Commission to set a Total Allowable catch for Bass

[Dicenintra]

The EU Commission intend to set a Total Allowable Catch for Bass before Christmas. This will mean that a quota will be set for each country in certain areas. If Ireland is allocated a quota then there will be intense pressure to allow commercial fishing here.

[John D]

This was proposed last year too but then withdrawn.
You're right in saying it will create serious pressure.

We'll have to get our pens, paper, e-mails twitter and facebook messages sent out by the thousands again!

It's important to note that if we all wish to remain bass anglers fishing into an even somewhat healthy bass stock then we will be fighting this fight until the day we die. Therefore we should have a mindset that reflects this.

Yours hopefully and faithfully,
John D.

[John D]

I just saw on an old post called 'sustainable fishing' that John Q said "...The "discard ban" is now only for controlled (quota) species because that is what the commercial sector wanted all along....".

I'm suspecting this is why they're trying to include bass as a quota managed species now.

John D.

[The Austrian]

I too want to be able to look into the eyes of my children and possible grandchildren in years to come and proudly state with a clear conscience that I fought this battle to the very best of my abilities, even against all odds and whatever the outcome may be.
I appeal to every like minded angler in this country to truly stand in for your believes and values!
Never ever give up prematurely, even as lost you might feel at certain stages of the procedure.
Fear of unknown matters and loosing trust in yourself is your biggest enemy! Go, educate yourself, the net is there for you with tons of information. Find it and use it to your and our benefit!
These scaremongers know that fear and insecurity of facts is the sharpest sword in their armory!
Don't let them fool you!
Make yourself heard and be proud of what you achieve, step by step it may be but with sheer determination we will achieve the goal!
We are all together in this and you are not alone! The time to be heard is now!

[The Austrian]

I just saw on an old post called 'sustainable fishing' that John Q said "...The "discard ban" is now only for controlled (quota) species because that is what the commercial sector wanted all along....".

I'm suspecting this is why they're trying to include Bass as a quota managed species now.

John D.

I have seen this John, and it's a couple of years too late for the Durex option, so I better stick to all the other possibilities left to defend what's left from our former fisheries

[JohnQ]

Dicenintra, there is currently no proposal for a bass TAC on the table. Last years proposal was abandoned. I have been told that another proposal may appear in the future.
It is a mystery to me why the idea keeps turning up. With the exception of France, all other countries involved are against a quota system for bass. We have already seen with other species that the quota system has been a failure. As quotas would be based on track record, the countries who had made the least effort to protect their stock (like France) would benefit the most. The UK for instance who have nursery areas protected, have banned pair-trawling and other restrictions would end up being penalised for trying to do the right thing. Ireland of course could be the biggest looser because even if we dont receive a quota, it is possible to trade quotas between countries.
In spite of intensive efforts we cannot find out where exactly the proposals are coming from. It first appeared in a "non paper" last year but there was no source. There is currently a complaint in with the EU commission because they are refusing to divulge who is pushing this. Is it possible that people from Ireland with very close contacts at EU level see this as an opportunity to "get rid" of our bass protection laws. Maybe that is to much of a conspiracy theory!!

[Dicenintra]

Ì dont think this is coming from Ireland as the irish commercial industry is in a poor position to get a quota because of the ban. Fishermen are focused on spawning shoals off the Bristol channel and there have been some very large catches there by supertrawlers over the years.

But the word in the Commission is that this is back on the table and will be decided before christmas.

[John D]

Perhaps it is too much of a conspiracy theory John Q but in saying that it's certainly not outside the realms of possibility - especially in the unscrupulous dark and shady world of commercial fishing!