Bass being commercially exploited again!?

[MackDublin]

Pat
Well done, can't wait to see the full report.

All the best
Colm

[Greg30]

I agree!!

[Tomaszek]

Hi Guys,
I would like draw your attention to the fact that irishbass is now (at last!) taking a donations.

http://irishbass.org/donate.php

In the beginning of this thread some lads were declaring that they willing to donate, so now it's a good time to do so.

I think it is the easiest way to support irishbass work so be generous

[John D]

Here - here!

I feel obliged to add that up to this point the Chairman (John Quinlan) has spent well over €2'000 out of his own money on the costs up to this point. I could even be inaccurate with this estimation and if anything it's probably more!

Anyway we all know times are hard so whatever you can spare.

Tight lines,
John D.

[John D]

I've just had a quick browse through the various spreadsheets and the word document containing the survey report.

Without really putting time into reading all the nitty gritty details (which I plan to do and am actually looking forward to doing!) as it is almost midnight, I have to say hats off to all that worked on this survey.

It is a tremendous and very professional looking piece of work.

I think this is a great indication of what can be achieved in the world of sea angling from sea angling ireland members.

Well done.

John D.

[corbyeire]

great to see the ball still rolling on this one - i am meeting one of my local TDs shortly and hope to educate him about the bass angling/potential on his own doorstep

these figures will come in handy - good work to all

[bulov]

Hey !
I m a french angler who used to spent a week in Ireland for now 14 years. Please dont make the same misstake than in France. 36 cm only, sea bass commercially fished, even during sprawning period... no bag limit and the stocks are going down and down....
I remembered one session near Waterville pluging for bass with 15 fishes caught from the shore, and all back in the water it was incredible. For moment like that i will continue to go fishing in Ireland and i m sure that it will make more money for your country than commercially fishing.
Sorry for my poor english, but i hope your gouvernment wil take the good decision.

[John D]

Hi bulov.

Thank you for submitting a post relating to this very important issue and also thank you for fishing for bass in our country.

Your English isn't too bad.

If you can would you please write a letter to our Ministers for Tourism, Fisheries and Natural Resources?

Just write the same thing you wrote in the post to this site.

Yours faithfully,
John D.

[RockHunter]

In the beginning of this thread some lads were declaring that they willing to donate, so now it's a good time to do so.

I think it is the easiest way to support irishbass work so be generous

I have just made a donation to IrishBass.org - substantially more than I offered to donate at the beginning of the thread as IrishBass.org do seem to be making a great effort.

[rory from cork]

Hi Guys,
I would like draw your attention to the fact that irishbass is now (at last!) taking a donations.

http://irishbass.org/donate.php

In the beginning of this thread some lads were declaring that they willing to donate, so now it's a good time to do so.

I think it is the easiest way to support irishbass work so be generous

Done...I'm sure irishbass could do with all of our support

[John D]

Hi everybody.

I have just heard some absolutely amazing news within the past couple of days.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland have started a consultation process, the results of which will determine whether or not the bass laws in the south are replicated in the North. As per usual the commercial fishermen's press have been widely informed about this process whereby up until now not one single angling press agency has a clue that this is going on. Therefore anglers are starting with a disrespectful and unfair disadvantage. But anglers actually have a very real, rare and unique opportunity to act with guaranteed results if they get behind it in good numbers! It doesn't matter where you're from and it's so easy to do the thing that needs to be done. All you need to do is open the attached word file, write the word 'Agree' six times on the form, type in your name and the date then send it off to the specified e-mail address. It’s important that you agree to all the points on the form if you want the Northern Ireland bass legislation to be the same as in the south and their bass stocks protected for anglers.

This might not seem like a big deal to some of you guys but believe me it is! Take the following points into consideration.

This is probably the very first time anywhere in European history that anglers get to play a very direct role in the management of a marine fish species - please DO NOT let this opportunity pass us by!!!
If the law is passed up North it then makes it much more difficult for any Minister to go and change the laws in the South.
If the law is not passed up North then it will undermine our efforts to protect our current laws in the South.
If you're any way interested in the development and progress of Ireland as a whole then it further strengthens the growing and improving relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Yours faithfully,
John D.

[Tanglerat]

Too true.

And a point for Donegal anglers that love their Bassing - the fish we get have probably all migrated around the coast of Northern Ireland to reach us. If there's any more following behind, it would be nice to think they'll be protected.

[John D]

Absolutely Tanglerat.

And let's not forget the blinding obvious fact that bass are starting to feature more and more in catches up North over the past few years!

Just for the record I would like to point out that the closed season until the 15th August is simply a bad typing error.

The closed season up North is planned to be from May 15th until June 15th just like the South!

And while I am writing here can I ask you all to please bring this vote to the attention of all anglers that you know, not just Bass anglers or even sea anglers. I believe this opportunity for anglers in general to have a direct say is too good of an opportunity to miss out on. So tell the world if you can

Tight lines,
John D.

[beachcomber]

Form sent.

[Donnyboy1]

Prohibition of fishing for Bass by any means other than rod and line

I think this should be changed, I know its put in place to stop the illegal netters (and I was fuming when I was on the beach last night and saw a huge string of them - most likely to catch the spring tide. And the Bass were hoping around me as I was playing in the waves with my kids) but this terminology also affects recreational spearfishing!

I love bass and fishing for them, sometimes with a rod spinning or bait, sometimes with my boat and sometimes with a speargun. I want to give freelining a go also!

How can the text be modified, as there is a whole spearfishing community that would get behind this if the wording was altered?

Most spear fishermen I know are actually a lot more conversationally minded than the majority of anglers I know, and although its a small enough scene in Ireland its fairly big in the UK and mainland Europe. I know all spearfishermen in the north and beyond will support this but only if the above is changed to be more accurate to eliminate netting specifically.

Anyway, that's just my thoughts, What do ye reckon?

[corbyeire]

a point that was made before about the spear fishing is how do you tell its 40cm or 44cm if they make it higher, without killing it first or doing it serious damage

i think its another issue

[Donnyboy1]

Experience really will help you spot the size, but most spear fisherman would just aim for approx50+cm so as not to put themselves in that situation...

The above form would also imply that freelining for Bass would be outlawed also?

[John D]

Dannyboy,

I don't think having the wording changed is going to happen because this is a Government document.
In saying that though, the consultation process could really do with all spear fishermen's support and your support too please. High numbers is the only way that the submissions from anglers is going to outnumber the submissions from commercial fishermen.
Can I safely assume that you'd prefer no commercial fishing (including no spear fishing) but higher numbers of bass for angling than commercial fishing (including spear fishing) with lower numbers of bass?

But that's not to say that spear fishing is not allowed under the new laws, I actually just don't know.
Perhaps the best thing to do would be to write 'I Agree' to all the proposals on the submission and in the 'Any other comments' box write about your desire to be allowed spear fish?

Please support this consultation process and tell as many anglers of all backgrounds to lend their support.

Many thanks and tight lines,
John D.

[Donnyboy1]

Done earlier today on all counts John

Most of the Irish spearfishermen will do the same also I imagine, and most likely a lot of UK (both NI and mainland) spearfishermen will do the same also (and there is also a lot of discussion on the spearfishing forums about this), or at least most have expressed their support of these measures... just not the rod and reel only part.

Incidentally I don't think there is such a thing of commercial spearfishing, or apenea (breath hold) fishing or foraging. Spearfishing is generally not allowed on scuba (as its perceived as unfair) so no fear there either.

Hopefully shore or boat anglers can see the spearfishermen are not the bad guys and then we can all focus on the illegal non conservation entities out there! If any shore fishermen can include a little that its the illegal netters, people who take schoolies and people who exceed the 24hr bag limit that need to be targeted not all non rod and reel users.

[luanaigh]

Form sent