Sea angler fined for catching undersize bass. (UK)

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Andy Elliott · #1 Post by **Andy Elliott** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:12 pm

Angler Fined for Undersized Bass

Jan 09,2007 SACN

Sea angler fined for catching undersize bass.

On the 8th January 2007 Mr Joseph Perks, an angler from Worthing, West
Sussex was fined £300 and made to contribute £200 towards prosecution costs
for retaining undersize Sea Bass after pleading guilty to the offence at
Worthing Magistrates Court.

Officers with the Sussex Sea Fisheries District Committee boarded Mr Perks
vessel in July 2006 and upon inspection found Mr Perks in possession of 54
bass, 17 of which were under the minimum legal size of 36cm.

Commentating on the case Senior Fishery Officer Mr Robert Clark said 'Bass
are both recreationally and commercially important off the Sussex coast. We
are pleased that the court has recognised the seriousness of this incident.

We hope the fine imposed on this occasion will act as a deterrent to others.
Minimum Legal Sizes underpin fisheries management techniques and Sea
Fisheries Committee enforcement teams will inspect both anglers and
commercially registered vessels ton ensure compliance.

Fishers should also be aware that the Government intends to increase the
minimum legal size for bass to 40cm in the near future and that it is
essential that all fishers familiarise themselves with the law in this
regard"

Andy

#2 Post by **fishinmidget** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:10 pm

Good. that **** bag got wat was coming to him.

#3 Post by **petekd** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:45 pm

54 bass......!!!! :evil: Not sure about the word "Angler" in fairness, must have a seriously large family to feed....

#4 Post by MC » Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:02 pm

is there no bag limit in England? and if there is do people just ignore it? 54 bass and 17 undersized, why are some f*****g c***s so greedy and don't plan for the future, that's is stupidity and really annoys me.

#5 Post by **BigPhil** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:45 pm

if he was selling them then he would have made a fair bit to cover the cost of the measly fine anyhow, big fines will be the only thing to stop guys like this

#6 Post by **dinger** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:38 pm

this just makes me sick

#7 Post by **donal domeney** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:15 am

So are clubs who use a minium size of 30cm breaking the law.
My point is an anglers catches a small bass
He leaves the hooked bass on the beach, puts on his new trace, wades out to cast, wades back in again and retrievies his slack line. All this time that bass is on the beach. If a fishery officer arrived on the beach while that bass is been retained by the angler is he (the angler) not breaking the law.

This is a view point that do not repersent the opions of and club or organisation I'm affiliated to.

#8 Post by **BigPhil** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:18 am

it would be hard to prove surely that the bass is being 'retained' at this point by the angler donal, as it is still living and is going to be returned?

#9 Post by **donal domeney** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:32 am

Can you prove in a court that you were not going to keep it you have it in your possession

My own view is that every angler should have a bucket of water with him.
where he can put his fish, while on the tracer, into this gives all small fish a better chance of being put back alive.

#10 Post by **BigPhil** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:47 am

that is the way it works at homenations level anyhow, the fish must be in a bucket of water before the stewards will measure it.
its a rule which i think should be applies to all federation comps
asyou say donal, all you have to do is plop your fish into the bucket, even with trace attached and then unhook with wet hands, measure, witness andrelease again asap

#11 Post by **donal domeney** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:35 am

Guileen s.a.c. ran the munster juvenile/junior shore in '05. One of the rules was that each angler had to have a bucket of water to put his fish into until it was measured. This rule is the norm in all juvenile/junior competitions now.

This rule also applies in the munster closed shore championships, rule 7, "When a fish is landed the fish should be placed in a bucket of water until the measurement is checked ect".
Sadly very few anglers apply this rule.

Conservation my ass. I could write a book on it.
Note, not my ass but on conservation and where the real threat comes from.

It seems people are looking to find me from my reports from de wall.

There is no law stopping these people from netting and legaly they have the right to net there and make an HONEST living.

#12 Post by **petekd** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:37 am

It seems people are looking to find me from my reports from de wall.

:shock: ????? Introduce them to that pooch of yours if they do find you....