 2 and the other guy kept his 1 which was fine. This guy was also local and he mentioned to me that a lot of salmon anglers were turning up at the mark along with 'mackerel bashers'. He left and yet another fella arrived beside me, a brief fishing chat ensued and this guy told me he was a salmon/trout angler but that there was a salmon ban on? I didn't realise this and when I asked him about it he said you could catch and release salmon but not take them home which was no good to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He caught nothing while I was there but couldn't believe it when I captured and released my 2nd fish in front of him!
My mates in that area have told me that the fishing has virtually collapsed in the last week under the strain of people taking home everything their catching. This is borne out by my second trip there when 3 fish were taken amongst more than a dozen anglers. I won't be going back!
Colm
Thu Aug 05, 2010 10:54 am
Amongst the good guys theres always the bad - the're where you least expect them.
I dont expect anybody to confront anybody else in relation to this matter - if I had a euro for each of the phone calls I get in relation to this location I could give up working one day a week.
So this tells me there are a multiplicity of anglers whom are aware or have witnessed the pressure.
As bass fishing popularity grows so does the angling pressure - if there is no corresponding deterrent for taking more than is legal then over time locations will collapse. History will repeat itself - we learn nothing again.
When a Rocket scientist says its not 'rocket science' -
So we live in a country where we have a resource that provides jobs, attracts tourists, creates a positive impression and could provide much much more to local coastal districts with a bit of imagination. But instead what happens
Now I happen to have thirty years of experience on the location and Colms notes of decline may be the subject of other influences. But ask any bass angler from France about similar marks where in the last TEN years they have seen their fishing dissappear through recreational harvesting. The nature of the species and their physiology cannot sustain this type of take - its a limited resource
There is responsibility attached to techniques, locations, and returning fish of this type - many many people dont understand that.
Thu Aug 05, 2010 8:55 pm
Had 2 quick sessions between yesterday evening and this evening had 5 fish in total not one of them over a pound and half some even smaller, now i now its great to see young fish in our waters its the future of our sport,but it makes one thing where are all the bigger fish gone now i am not talking about doubles just nice size fish in the 3/6lb bracker as last year this mark was producing huge numbers of this size fish at this stage of the season.....makes me thing am i catching the lucky few who have managed slip through nets in the surrounding area"s.
Nearly forgot to mention also fished the same mark Sunday with a friend of mine he had 4 fish all in the same size bracket as the ones i had......food for thought me thinks......
Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:09 pm
its going on in cork haurbor as well see 3 angler with more than 2 a man one evening last week,,
Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:10 am
A certain Co. Wicklow mark got destroyed by so called recreational bass anglers in less than one season around the year 2000. I fished this mark for two years (98/99) fishing July-Sept and kept diaries. Never failed to catch at least one fish per session and on occasions it was like Mackerel. Kept an odd fish for the pot. The average weight was five pounds.
I fished the mark a lot over those two years and could count no more than seven individual anglers who would be there on a regular basis. Catch and release was observed in the main. Unfortunately word got out and the masses arrived, in half a season the average size dropped to 1.5 lbs, I have the diaries.
I will keep my council on a number of issues regarding the management of this mark and others such as Jim mentioned earlier in the post, they are well known and I would be repeating myself anyway.
However it is only by education that these iconoclasts masquerading as anglers will ever have an opportunity to see the error of their ways, and that knowledge does not necessarily have to come from a book. Public service agencies from the Gardai to the newly formed and as we are led to believe from the blurb, lean, fit, and mean (sic), Inland Fisheries Ireland, take note.
Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:05 am
Could'nt agree more with carpets and ashley.The exact same thing has been noticed by myself and my friends on the size and numbers back here in east cork the last few seasons.My own opinion is that yes the nets have taken their toll big time on some marks but just think about this story for a second and see does it mirror things down yer way.A chap i work with wanted to get into sea fishing a few years back,so gave him advice on rod reel tackle etc,mainly mackeral and pollack,no probs that kept him going.Then he decided to plaque me about bass as he acquired a mobilehome in ardmore co waterford and every day he saw people on the beach fishing away some would have the odd fish [no probs],now he fishes everyday he is down there and regularly catches and kills his catch for the table[no probs].Recently i hit the roof when he told me the size and numbers he was keeping for his friends and now his friends are doing the same for their friends.
The thing is he found that with all the available literature in the sea mags recently he got alot of info and has put it to good use in his mind,his attitude now is that bass taste nicer than the macks and pollack that he was catching 2 years ago.I'm blue in the face from trying to get him to see that if he does'nt stop killing all his catch then he runs the risk that he along with the many others will wipe out the local bass stocks for future generations,especially when netting is so rampant as well,unfortunately he just does'nt get it and never will.
You see alot of these guys who have'nt been bass fishing for long and who upto recently would have been content with mackeral etc[i was the same many moons ago]just don't remember how hard it was to catch the silver fellas back in the late 80's and early 90's before the commercial ban ,in fact through lack of understanding of the bass lifecycle they think the way things are now is the way things will always be and always were.
I only hope that in 5 years time these people won't be like me lamenting on how good the fishing was when 3 and 4lb fish were common,hell 10 years ago i remember when it was possible to catch half a dozen fish over the magic 10lbs in a season and some much bigger[have the diaries too].
Interestingly down in east cork the signs on the rules and regulations of bass fishing have been removed from some local marks,by whom id like to know more than likely the same individuals that have the big black refuse bag with 5 or 6 dead undersize bass in it.There really should be a push to punish these offenders who kill way more bass than the 2 bag limit in fact these people disgust me and in my eyes are worse than any illegal netters who have raped our local bass stocks for years.
We cant keep blaming the big boats and illegal netting in general for our inshore fish stock demise as all anglers have a responsibility no matter how experienced or new to the game they are.By all means keep a few fish here and there but don't do the dog on it and potentially ruin it for our future generation newbie anglers
Tight lines to all
Fri Aug 06, 2010 2:07 pm
The best shot you have with someone who is open minded, is to inform them that a 5-6lbs bass is already 11-14 years old, possibly older than their children. Reasonable people will get it, and ease off on their take.
In my experience the greedy ones won't stop unless they are made to, by social exclusion and harrassment, or by law enforcement.
If you do not give them reason to change they will continue as they are already doing.
That means lecturing, and being an irritant, so their enjoyment of their fishing and "harvest" is ruined by the attitude provoked in others around them.
It is always interesting to ask such people "is that your car parked there?" and "where do you live? and "why exactly do you feel entitled to kill everybody's fish?, because they thrive on not being accountable for their actions. This particular type of questioning directly undermines their cozy "take it because it's free to take" concepts. It's better if it comes from several different people.
The notion of clear identification on them by other anglers, and a growing publicly known connection between their personal identity with their actions overharvesting stocks makes the whole thing less palatable for them in their own mind.
So this leads to the items for discussion at the local club meetings, and the value for conservation of being willing to name names and events, and always to have a photo to support when inevitable denials are made in an attempt to bluster/threaten and get away with it.
If asked nicely, the local parish priest can sometimes be willing to speak about locals who are wrecking the enjoyment of others.
And of course, the gardai and RFB officers have their place, when they are in a position to help.
I emphasise, take photos first. Send to the gardai and RFB office, then show and explain what you have done.
It's about giving someone who does not listen to reasoned argument another more solid AND PERSONAL cause to change their personal habits.
Also, it pays to be reasonable yourself, and not take a stance that ALL fish must be returned alive. You need to occupy both the moral high ground, and the middle ground, or non anglers will not weigh in and give support.
Fri Aug 06, 2010 3:21 pm
The Laws are there lets all call to get them enforced for a change, if the fisheries/Gardai etc
don't want to do their jobs (which they haven't) then let try get a fisheries reserve force like
the Gardai up and running i'm sure there will be plenty of people willing to give their time.
Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:33 am
In an ideal world the various fisheries boards would be stronger. This may be wishful thinking but I would also like to see a system where they recruit volunteers (most likely anglers) who can identify themselves to anglers taking more than two fish and get them to stop (or have a direct line to a fisheries officer that will recognise the volunteer and know it's a serious report). A course could be set up for volunteers.
The above may sound fanciful but I think any such idea would get a significant take up. The fisheries boards need more people on the ground and I cannot see why it can't be volunteers.
In the absence of anything like the above I think we have to continuously challenge peoples thinking (and actions). I made a point of saying to the salmon angler (in my previous post) that I adhere to the 2 fish limit strictly and that the stocks will be wrecked if people keep everything, commercial ban etc etc.
I would have no problem approaching somebody that had multiple bass on the beach. Until we anglers start making it uncomfortable for these people they will carry on oblivious. We may not change everybody but a concerted effort could help significantly.
Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:01 am
Would be interesting if anglers from each region got together and requested a meeting with each of the Fisheries Boards to discuss the problem and how they are going to address it. Surely this is the first step rather than complaining that nothing is been done?
Sat Aug 07, 2010 1:08 pm
hottopic wrote:Would be interesting if anglers from each region got together and requested a meeting with each of the Fisheries Boards to discuss the problem and how they are going to address it. Surely this is the first step rather than complaining that nothing is been done?
We've been trying that for years now ...
Sat Aug 07, 2010 3:16 pm
Another thing that i think doesnt help is the fact that i presume a lot of people who fish for bass read a certain sea angling magazine form the UK which has started a new Bass section but very month they have a section of best bass caught and nearly every picture is in some guys kitchen or garage, i dont have a problem with people keep the odd bass but if newcomers see this they wont be very conservation minded , then to make it worse the magazine uses a tiny paragraph saying "oh all fish should be returned"

.
I was fishing yesterday with a guy over from the UK and he was talking about this magazine saying its typical UK angler to keep everything they catch, he had a few bass over his two week hoilday and everything went back even a surprise cod on a Zonk

, i just hope that this commercial fishery doesnt go through
Also can anyone shed any light on why a certain red trawler is allowed to trawl inside cork harbour near whitebay, roches point etc??
Also mike can i see those diaries
Sat Aug 07, 2010 5:17 pm
hottopic wrote:
Would be interesting if anglers from each region got together and requested a meeting with each of the Fisheries Boards to discuss the problem and how they are going to address it. Surely this is the first step rather than complaining that nothing is been done?
We've been trying that for years now -- Teacher
They are a government public body--they are obligated to to meet stakeholders. Why don`t you try calling your local board tommorow and ask for a meeting--you might state you are the voice of local concerned anglers. Let us know how you get on.
Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:10 pm
My favorite bullshit line that you hear quite frequently is ‘….the more anglers on locations the better, it means less poachers…..’
The historical comparison of a locations performance over a minimum years of experience is not necessarily a valid argument for the deterioration of the species at that location. Anglers with many years of bass fishing experience have valid comparisons from which to draw observations, yes. Influences and patterns change constantly over longer periods than two or three seasons.
Is it possible to wipe a location in one or two seasons – yes it is because of the nature of the species and its habits. But there are and can be many other factors involved too
Weather patterns
Bait patterns
Techniques
Geographical shifts
Illegal pressure
Angling pressure
Commercial offshore pressure
Angling ability
The lack of any data that is valid is of a major concern. In fact the lack of concern is a major concern.
When my father (and others) tell me stories of bass blitzing on the surface in shoals in Wexford harbour more like a scene from Montauk, I can compare then to now. If I ever see that in the future then I know the species will have recovered – I’ve seen it once or twice in small numbers in more than thirty years of fishing.
Continuously removing a slow growing, local species will have only one effect over time
Inland Fisheries Ireland is now inviting submissions to the Public Consultation process from any individual, group or, associations who wish to actively contribute. The purpose of the consultation is to provide interested parties in the general public with an opportunity to comment on the future plan for IFI and to provide their views on the role and priorities for the organisation
The legislation provides that the new authority must develop a 5 year rolling Corporate Plan for the new organisation within the first six months of its establishment. That Corporate Plan will define what the organisation will achieve in the next 5 years, how the objectives are to be achieved and how they are to be measured.
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