ICES Advice European sea bass 2014

ICES advises that a management plan is urgently needed to develop and implement measures to substantially reduce fishing mortality throughout the range of the stock.


http://www.probassfisher.ie/2014/07/ices-advice.html

Hopefully that plan is urgently developed and implemented!
John D.

Both you and I know there's **** all chance of that!

Jim unfortunately you're probably right!

That management plan is aimed at protecting Bass as a commercial resource; which really means continued fishing of a species that's on the road to collapse.

How much would it cost the EU to compensate Europe's Bass fleet if they were to stop them fishing for Bass,,,,probably in the region of a Google; and that ain't going to happen.

Looks more like a well written paper by a PHD student hijacked by a fisheries minister and published to pacify environmentalists and conservationists

I think our fear is that we face a new reality. Commercial pressure is hitting our stocks somewhere along the lifecycle chain.
Other pressures such as netting and heavy angling pressure on some marks being a secondary factor.

The ICES recommendations are welcome but it's implementation the stocks need, and enforcement. Jim and others have been consistent in calling the reality on the ground these past years while others gloss over it. Very depressing.

I believe we have an bass policy group in Ireland and then there is Irish Bass http://www.irishbass.org/ which looks long dead if the website is anything to go by.

I would love to see these groups analysis of the catch results of the 'Bass Festival' in Waterford this weekend. I predict that the fish caught to man hours fished ratio will be absolutely atrocious.

Very hard to know how to move forward.

Am i the only one who think our bass stocks are actually in very good nick...??

Talking to alot of older anglers which i love doing, bass were almost extinct in the 80's in ireland...

I think a lot of people get confused that the more north you go the less bass... here in kerry we spoilt for choice..

Now don't get me wrong some sessions remain fruitless but i have some actually unbelievable fishing this year...

Am i the only one who think our Bass stocks are actually in very good nick...??

Talking to alot of older anglers which i love doing, Bass were almost extinct in the 80's in ireland...

I think a lot of people get confused that the more north you go the less Bass... here in kerry we spoilt for choice..

Now don't get me wrong some sessions remain fruitless but i have some actually unbelievable fishing this year...

The main area in question Dan, in the South East and South.
There's more than likely more pressure from illegal netters and anglers on the South East/South Bass marks. Or, the Bass's feeding and spawning habits have changed to some degree. One thing that is for certain; The wild Irish Bass has become a much sought after fish by anglers, fisherman and sea food lovers alike. And we all know how that story ends.