Bass being commercially exploited again!?

[Tomaszek]

just got an email back from Tony Killeens office asking for my address(over a week later).
anyone else get this??

Yep - same thing.

[John D]

I'm not sure if his office has sent me a similar reply. I haven't checked my e-mail since I've been in touch with him. I wonder if Mr. Killeen is sussing out whether you're worthy of listening to based on where you live? I think he might only be effected by votes within his own constituency. Then again I could be talking through my h*le!

John D.

[SaintJude]

Lots more information on the likely reintroduction of commercial Bass fishing can be found at http://www.irishbass.org/ The posting on this site makes it clear that inshore stocks are also very much at risk and is well worth a read.

There is also an on-line ipetition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/sbbce/
The address of the Minister who currently has the proposal on his desk is:

Mr. C. Lenihan
Minister for State
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
29 – 31 Adelaide Road
Dublin 2

Make no mistake about it - this is a very serious threat. The fact that the government have failed to consult with any of the angling organisations - or the Tourist and Hospitality industry which will be seriously effected if commercial Bass fishing is reintroduced - makes it clear that they don't want to hear any arguments in favour of retaining the ban.

An email is also being circulated around the angling clubs. I'm not sure where it originated but it provides a well researched arguement and is well worth a read. The email has been posted on the Tralee Bay Sea Angling Club website http://www.traleebaysac.org/inthenews.htm

[Tomaszek]

Hi SaintJude, it's good to see that the word spreads throughout anglers community. This is really a matter of all hands on deck right now.

Just FYI the petition was started in this very thread on one of the first pages. But it is a good sign that this information is kind of getting back to us - thanks for that feedback!

[bassbusters]

and

http://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog.html

[lure fisher]

hi

The work that has gone on here in the last few days is really fantastic. keep it up. Its up to us as anglers to take responsibility for our fishing.
We defo cant depend on the efb, cfb, bord failte and the other state sponsored bodies who are receiving state funding and enjoy nice salaries and job security etc etc to promote fishing in Ireland. I see them calling on us to fight this. What a load of rubbish! Surely they are the ones that are supposed to have all the necessary expertise and information regard sea bass stocks, tourism data, revenue generated from angling etc as funded state bodies . Lets not be fooled by that diversionary tactic.

I hope now that anglers will join together thru an organisation like irishbass.org to promote conservation of sea bass and stop them being exploited by commercial fishing as an immediate and very serious threat and also stop the constant illegal netting of the species which has been largely ignored by the fisheries protection officers despite concerned anglers reporting this illegal activity (with photographic evidence) on an ongoing and regular basis.

I cant help thinking that the constant bragging and boasting and multiple photos along with reports of how easy it is/was to catch 10,12,20, 40 fish in a session on this site has had a bearing on the predicament us concerned anglers now face.

Again, its time that all anglers take responsibility for their fishing.

A

BTW i got that same email reply from minister Killeen's office looking for my postal address

[red]

BTW i got that same email reply from minister Killeen's office looking for my postal address

i sent it onto him anyway, lookin forward to seeing what he says in his letter, he's hardly gonna write to everyone individually is he?? could be a few hundred letters. maybe he has nothin else to do!

[rustyhookthomas]

BTW i got that same email reply from minister Killeen's office looking for my postal address

i sent it onto him anyway, lookin forward to seeing what he says in his letter, he's hardly gonna write to everyone individually is he?? could be a few hundred letters. maybe he has nothin else to do!

i got no reply at all as i put my postal addy(dublin) in the email!
that was about two weeks ago!

[captain AHAB]

i got no reply at all as i put my postal addy(dublin) in the email!
that was about two weeks ago!

same situation here......still waiting,but not holding my breadth,i think your right,their weighing up the odds.these corrupt politicians are only interested in votes and know that the neanderthal high browed commercial fishermen and their families will be on side forever if their seen to be supporting them.to allow the commercial sector fish bass will cost this corrupt government nothing but gain them huge support in fishing communities all around the country where leaving the ban in place will just preserve the status quo and not gain any votes within the angling community but probably still lose them votes for their performances elsewhere.....its not looking good atall and dont be surprised if,to peacify us,they blame some eu directive on fairness and equallity etc.

[davetilly]

now is the time to visit your TD and counselors with a copy of the letters you have sent to date asking what has he or she has done to date Ashley has written about jim's business in the language TDs understand money and if you show potential loss then they listen

[Tony Fella]

There was an article in total sea fishing about Irish bass stocks there was a web address for the petition but not for irishbass.org

[Matt Bass]

Hi All

Looks like your all doing some great work in your battle against this proposal. As a UK angler visiting S Ireland twice a year solely to fish for bass I have writen a to 5 different ministers I had seen flagged up by Jim H as being people worth writing to. As my vote is not relevant I made my main point the loss of euros the proposal would have on the economy should overseas anglers stop visiting Ireland becuase of changes to legislation. Good luck with the campaign. I will continue to try keep and raise this profile of this topic on the BASS forum etc. Also my 2 main fishing buddies I visit ireland with have written too.

If you're overseas but visit Ireland for the bass try and write, as it cant be argued that you would still be fishing/ spending your money in ireland anyway if they change legislation and it has an adverse effect of fisheries!

Good luck

Matt

[seanie35]

dungarvan chamber of commerce dont seem to interested

Thank you for your email.

Your passion is certainly very evident and I think you for taking the time to contact us.
This really is not an area we would be at liberty to get into for numerous reasons.
However if I can direct you to the following areas, I have no doubt they will be of support to you.
Dungarvan Tourism; tel; 058 41741 & info@dungarvantourism.com
The Environment Section within the Waterford County Council may be able to assist;

Environment Education Officer
Contact: Kevin Moynihan
Address: Environment Education Office, Waterford County Council
Email: kmoynihan@waterfordcoco.ie
Tel: 058 22000

General Enquiries
Email: environmentinfo@waterfordcoco.ie
Phone: 058 22000
Fax: 058 20889

Your Local TD; John Deasy

Constituency Office Address:
83 O'Connell Street, Dungarven, Waterford
Tel: 058 43003, Fax: 058 45315

E-mail:John.Deasy@finegael.ie





Local County Councillors

And your local county councillors should be another support for your task.

You will find their contact details on the following link http://www.waterfordcoco.ie/en/localaut ... uncillors/



I wish you all the very best in your endeavor.



Kind regards,

[Pat]

Seanie,

Contact your local hotels and ask them would they raise the issue at the next meeting of the Waterford branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, or better still would they contact the branch chairman on the matter. The IHF has a very strong lobby and if the IHF accept it as an issue to raise then you will have a very strong voice in them.

Time is of the essence, though, as the National IHF conference is in early March and each regional branch is already formulating motions to put forward at the AGM. A number of years ago one of the motions adopted by the IHF was to support and lobby for the end of commercial drift net fishing for salmon. There is a precedence there.

[Pat]

I would suggest anyone living in Ardmore or Tramore do the same.

[teacher]

I would suggest anyone living in Ardmore or Tramore do the same.

The chef in The Cliff House hotel in Ardmore has a cook book out at the moment. In it he mentions that it is illegal to sell irish-caught bass. Maybe someone in the area could pursue this ...

[John D]

Thank you MattBass. Keep up the lobbying. It will certainly help.

SaintJude, how do you know that this is the Minister who has the proposal on his desk?

I am a little bit worried about that. The reason being is because I was of the belief that the Minister responsible for Bass legislation is Minister Tony Killeen. Therefore all my efforts with third parties over the past two weeks might have been in vein. For example, if I was writing an e-mail to the CEO or chairman of the Irish Hotel Federation informing him of the FIF's proposal, I would then make the suggestion that he/she write to Minister Killeen requesting that he reject this proposal.

Can anyone else see the concern here?

John D.

[red]

got this reply from tony killeen this morning,

Dear Denis,
I refer to your correspondence to my office regarding the proposal by the federation of Irish Fishermen concerning the possibility of a limited offshore Sea Bass fishery. At the moment there are no specific plans in place to allow a resumption of commercial fishing for sea bass.

I am giving careful consideration to this proposal in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and I am particularly conscious of the necessity of maintaining the existing protection afforded to the inshore Sea Bass fishery. This factor is also recognised in the FIF proposal which gives assurances that the inshore Sea Bass fishery around our coast would not be targeted for commercial fishing. Under FIF proposal, Irish vessels would be permitted to land Sea Bass caught south of (51.30’N) in area VII. I understand that this area is aprox 50 km off the SE coast of Ireland. It is important to remember that while Irish vessels are precluded from fishing for bass in our waters that no such preclusions applies to other EU registered vessels.

Given the overall economic situation and the challenges facing fishermen generally, I am anxious to pursue any proposal that would create additional commercial fishing opportunities for the Irish fleet. In that context I have contacted my colleague Mr. Conor Lenihan, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Energy, Communications and Natural resources, who has responsibility for inland fisheries, seeking his views on this proposal before making any final decision in the matter.
Yours sincerely,

Tony Killeen,
Minister of State

[bassbusters]

"Irish vessels would be permitted to land Sea Bass caught south of (51.30’N) in area VII"

Doesn't this line cross the coast at some point????

Might be worth pointing that out to him.

[captain AHAB]

got this reply from tony killeen this morning,

Dear Denis,
I refer to your correspondence to my office regarding the proposal by the federation of Irish Fishermen concerning the possibility of a limited offshore Sea Bass fishery. At the moment there are no specific plans in place to allow a resumption of commercial fishing for sea Bass.

I am giving careful consideration to this proposal in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and I am particularly conscious of the necessity of maintaining the existing protection afforded to the inshore Sea Bass fishery. This factor is also recognised in the FIF proposal which gives assurances that the inshore Sea Bass fishery around our coast would not be targeted for commercial fishing. Under FIF proposal, Irish vessels would be permitted to land Sea Bass caught south of (51.30’N) in area VII. I understand that this area is aprox 50 km off the SE coast of Ireland. It is important to remember that while Irish vessels are precluded from fishing for Bass in our waters that no such preclusions applies to other EU registered vessels.

Given the overall economic situation and the challenges facing fishermen generally, I am anxious to pursue any proposal that would create additional commercial fishing opportunities for the Irish fleet. In that context I have contacted my colleague Mr. Conor Lenihan, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Energy, Communications and Natural resources, who has responsibility for inland fisheries, seeking his views on this proposal before making any final decision in the matter.
Yours sincerely,

Tony Killeen,
Minister of State

done deal lads