Wild Irish Bass

[JimH]

1-photo.JPG

[cod chaser]

That's to fool the tourists


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[red]

That's to fool the tourists


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or maybe their selling wild dingle bay bass?

[chuckaroo]

yeah, load of rubbish. either they are grossly mistaken or they are telling straight forward lies. (surely they couldn't be selling wild bass?). either way its wrong.
i would pick the waiter's/chef's/owner's brains straight away.

i was in a restaurant recently and asked the head waiter (restaurant manager) where their oysters came from and how they were farmed, whether they were native or japanese. he hadn't the first clue

[yappo]

Well Jim did you ask the questions? and what answers did you get?

Yappo

[JimH]

It was a message I received this morning - you know what, ALL the things mentioned above went through my head too!


Is it really Irish bass?
Is it farmed bass meant to make me think its Irish bass?
Its a great marketing tool - Wild Irish bass from the Wild Atlantic Way?
Is it misleading if its farmed...?
If its misleading does it create clandestine opportunism?

Its a question of perspective I guess and I was interested in how it might be met here

I'll let you know what the guy experienced if I can get it from him....

[cod chaser]

Farmed bass from the med I bet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[myworldfishing]

My cousin once told me his mother buys him wild Irish bass from a fish mongers in howth lol... I asked him did he ever notice hot they are always small fish... Because they are farmed and imported!!

[beachcomber]

I suppose if we tell ourselves often enough that it couldn't be true we might actually start believing it. This isn't the first time this kind of thing has been flagged here .

[roryodonnell]

Often, during a slow service, having drank most of our wine, I ask is the beef wild or is it farmed. The look of confusion is almost worth the wait.

[danbrosnan]

Common place in kerry I'm afraid, not saying this menu from kerry, I have said it 100 times on here...

[danbrosnan]

My cousin once told me his mother buys him wild Irish Bass from a fish mongers in howth lol... I asked him did he ever notice hot they are always small fish... Because they are farmed and imported!!

Every fish monger will buy irish bass again it's commonplace..

[JimH]

This ties in loosely with a project which is a slow work in progress for me at the moment.

During the past four years I completed a 4 year Bsc degree program in Tourism Enterprise Management. On the course where 28 other tourism providers ranging from B+B provision, restaurant owners, through to Adventure Centres - all very interesting people and all facing the same issues as those faced by any small self employed tourism provider in this country at this time.

Not many if indeed any of the other providers had a detailed comprehension of the impact that angling played in tourism, (most had some) either from internal or external customers. This gave me an opportunity to discuss both with the lecturers and the other attendees the significance of angling tourism and in my case the international business that bass fishing was bringing to this country through my guided services.

At this time I am working towards a pilot project with two B+B's and two restaurants (one of which was on the program) - and this is a loose description as to what I am doing / have done at the moment. This is going to take some time and I am being very careful with this as it progresses

I have met the owners of a large restaurant here in Wexford
I have discussed my guiding services impact on local economies both in urban and rural Wexford over the past ten years
I have discussed with the owners the life cycle, the population dynamics and the pressures that bass as a species endures from many different aspects
I have used this restaurant for the past ten years with both national and international customers
I will continue to use this restaurant for the future (even though my guiding has stopped)

What we have agreed to do is

The restaurant will carry a small framed conservation bass policy statement -

The restaurant will only use farmed bass - they will make a point of this
The statement details as to why they recognise the significance of bass angling tourism, conservation and the promotion of a catch and return policy in the fishery
The statement recognises current legislation
The statement recognises the vulnerability of the species in the face of reckless exploitation
The statement recognises the contribution that angling and anglers make to local economies through bass fishing
The statement refers to other providers who also contribute to the network irrespective of their occupation / provision type who also recognise the importance of bass

This is a generic document with a logo on quality A5 blue paper - (its still evolving through a branding process)

Both pilot restaurants and B+B providers will carry the statement in a frame on their premises in a prominent area (we are also getting sticky labels produced) these can be placed on cars etc

The numbers may expand over time into other counties and other types of providers too - it behoves providers to be on the network to facilitate anglers

A website containing much of the information above (socio economic) and all the other benefits, bass fishing information and ONLY the providers who are willing to contribute to the promotion of Bass conservation through understanding and networking etc and the placing of the statement can contribute to the CMS system on the site. We are hoping to work towards booking reservations with discounts for anglers who reserve from the site and other benefits too (a bit away yet) -

I hope to get other external parties interested in this too over time - Leave No Trace etc and hope to carry their logos on the statement / website -

As you can see this is both challenging and interesting and it takes time too (its still evolving largely) - a lot of it - plus its only a LOCAL pilot project at the moment (Wexford and Waterford) - any suggestions / help appreciated - think about it......

[TheHero]

A thought comes to mind when looking at that menu.
Are you getting anything that is offered - cornfed chicken?? is it a battery chicken pumped with antibiotics.
The sea bass is false advertising and illegal. Even a wild sea bass caught on rod cannot be sold on.

[John D]

Maybe they're fooling you and others into thinking they're just fooling the tourists cod chaser?

Either way it's wrong.

If it's Dingle bay bass it's illegal and if it's farmed bass it's false advertisement!

I'd like to think we're not always so naive?

Here's hoping!

John D.

[John D]

I've just continued reading on through the thread and happily or should I say delightfully came across Jim H's post re: bass conservation promotion.

I must say it's almost revolutionary- extremely innovative and forward thinking.

Really, really well done Jim H!

I'd like to help/take part in any way that might help the project/bass.

John D.

[corbyeire]

i keep harping on about it, but theres only 3 bass catches in here

http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/s ... saFishSite

add to the data base please

[JimH]

John D

Im (its not only me) are putting a 'pack' together to enable a 'first landing' for anybody who is interested in this project - a couple of things to bear in mind

The emphasis is on a degree of 'education' in relation to the vulnerability of the species within the tourism support/provision industry
The emphasis is on a degree of creating awareness around the 'value' of the species within the tourism support/provision industry
This covers all providers - in other words - a kite surfing school could be a supporter/advocatee of this project (there is crossover between activities)
Awareness around current legislation and conservation measures
The socio and economic benefits of what 'the ethos' of belonging to the network means within a local community

Establishing the brand as being 'Responsible and far reaching with positive benefits' within the tourism business community across all coastal activities

Work is being done on developing a vehicle to widen that brand awareness

Lots to be done.....

[corbyeire]

JimH why would kite surfers be a supporter fo the project - if the bass fishing improves we the anglers would be in direct competition with them to use the same resource?

[fishfeatures]

Threads like this and others on the same topic open my eyes, and make me pay attention to what's join ton around me, already I have taken the chef where i work to task over where he gets his "sea bass" from, and have pointed out the regs of bass angling to him, and for the past 3-4 months, guess what ..... no more Bass on the lunch menu, after it being such a regular.

Which leads me onto my next observation which someone may assist me with.
Anyone watching the drama An Bronntannas on TG4?? in the opening credits i'm sure i can way more than one or two Bass trashing around in as if they freshly caught.

Should i let them know too??