Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Moderators: kieran, jd, Tanglerat, teacher
-
- SAI Megalodon!
- Posts: 1106
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:42 am
- Location: Wexford
Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Direct message from Simon Coveney to my Twitter account
I have managed to secure a "Catch and Release" bass recreational fishery for all 2016 - good result + difficult negotiation
I have managed to secure a "Catch and Release" bass recreational fishery for all 2016 - good result + difficult negotiation
-
- SAI Sea Dog!
- Posts: 829
- Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:18 pm
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
I saw that Jim-good news if true. A year round C&R is far better than a complete closed season for the first six months and a 1 fish bag limit for the second six months
-
- SAI Lug Worm
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:06 pm
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Great news!!!!
I was getting a bit worried for a while!!! All the best for 2016
catch and release all the way!!!!!!!!!!




-
- Moderator
- Posts: 3083
- Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cork
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Good news indeed! Expect more clarification later.
Simon Coveney was very well briefed before heading for Brussels...
He has a good understanding of things "sea"... Has a boat himself!
Simon Coveney was very well briefed before heading for Brussels...
He has a good understanding of things "sea"... Has a boat himself!
-
- SAI Sea Dog!
- Posts: 829
- Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:18 pm
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
It would be great if the closed season was done away with - it seemed that a lot of people were saying that the spawning was long complete by may 15th and that the dates of the closed season were a bit arbitrary
-
- SAI Megalodon!
- Posts: 1106
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:42 am
- Location: Wexford
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Briefed, appealed to, e-mailed, letters, phone calls, tweets, data, impacts - all enthusiastic and concerned bass anglers and associated parties no doubt played their role here. It never stops.
SC - the closed season is to me symbolic of commitment to conservation by bass anglers yes its a 'moveable' feast and yes maybe it needs a re-think - nature doesn't abide by calendar dates
SC - the closed season is to me symbolic of commitment to conservation by bass anglers yes its a 'moveable' feast and yes maybe it needs a re-think - nature doesn't abide by calendar dates
-
- SAI Hammerhead
- Posts: 261
- Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:36 pm
- Location: Wexford
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Excellent news. The sensible option methinks.
Remember to email him again and voice your support.
Remember to email him again and voice your support.
-
- SAI Bait Ball
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:45 am
- Location: Watford, Herts, England
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
We should all send him an Xmas card
-
- Head of International Security and Bringer of World Peace
- Posts: 4897
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:13 pm
- Location: cork
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
JimH wrote:Direct message from Simon Coveney to my Twitter account
I have managed to secure a "Catch and Release" bass recreational fishery for all 2016 - good result + difficult negotiation
Maybe JimH could post up a short thank you note with Mr C's Email address and we could all do a "cut and paste" and send it on to Mr C.Jon wrote:We should all send him an Xmas card
Specimen Fish 2024: Shore Rockling (3) 36cm, 34cm, 31cm; Thick Lipped Mullet (2) 58cm, 57cm; Smooth Hound (1) 109cm; Sting Ray (1)125cm; Ballan Wrasse (1) 48cm ; Corkwing Wrasse (1) 24.8cm. Golden Grey Mullet (2) 43cm, 1.8lb; 40.6cm, 1.55lb;
Total species boat/shore: 45
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Specimen Fish 2025: To date: 6.
Flounder 46cm; Spurdog 120cm; Stingray 91cm; Smooth Hound 114cm; 103.5cm; 104cm
Total species boat/shore: 45
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Specimen Fish 2025: To date: 6.
Flounder 46cm; Spurdog 120cm; Stingray 91cm; Smooth Hound 114cm; 103.5cm; 104cm
-
- SAI Bait Ball
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:29 pm
- Favourite Fish: Bass
- Location: Cork
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
This is very encouraging and a landmark decision which in my opinion is up there with the original measure to protect
Bass. I look forward to hearing the rest of the policy. Well done Simon.
Bass. I look forward to hearing the rest of the policy. Well done Simon.
-
- SAI Megalodon!
- Posts: 1077
- Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:32 pm
- Location: On a beach/lake/river somewhere..
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Good news. I was pessimistic given Coveney's previous attitude to anglers who are concerned about the massive Galway Bay salmon farm proposal. I suppose this was an easy win for him - no multinational company lobbying for the opposite to what the anglers want.
Its called fishing, not catching. If it was called catching it wouldn't be fishing!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradan99
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradan99
-
- SAI Sea Dog!
- Posts: 414
- Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:45 pm
- Favourite Rod: ABU 464
- Favourite Reel: shimano tld 150
- Favourite Fish: plaice
- Location: dublin north
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
At least Coveney has done something for the bass NOW lets get him to stop the SUPER TRAWLERS in Irish waters.
Mickser.
Mickser.
I have not fished in two years hoping to change that this year with anything ?
-
- SAI Hammerhead
- Posts: 261
- Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:36 pm
- Location: Wexford
-
- SAI Hammerhead
- Posts: 303
- Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:25 am
- Location: Wexford
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Let us not lose the run of ourselves people and get all gushy about the Minister just yet. Reference the thread on pair trawling in Dunmanus Bay. Back in September 2013 Minister Coveney and I had a direct conversation at a venue in West Cork not too far from Dunmanus Bay which which I followed up with a correspondence which prompted the usual stock answer.
The conversation with Minister Coveney was let me say very informative and I will leave it at that, suffice to say that an element of the conversation concerned a trawler that had just towed its nets within a casting length of where I was fishing.
As the date shows, that was two years ago and still ocean going trawlers can fish up to the shoreline with impunity.
Not quite the blue eyed boy Simon you have still a ton of work to do to realise the full potential of Ireland's marine resource.
Securing catch and release on bass was forth division stuff, whose nose were you really putting out of joint?
The conversation with Minister Coveney was let me say very informative and I will leave it at that, suffice to say that an element of the conversation concerned a trawler that had just towed its nets within a casting length of where I was fishing.
As the date shows, that was two years ago and still ocean going trawlers can fish up to the shoreline with impunity.
Not quite the blue eyed boy Simon you have still a ton of work to do to realise the full potential of Ireland's marine resource.
Securing catch and release on bass was forth division stuff, whose nose were you really putting out of joint?
-
- SAI Sea Dog!
- Posts: 414
- Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:45 pm
- Favourite Rod: ABU 464
- Favourite Reel: shimano tld 150
- Favourite Fish: plaice
- Location: dublin north
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
I did have a feeling that Coveney was not up to the job and this confirms it but also the more anglers let him know the more interested he will to do something
mickser
mickser
I have not fished in two years hoping to change that this year with anything ?
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 3083
- Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cork
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
I must say I do not have a whole pile of animosity towards Simon Coveney ( I might have lots of animosity towards his government, but that is a different kettle of fish so to speak
) I have met with him on a couple of occasions and found him to be sharp on the subjects we had in common. He has a knowledge of"things sea" that probably makes him more disposed towards anglers - the alternative politicians could be scary in terms of their ability
So better the devil we know.....
As I said before, he was really well briefed in terms of survivability of released bass so he was right to pursue C&R for the first six months as it would suit the Irish camp. I've no doubt that the last raft of anglers emails etc. were supportive of C&R too. The fact that we have no commercial fishery (legal anyway) means that the terms as agreed are OK for Ireland. We will probably never know what went on, who mooted what or who did the soft deal with the commercials... It would be interesting to know.
If we were like anglers in UK, FR, NL I would be savage with the carry on...


As I said before, he was really well briefed in terms of survivability of released bass so he was right to pursue C&R for the first six months as it would suit the Irish camp. I've no doubt that the last raft of anglers emails etc. were supportive of C&R too. The fact that we have no commercial fishery (legal anyway) means that the terms as agreed are OK for Ireland. We will probably never know what went on, who mooted what or who did the soft deal with the commercials... It would be interesting to know.
If we were like anglers in UK, FR, NL I would be savage with the carry on...
-
- SAI Sea Dog!
- Posts: 829
- Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:18 pm
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
I think as regards bass, the deal suits us well, but it probably wasn't too tough to achieve seeing as we didn't have commercials pushing against it here. What must have made a difference though was the info on mortality rates for C&R because I saw some very badly informed figures floating about (upwards of 50%)-which the EU commission must have believed if they wanted to impose a complete ban. Coveney deserves credit for securing the C&R in any case.
Out of interest , I would love to see this site run a survey asking us anglers here what is our observed mortality rate for bass. I wonder also is there a big difference between lure and bait caught fish ?
Other points above:
There is no doubt that the UK anglers were completely sold down the river. The British fisheries minister really screwed them.
Regarding other commercial activity, it seems there is little political will to restrict commercial activity. "If it's legal, sure it must be OK" seems to be the attitude. It seems that incidents like pair trawling in dunmanus or Waterford estuary, or the infamous mullet haul in Cork harbour are doomed to be repeated.I think it's because politicians are willing to say "we can't do anything about it, it's dictated by europe"- It's a great get out clause for them
Out of interest , I would love to see this site run a survey asking us anglers here what is our observed mortality rate for bass. I wonder also is there a big difference between lure and bait caught fish ?
Other points above:
There is no doubt that the UK anglers were completely sold down the river. The British fisheries minister really screwed them.
Regarding other commercial activity, it seems there is little political will to restrict commercial activity. "If it's legal, sure it must be OK" seems to be the attitude. It seems that incidents like pair trawling in dunmanus or Waterford estuary, or the infamous mullet haul in Cork harbour are doomed to be repeated.I think it's because politicians are willing to say "we can't do anything about it, it's dictated by europe"- It's a great get out clause for them
-
- SAI Bait Ball
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:27 am
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Not sure if this is off topic mods but I think Coveney missed out on a great opportunity to review the current status of Bluefin tuna fishing, or lack of it, in Ireland.
A licence to sports fish for this species alone could provide a much needed boost to the economy of the North West at no cost to the government. Indeed it could be a source of income from tax.
The fish are there, the charter boats are there and the demand is there. In any other country this would be a no-brainer but for some reason our government chooses to ignore the obvious and bury their heads in the sand any time the topic is raised.
Donegal bay is literally fizzing with feeding tuna in the summer months. It is illegal for any Irish boat to catch one but our European friends can help themselves the same way as they do annually to over a billion euros worth of fish from Irish waters.
Sent from my D2303 using Tapatalk
A licence to sports fish for this species alone could provide a much needed boost to the economy of the North West at no cost to the government. Indeed it could be a source of income from tax.
The fish are there, the charter boats are there and the demand is there. In any other country this would be a no-brainer but for some reason our government chooses to ignore the obvious and bury their heads in the sand any time the topic is raised.
Donegal bay is literally fizzing with feeding tuna in the summer months. It is illegal for any Irish boat to catch one but our European friends can help themselves the same way as they do annually to over a billion euros worth of fish from Irish waters.
Sent from my D2303 using Tapatalk
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 3083
- Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cork
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Yes indeed it is off topic but an interesting point in terms of EU policy and regulation etc.
Our minister cannot at the stroke of a pen decide to "open a BFT fishery"
The rules, quota, regs and laws are determined by EU. For example http://www.sfpa.ie/Portals/0/Legislatio ... %20BFT.pdf
They should have a plan to put something in motion however. The situation at it stands is not great.
During the autumn I heard many stories about boats catching and killing tuna in Donegal bay. That, if true, is unacceptable too!
Our minister cannot at the stroke of a pen decide to "open a BFT fishery"
The rules, quota, regs and laws are determined by EU. For example http://www.sfpa.ie/Portals/0/Legislatio ... %20BFT.pdf
They should have a plan to put something in motion however. The situation at it stands is not great.
During the autumn I heard many stories about boats catching and killing tuna in Donegal bay. That, if true, is unacceptable too!
-
- SAI Bait Ball
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:27 am
Re: Catch and release Bass Fishery - from Simon Coveney
Sorry Jim, I cannot open your link.
I would not propose opening a commercial fishery but would be 100 percent in favour of some form of licence for a catch and release sports fishery.
Let's face it, if the fish are there then it's not surprising that some people are going to fish for them.
At least if there was a properly regulated fishery in place this could be curbed.
All it needs is someone with the vision to see that this is an opportunity to be exploited rather than a problem to be ignored
Sent from my D2303 using Tapatalk
I would not propose opening a commercial fishery but would be 100 percent in favour of some form of licence for a catch and release sports fishery.
Let's face it, if the fish are there then it's not surprising that some people are going to fish for them.
At least if there was a properly regulated fishery in place this could be curbed.
All it needs is someone with the vision to see that this is an opportunity to be exploited rather than a problem to be ignored
Sent from my D2303 using Tapatalk