Bass - Emergency Measures 2016

[Kalim77]

Sorry guys, I was fishing with one of the ullcatch guys the other night, who wrung an official. And it's catch and release for 6mnts then 1 a day after that, all of Europe by the sounds of it, problem is most people who should be putting the correct info out for people are on holiday , and it will probably take the Irish officials 6mnts to pass it into law here,

[JimC]

Firstly the regulation as printed (it is law from 01/01/2016) it is one fish from 01/2016 to 12/2016 in Kerry and some of west Cork.See the references to VIIj & k. C&R elsewhere for first six months.

EU regulations are the law of the land. It does not have to be "passed into law" by the member states. (It is a regulation not a directive). It is possible for a state to have more stringent rules. I do not see this as the case here.

I'm sure we will have clarifcation from IFI/SFPA early in the new year.

[JimC]

It would seem that the legislation will not be formally adopted until after Jan 5 at the earliest yet the terms of the regulation are retrospective to 01/01/2016. I'd say you could get away with keeping two bass (1: If you are that way inclined & 2: If you were lucky to catch them) until it is clarified in the new year.

I attach an EAA map which give some clarity to the regulations as quoted above:

[Kalim77]

I don't won't to argue about this, as I can only say what I have been told. Where are you getting your info from?
This is from Brendan Griffins website, you would think it would say that in Kerry you can catch 1 bass a day if that was the case. Just saying.

Positive Outcome for Kerry Bass Angling Tourism at EU Fisheries Council

Common Sense Outcome Landed by Minister Coveney

Wednesday, December 16th 2015.

KERRY Fine Gael TD, Brendan Griffin, has commended Minister Simon Coveney for his efforts to safeguard Bass Angling Tourism in Kerry and around the coast.

Minister Coveney informed Deputy Griffin this morning that the EU Council has agreed to the introduction of a catch and release recreational angling fishery for the first half of 2016, with a one fish bag limit for the second half of the year.

Deputy Griffin said:

“This is important for the bass angling tourism industry and I am glad that Minister Coveney listened to the concerns that I raised with him following contact that I received from many constituents in Kerry.

“I am glad that the Minister was able to achieve this common sense outcome. The EU had originally proposed a complete ban on bass angling for the first half of 2016, which would have had a devastating impact on Kerry businesses that benefit from angling tourism.

“In his Dáil response to my question on this, Minister Coveney said that he would aim for a catch and release system for the first half of 2016 and I commend him for achieving success on this. This outcome will come as a welcome relief to the anglers themselves, tourism busineses such as hotels, B&B’s, bars and restaurants and angling businesses.”

ENDS

–

[Kalim77]

If that map is what the law is now, the east got got a bad deal. And the yellow zone is the best.

[Kalim77]

So I finally found the European anglers alliance web site, I now see where you are getting your info from, trust me I hope it's right.

[JimC]

The data on proposals is taken from the EU documentation:
http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/doc ... V-1/en/pdf

Section 10 deals with bass.

@Kalim77 You should realise: We post relevant information as we get it. We check information before publishing. We are providing a service for our members. We are not making it up as we go! I think you can trust our information rather than the cut & paste from a Kerry TD

It is less a matter of good deals and bad deals in terms of an Irish Bass fishery and more a question of the effectiveness of the measures to help bass recover. Conservation minded Anglers here are quite happy to fish C&R all year round if necessary (many do in any case). It is the remaining EU anglers that got a bad deal!
It would be benificial to have a slot size to protect the bigger fish from being killed by anglers or spear fishermen. That is not included in the EU regulations. Maybe IFI might get this effected locally... We wait and see!

[corbyeire]

jim has your group made a submisson to ifi angling development strategy? deadline 4th jan!

[JimC]

We do not have a group per se. I did make a submission to the National Angling Development Plan
Now we are asked to submit on the National Strategy For Angling Development. ( is it getting a bit like the People's Front of Judea ). I will re-read the plan and send a comment a long with my original submission which still applies.

My original submission is here: http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/nadp-sub ... m-clohessy
There are only a few that relate to sea angling on the list.

[corbyeire]

Hi, I just got a email from inland fishing Ireland

Dear Kalim,
We are currently waiting for the new EU regulations to be transcribed into Irish law.

The Department of agriculture has stated in a press release that there will be a catch and release recreational angling fishery for the first half of 2016, with a one fish bag limit for the second half of the year.

The minimum landing size is increased to 42 cm.

The IFI website will be updated shortly to reflect these changes.

Yours sincerely.
Myles Kelly


Myles Kelly
Website Manager
--------------------------------------------
Iascach Intíre Éireann
Inland Fisheries Ireland

[jd]

Press release, 7 January 2016

New Bass Angling Regulations Aim To Improve Bass Stocks

The EU Commission recently agreed Council Regulation 559 that sets out fishing opportunities and fish quotas for EU fishing fleets, and also sets out new rules for recreational bass fishing throughout northern Europe, including Ireland. Implementation of this regulation will require new legislation in Ireland.

In the interim period, pending legislation, Inland Fisheries Ireland(IFI) is requesting anglers to recognise the need for conservation and to fish according to the regulations that are expected to be introduced shortly i.e. to fish on a catch-and-release basis up to and including June 30th, 2016. A one fish bag limit will apply from July 1 to December 31. It is envisaged that the introduction of new legislation for Ireland will incorporate elements of the National Bass Policy and will be introduced in advance of the close season for bass angling.

The new EU regulation on bass fishing was introduced as an emergency measure to address declining bass stocks, as scientific advice indicates that stocks in northern Europe are in a perilous state.

Dr Ciaran Byrne, CEO of IFI stated ‘ Bass is a valuable and important sport angling species which has been managed as an angling species since 1990. It is a valuable resource,contributing €71 million to the Irish economy annually and supporting over 1,200 jobs. The new measures here and restrictions on commercial fishing outside Irish waters will help improve bass stocks and ensure they continue to provide quality angling for local and tourist anglers alike into the future, sustaining and growing the important economic and social benefits’.

While there is no commercial fishing for bass in Ireland, commercial fishing elsewhere has been severely curtailed, particularly on spawning stocks, which should help Irish stocks. New measures for recreational angling are also being imposed on an international level.

[JimC]

Correction.....

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, 7th January 2016

New Bass Angling Regulations Aim To Improve Bass Stocks

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council, one of the configurations of the Council of the European Union, recently agreed the proposed Council Regulation 559 (with some amendments). The adopted final version will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union in the coming days. The regulation sets out fishing opportunities and fish quotas for EU fishing fleets, and also sets out new rules for recreational bass fishing throughout northern Europe, including Ireland. Implementation of this regulation will require new legislation in Ireland.

In the interim period, pending legislation, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is requesting anglers to recognise the need for conservation and to fish according to the regulations that are expected to be introduced shortly i.e. to fish on a catch-and-release basis up to and including June 30th, 2016.

A one fish bag limit will apply from July 1 to December 31. It is envisaged that the introduction of new legislation for Ireland will incorporate elements of the National Bass Policy and will be introduced in advance of the close season for bass angling.

The new EU regulation on bass fishing was introduced as an emergency measure to address declining bass stocks, as scientific advice indicates that stocks in northern Europe are in a perilous state.

Dr Ciaran Byrne, CEO of IFI stated “Bass is a valuable and important sport angling species which has been managed as an angling species since 1990. It is a valuable resource, contributing €71 million to the Irish economy annually and supporting over 1,200 jobs. The new measures here and restrictions on commercial fishing outside Irish waters will help improve bass stocks and ensure they continue to provide quality angling for local and tourist anglers alike into the future, sustaining and growing the important economic and social benefits.”

While there is no commercial fishing for bass in Ireland, commercial fishing elsewhere has been severely curtailed, particularly on spawning stocks, which should help Irish stocks. New measures for recreational angling are also being imposed on an international level.

[JimH]

The new EU regulation on bass fishing was introduced as an emergency measure to address declining bass stocks, as scientific advice indicates that stocks in northern Europe are in a perilous state.

We now have an extremely 'protected' species. No Irish commercial fishing, no international commercial fishing. Recreational C+R for six months and one fish a day retention thereafter - super.

After 25 years of conservation measures - anglers (the highest economic contributors) have played a minor, if any role. in the continued vast deterioration of the stocks. Yes there is no doubt an angling impact exists.

Are we entirely sure that the 'Irish' population of fish during Winter mixes with other populations and swims further south and as a result is more vulnerable at pre and actual spawning time to commercial activity?

[Spruce]

Some good points raised there, Jim. As we know there has been some limited tagging exercises going on for a few years in Ireland. Unfortunately, I just can't imagine commercial anglers bothering to report any such tagged bass among their catches.

[JimH]

There are great points made in the national bass policy - I'm particularly interested in the following sections and how they unfold (amongst others)

Recreational bass angling revenue has been shown to be worth multiples of the first-hand sale value of commercially caught bass.

1.The profile of bass in the public arena should be increased by IFI. Stakeholders and the wider public should be regularly informed by IFI through all available media of the economic, health and social benefits of the existing bass recreational angling fishery and the potential which could be derived from an abundant bass stock supporting a well-managed fishery. The potential contribution of such activity to local heritage and a sense of public well-being should also be emphasised.

2.Education (e.g. ‘Something Fishy’ in schools) and enforcement programs should focus on encouraging positive changes in public attitudes towards developing a stronger conservation ethos by including bass in their programme content.

3.IFI should encourage/support the development of local bass information networks which would provide information on bass distribution, catches, etc. through liaison (two-way) with local protection officers. Stakeholders should be routinely involved in surveying to support stock assessments. Non-destructive sampling of adult bass is often best achieved by angling. Angler network groups should be set up to monitor and report catches and to support survey programmes. Involvement of stakeholders confers a level of stewardship for the resource and will encourage responsibility in terms of contributing to data collection for management.

4.The angling tourism sector, particularly IFI and Failte Ireland, should continue to work together, to identify needs/areas for growth and improve information and infrastructure for domestic and tourist anglers.

5.A guide to the current understanding of the status and biology of bass in Ireland should be produced. The aim of this guide would be to present the current state of knowledge about bass in Irish waters in an accessible format

[gannet]

The data on proposals is taken from the EU documentation:
http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/doc ... V-1/en/pdf


It would be benificial to have a slot size to protect the bigger fish from being killed by anglers or spear fishermen. That is not included in the EU regulations. Maybe IFI might get this effected locally... We wait and see!

Good suggestion Jim,maybe now is the time for the IFI to introduce a bass slot size pending legislation.
It would probably sound the death knell for bass spear fishing but would be a small price to pay in order to further protect this valuable stock.

[patk]

Im confused! Is there a one fish limit in Cork/Kerry and catch and release everywhere else? Is the map above that JimC posted official?Elsewhere saying catch and release everywhere?

[JimC]

IFI have decided that further legislation for Ireland is necessary.
This legislation will reflect C&R countrywide. As said above the legislation should be in force before May.
In the interim people should stick to the EU regulation (suggested in the press release above)
Clear as mud really!

Strange one really as I'm sure the EU regulation would suffice until we get to see the EU Management Plan for 2017 and beyond.

I am fishing C&R from Jan to June and then 1 fish limit Jul-Dec ( I rarely hang on to any bass in any case).

[Crevan]

I'm all for C&R and conservation and I welcome these new changes to legislation.

My concern:
If IFI officers couldn't manage to properly police (in my area anyway) the previous laws, will new legislation make any difference?
You can have as many laws and legislative instruction you want but if it is not going to be enforced then what's the point?

[corbyeire]

I agree Crevan - but what can you do - just spread the word to all anglers in clubs when out and about - and hopefully the message trickles down to all and eventually the idiot public and politicians will realise what a great resource we have on our doorstep