by cathalger » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:42 pm
It would turn your head. I think all we can do is:
1. Establish what the open season for sea trout is in our own specific region or system- even if we never intend to throw a line on fresh or estuarine water. Contact if necessary the licence issuing body to get this info.
2. Buy the licence, just get it- if you have a desire to target sea trout. Follow the tagging guidelines provided when you get your licence.
Never ever be found with a dead sea trout in your possesion during the closed season, which you have clear in your mind.
It really shouldnt be as confusing as we allow it to become sometimes?
Eg, you dont hear wildfowlers wondering at what times of year they can legally shoot ducks.
This line of thought is just to be on the 'safe side'. I think we as sea anglers maybe just have to accept that there are regulations regarding this species and where you kill them is irrelevant(they are given equal status to salmon). That bailiff said to me if a commercial boat 'brought to land' dead sea trout during the closed season (N.Ireland Decal region) which is Nov 1st to Feb 31st, then they would be breaking the law. He said if a sea angler brought to land and killed sea trout from the same pier, they would be breaking the same laws and would be equally liable for prosecution
I understand the variations in closed seasons in the Republic, as I said you need to be aware of just what the seasons are where you are planning to fish.
When a bailiff answers your questions with statements like the following, which I experienced on Wednesday:
"Well, yes and no."
"Its a bit of a grey area."
"I mean, our bye laws are changing almost on a daily basis".
I think we should heed seasons and have licences when appropriate.
Long and the short of it is, fisheries officers dont respond well to being argued with and if you have that all important bit of paper in your pocket while enjoying your angling, you are probably going to find them very reasonable and helpful.
At the end of the day, its a personal decision, but for the sake of £17, I am not having some boy take a 4lb sea trout off me in July. I would struggle with the like of that. Plus I prefer the feeling of fishing for sea trout in the sea with a licence in my pocket, to that of looking over my shoulder and wondering who everyone within 3 miles actually is!
2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).
- For this message the author cathalger has received thanks:
- doggie3131 (Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:11 pm)