UK Bass MLS consultation result.

[x]

Read it at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/060810a.htm

[teacher]

From April 6, 2007, fishermen and anglers will not be allowed to land bass any smaller than 40cm Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw announced today. The current limit is 36 cm.

Surely both the UK and Ireland need a MLS of at least 45cm, since, if my information is correct, female bass only mature at about 42cm.

[teacher]

Ah, that will teach me not to stop reading after the first sentence. :oops:

[x]

Yes, a common reaction. :lol: But while at least 42cm would appear to have been the logical step, at least what they have now is an improvement on 36cm with another review in the offing. I think it should be seen as a step in the right direction and as such should be welcomed by anglers.

A pity our own government doesn't listen to anglers like that. We're going to have to write to them more often!

[teacher]

It's interesting that the motivation for not introducing a 45cm MLS immediately is to keep the commercial fisherment happy. We should have no such requirement here so there should be no reason not to go for 45cm here right now.

I took the opportunity to write to John Browne this morning, so I'm sure we'll see some action really soon now.:lol:

[x]

Similarly, there's no reason to have to have the bass regulations renewed every year. Just designate it as a sport-only fish in perpetuity. At 45cm at least...

Similarly, there are other species which deserve protection and are of no real worth, if any, as a commercial catch. So we should be looking at having those protected as well.

However, changes like that happen neither overnight nor as a result of one or two letters here and there (not to dishearten those who keep on writing...).

I have a few things up my sleeve that I'll mention very shortly......