MACKEREL IN DECLINE

Message

#21 Post by jd » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:45 am

dtsacs wrote: They got a lot more scarce further south towards the Wexford area for some reason.

Ah well I'm happy with a full freezer load - will save me a few bob next year.

Damien

I think there are two populations in the irish sea, one coming up from the Celtic Sea, the other coming south from the N. Atlantic

#22 Post by **alannelson** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:39 am

I agree there are 2 runs ov mackerel i think these to seperte runs work there way up and then down again on there area and then head off for winter

#23 Post by **kieran** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:45 pm

Hi

I have an old book from Ken Whelan that describes their migrations and spawing grounds and the two way street in the Irish sea is correct.

What I've noticed since coming to Mayo 8 years ago is that they are now a year round species here. You can catch them float fishing over rough ground in sheltered bays in Jan, Feb, Mar and expect to see them reappear in greater numbers in a good weeks sunshine in April.

Whilst the quotas may have increased, the days in which they can be caught has been cut, with the result that the place was alive with them in July once the "season" closed. We hit lots of small fish, even down to fingerlings, which I had never seen before anywhere in Ireland.

Previously there was always the odd one that stayed around in sheltered waters, in fact it was known they often travelled in pairs - the same book talks about a spot in Dun Laoighaire where you could get big fish on a sprat in the depths of winter fishing the margin between the sand and weed. The exact same tactic, but better using float fished bait, works here but you need a calm day and it definitely works better near dusk.

I would encourage people (since I can't myself until the New Year) to try their local rock marks, especially if there is a bit of sand and shelter...

FWIW

#24 Post by **contender** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:20 pm

Must admit, i have had as many this year as any other year and actually tried to avoid them once i had enough in the freezer.

#25 Post by **Ryan** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:47 pm

Had more Mackerel than i care to think about this year along the Down coast. Bloody pain in the arse when trying to fish for anything else! Was fishing a mark towards end of July, had to give up after 30mins couldn't get down to the bottom at all.

#26 Post by **nthclare** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:02 pm

I have that Ken Whelean book and today I can still pick it up and learn something new from it there are great fishing stories in it too.........

#27 Post by **stevecrow74** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 2:01 am

Mackerel quota for 2007 will be increased by 6 to 7 thousand tonnes.

so how may individual fish would that be.. and is there really a demand for that amount of fish in this country, and if not where do the rest go to. and are they charged the same prices for the fish as we have to (was in local supermarket today, mackerel 8.90 per kilo)

#28 Post by **cortaz** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:53 pm

stevecrow74 wrote:
Mackerel quota for 2007 will be increased by 6 to 7 thousand tonnes.
so how may individual fish would that be.. and is there really a demand for that amount of fish in this country, and if not where do the rest go to. and are they charged the same prices for the fish as we have to (was in local supermarket today, mackerel 8.90 per kilo)

at an avg of 1lb. each = about 15,000,000 mackerel

#29 Post by **corbyeire** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:30 pm

their quotas for mack have gone up this year! - they are allowed more under these bizare bycatch rules

better they count the bycatch anyway and get some descent statistics on the state of play!

BR