Bass - A catch and Return species only

[Tanglerat]

Mind you, I'd have less objection to bass being added to the Salmon and Sea Trout licence, renaming it a Game Fishing Licence.

[baitdigger]

Sport fish only? No way
Most bass anglers that I have met would be self regulating; we work to our own code as well as the current legislation. How many reading this always put back the bigger fish because we know they are the future of our sport, the breeding stock? how many take no fish at all. We abide by the rules for what we see as our own benefit. Unfortunately those who do not adhere to current legislation are unlikely to adhere to a total ban unless there were harsh, enforced penalties.
Would I be the devil if I suggested lowering the minimum landing size but as suggested put a cap on the upper limit. If you look at farmed fish for sale in fishmongers most appear to be under MLS and yet still make a good meal. The wild stock will always be more abundant in the smaller sized fish but have a dwindling sexually mature population through natural selection, disease and predation.
I would also like the close season to be extended to make sure that it encompasses the actual time of spawning rather than the theoretical spawning time. I think this should be a total ban and not a catch and release period which in my mind goes against the spirit of leaving the bass unmolested to get on with reproducing. The limit could be cut to one fish if it were necessary, but are stocks low enough to warrant this.
I know many lure anglers may be abhorred by the prospect of a longer closed season but come on lads you could go chase pollack and wrasse with your lure rods, you might be pleasantly surprised!
Someone raised the point of the amount of money generated by bass anglers, for many of the tourist anglers (like myself now) that I have met in Clare, particularity the French, taking a fish for the table seems to be a cherished part of the whole experience. Surely we should not deny anyone this opportunity after spending large amounts of money to catch one in the first place?

Again the problem lies within the fact that there are no real visible deterrents to enforce any regulations, in ten years of fishing Clare only once did I come across any kind of baliffing or investigation and this was only because they though there was salmon poaching going on. I know different parts of the coast are not the same but I can only speak from personal experience.

[Steve]

I guess I should have been clearer...there is no way I would sign up to a general sea angling licence. Not a chance. And I'd love to see a fisheries officer trying to prosecute the licence-less drunken hordes of mackerel bashers on a sunny afternoon in Howth!

Tanglerats suggestion is something I would be open to though. It wouldn't bother me because I c&r most bass and buy the ST licence already. I appreciate that many, many others won't see it the same way as I do though and that's understandable.

[baitdigger]

I guess I should have been clearer...there is no way I would sign up to a general sea angling licence. Not a chance. And I'd love to see a fisheries officer trying to prosecute the licence-less drunken hordes of mackerel bashers on a sunny afternoon in Howth!

Tanglerats suggestion is something I would be open to though. It wouldn't bother me because I c&r most Bass and buy the ST licence already. I appreciate that many, many others won't see it the same way as I do though and that's understandable.

Steve, I think just as with anglers in the UK we would not mind the prospect of paying for a sea licence if we though it would benefit us in any way or the money would be used to improve sea fishing not just as another form of taxation.

[Eoghan]

Maybe the Portugese have it right, no license then take the fishing gear..!

There were 4 of them, all close to or over 6 ft. Thats what we would need.
I cant see it happening though.

[Divisadero]

To the best of my knowledge that is what is supposed to happen here to anglers fishing and taking fish during the ban. Has it ever? I'd doubt it.

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[Ashley Hayden]

From what I have read Tarpon are close to if not inedible, cannot speak for bonefish, so making at least one of those species C & R wouldn't be too difficult a proposition.

As for bass and for any other edible species, no, we as a race should just learn to get our house in order.

For a wider debate has anyone ever considered that the human race is part of the marine evolutionary process and that in some way declining fish stocks are a natural progression, after all the alpha predator in marine circles is not the great white shark it's us.

[Divisadero]

There is very little natural about the industrialised rape of the oceans and the almost daily extinctions of terrestrial inverts etc. Yes man is a species and is on the top of the food chain. But unlike fast-paced industrialised commercial fishing for example I'm afraid natural selection works at a far slower pace. That is the worrying aspect of the increased rate of almost daily extinctions we now face (on land especially). They are not due to natural but to man-made factors. Like rapid climate change for example. Put another way Evolution is going to have a hard time keeping up with such a rapid rate of change. In the oceans whilst outright extinctions may be rarer than on land overfishing and coral bleaching for example are man-made. You're hardly suggesting we just sit on our hands and let 'nature' take its course.

Anyway Ashley I think we have gone way off topic when you consider Jim's original question.

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[Ashley Hayden]

It is very much natural selection, man just has the intellect and ability to manufacture hooks, nets, harpoons, and whatever else your having and the inclination to use them not only for sustenance but for cash aswell.

Humanity finds it too easy to divorce themselves from a very simple fact, we are an animal too and a very dangerous one. On the plus side we were given the power of reason, sad thing is we tend to use it very badly.

[Divisadero]

Humanity finds it too easy to divorce themselves from a very simple fact, we are an animal too and a very dangerous one. On the plus side we were given the power of reason, sad thing is we tend to use it very badly.

Agree with you there Ashley. We are just one of many species of animal on this earth. But we should know better.

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[Eoghan]

Im afraid we are a parasite, we use up one resource and move on to the next. We dont live in harmony with our surrounds like most animals on the planet. Its not like we are an introduced species, you can forgive a rat eating a flightless birds eggs on an island etc, but we should know better. Im all for natural selection but we have a responsibility that goes along with it.

[goldfish17]

well currently, many people who fish for bass are not even aware of the current bass ban, obviously these people are not regular anglers but the vast majority of these people fish for the table. I think this issue needs to be addressed before the current rules are updated. There is also a problem in that many anglers do not regard general angling in Ireland as a 'sport' but as more of a hobby, obviously this is very different to the views of anglers who fish for bonefish and the like?

[roryodonnell]

well currently, many people who fish for Bass are not even aware of the current Bass ban

That's "incredible"

[Crevan]

Rory
Incredible it is!!

Whilst walking my dog on local beaches during the 4 weeks odd of the ban I met probably in the region of 10 anglers altogether. When I asked what they were fishing for a few of them answered determinedly"Bass"!! The first few times I did raise the issue of the ban and it was interesting to hear the replies, ranging from ignorance to a "sure who will stop me?" to one lad turn his back on me and disengage from the conversation!!!

I gave up after that.

Not once did I see an officer in any of my local beaches during the ban. I can be on those beaches up to 3 times a day.

I think the main difficulty with what Jim's initial post was about is enforcement. As has already been said here Fisheries Officers are unwilling/unable to enforce current laws. How in the name of God will they monitor a C&R situation?

[goldfish17]

well currently, many people who fish for Bass are not even aware of the current Bass ban

That's "incredible"

I know but it's 'incredibly' true. I think the majority of people have seen people fishing for bass during the ban? in my own experience I've seen local people fishing for bass on Wexford bridge during the ban, anyone driving over the bridge could have seen it. Obviously these people are not experience anglers like yourself and probably only fish when the weather is good. How is the message of a bass ban going to be communicated to people who only have an interest in angling for a month or two every year and are not involved in clubs or aware of the effort people put into conserving bass stocks, again this issue comes down to the enforcement of the law .

[gd]

I think we need to look at the bigger picture especially from an outsiders perception looking in.

Don't forget many of the people who make huge decisions about angling matters here are indeed outsiders in many ways.

[Divisadero]

I suspect that the IFI have enough on their plate. Their remit is too wide including research, promotion and freshwater enforcement. I'd say when it comes to enforcement salmon and trout are still their priority. You do hear of cases of IFI freshwater enforcement in the media but rarely anything to do with bass. The SFPA would seem a better choice at least they are soley focused on saltwater enforcement. But without sufficent resources no agency will be up to the task and we all know that the country is broke.

But I also wonder if there a lack of will. It takes very little to make some impact on a situation like the one in Wexford (as reported on here and elsewhere last year) and now again this season. No need for a boat even. Just a spin in the car after lunch. They could even give the guys a warning first (we don't have to go completely Portuguese on them!). If they continue then seize their gear or fine them on a second visit. That will help educate people and get the word around. I mean they must know this is going on from both phone calls and from driving over the bridge in Wexford! On the educational front it also wouldn't hurt for IFI to send a poster to every tackle dealer and request that they display it in store. Failing that the dealers could fashion one themselves.

[roger de dodger]

no c&r and no licence .i dont abuse my freedom to fish resposibly and dont see how these measures will improve things its up to individuals to respect our resourses and education is how this is done, followed by bigger fines harsher punishment for those abusing the privalige we now have ,we all know where any money collected by the government goes so it would be pointless from our point of veiw to impose a sea fishing licence ,fishing should be for all not just those who can afford a licence

[corbyeire]

the new IFI legislation will be touting a licence for sure - who knows where the money will actually go???

personally i find on the west coast the bass are rarer so there tends to be a bit more respect for the bass - most would C+R

i was totally surprised when i started fishing for them on the east coast with most anglers taking the fish

the reverse i say would be true of the sea trout up around donegal bay

[pollachius virens]

What I would favour and what I believe may improve the current situation would be the introduction of a sea angling license coupled with stern penalties for offenders. Income from license fees and penalties could then be used to increase the numbers of officers on the ground which in turn would lead to better policing. Such license fees would be for all anglers over the age of 16 thereby not restricting younger anglers in the sport. Such moves could only assist in preserving stocks would it not?

This, by a long long way is the best single paragraph I have read on this forum. It's something I agree 100% with and I think it would have a hugely beneficial effect on sea angling. I've personally seen this system in operation in Australia and it works great.