As an avid angler deeply concerned about Bass stocks and by extension, the future of Bass angling, I just wanted to put forward the context (still no excuse) in which people net Bass.....
Let’s make a distinction here:
Fisherman’s organisations, on behalf of their members, are trying to get the bass commercial fishery reopened because they perceive that there has been a recovery in bass stocks since commercial fishing nearly wiped bass out up to the 1980’s. They also reckon that there is discrimination at play because “foreign” boats can fish for bass in Irish/EU waters whereas Irish boats cannot. (I am not sure if Irish boats can fish in Other/EU waters and land bass in Other countries). Bass are not a fish regulated by the Common Fisheries Policy. There is a fear that because Irish boats have no catch history with bass then they will get no quota when bass is brought under the quota system (I hope I’m not over simplifying here.)
Then there are criminals who illegally net bass. Whether they are licensed fishermen or unlicensed individuals they are what the law says they are – criminals. I would reckon many of these guys probably do not want to see the fishery opened up at all as their cash cow would soon be wiped out again.
I think we should spare a thought for the fishing crews who put to sea in the worst of the worst conditions, driven by quota restrictions and depleted stocks directly caused by the EU CFP and its open door policies.
I have no doubt that commercial fishing is a tough life for the most part. Why do we have quota in the first place? Why do we have depleted stocks?
Farming is no easy game! There is no doubt that the Agri industry got the best deal way back then when we joined the EU. I reckon we got nothing for nothing from the EU – they gave us structural funds etc. we gave them rights to fish. It amazes me that you do not hear more politicians talk about this when it come down to EU negotiations etc.
I do not think that any farmer is being paid money not to farm at this stage. My understanding is that the single farm payment covers many issues and cannot be considered as “money for nothing”.
imagine the converse situation, where Large ( in farm size !) French and Spanish farmers come and farm at will in Ireland, while small Irish farmers have a tight qutoa to maintain. Fishermen however, get a cheque in the door to have their boats tied to the wall while we import fish....
Along a similar line… Paddy the farmer has cows, bullocks and a few sheep in the one field. He decides to sell some of the bullocks because there is a demand for meat… he goes about getting the bullocks from the field….he kills the cows, the sheep, the rabbits, the badgers, foxes, the birds and anything else that gets in his way. There is a good chance that he will not be able to use the field again for years to come because he has also decimated the grass and any other plants in the field. Now Paddy starts to complain that he has nothing left....so he wants to get at the animals at the local open farm/petting zoo. Good job Paddy does not farm with a beam trawler!
Not going to do much for preserving bass stocks though is it....
