Fishing News

Bass Minimum Landing Size - Jonathon Shaw MP To Meet Sea Anglers.

After Ben Bradshawe backed down on his promises to increase the minimum landing size for bass it was felt by many that a great chance to preserve bass stocks and increase the average size of bass swimming in UK waters had been missed. But now the new fisheries minister Jonathan Shaw has agreed to meet anglers and commercial fishermen with a view to readdressing the issue.

The bass managment plan had proposed to take the minimum landing size for uk sea bass from 36cm to 40 cm, but days before this was due to come into effect the then UK fisheries minister Ben Bradshawe backtracked and called off the increase after pressure from the commercial fisherman’s lobby group the National Federation Of Fishermens Organisations (NFFO).

Jonathan Shaw will now meet sea anglers and commercial fishermen on the 1st of October. A report on the sea anglers conservation Network Website says -

Action to protect sea bass around the English coast from overfishing are expected to stem from a crucial meeting on Monday (October 1) between sea anglers, commercial fishermen and the fisheries minister, Jonathan Shaw.

Anglers will argue the present legal landing size is too small allowing large numbers of immature fish to be marketed commercially and threatening to reduce the size and quality of breeding stock in the future.

In August 2006 they believed they had won a small concession from the former fisheries minister, Ben Bradshaw. He said the size would be raised from 36 cm (just over 14 inches) to 40 cm (just under 16 inches) in April this year, and consideration given to raising it to 45 cm (nearly 18 inches) in 2010.

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Chris Huhne MP & Martin Horwood and Roger Williams call For Marine Bill

The Marine Bill is key to the future planning and management of the UK’s energy, food, climate change mitigation and transport. It is also key to the conservation of our wonderful national biological diversity from basking sharks and sea horses to mussel beds and saltmarsh. In 2005, the Government promised a new law for our seas in this parliament. Sadly, we’re still waiting. A Marine Bill White Paper was produced earlier this year but we now need the UK Government to commit in this coming Queen’s Speech to produce a UK Marine Bill in the next Parliamentary Session, or they could renege on their manifesto commitment.

Melissa Moore, MCS Senior Policy Officer, said: “We are pleased to see the Liberal Democrats supporting our call for a Marine Act Now. MPs of all persuasions, NGOs and the general public are now getting impatient waiting for a Marine Act. We have no choice but to question the Government’s commitment to the a Marine Act and implementation of their manifesto commitment to our marine environment since they seem most unlikely to put it in this year’s Queen’s Speech.”

MCS UK and MCS Scotland have been campaigning for a UK Marine Act and a Marine Act for Scotland for many years. A UK Marine Act is urgently needed to introduce new laws to better protect our marine wildlife and habitats and to improve inshore fisheries management. The UK Marine Act needs to cover all UK waters as a range of activities such as shipping and oil & gas are not devolved; however other activities such as marine renewables and fisheries in Scotland are making a Marine Act for Scotland also essential.

Melissa Moore continued: “As yet there is still no firm commitment from the Scottish Government that they will sign up to the UK Marine Act. Their support for the UK Marine Act as well as a commitment to develop a UK Marine Act is therefore also urgent”

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Steve I’anson Wins The All England Codling Championships

The 9 day Scarborough angling festival concluded on Sunday with the All England Codling Championships and it was a Scarborough Angler who took the festival’s main prize. Steve I’anson had a 26 pound bag of codlings to take the festivals premier event.

Scarborough Angling Festival Results

1- Steve I’anson - 26.10.2
2- John Tindall- 19.8.10
3-Andy Crowe- 16.0.2
4-Malcolm Skelton-15.13.2
5-Harry Moon- 14.5.12
6-Terry Holmes- 13.12.8
7-Dennis Thompson-13.9.8
8-Ray Maddison- 13.6.0
9-Martin Dixon- 12.15.10
10-Robbie Harrison-12.12.0
11-Frank Colling 11.12.0
12-Phil France- 11.11.4
13-Mark Colling- 11.10.0
14-Mick Chadwick-11.2.4
15-Colin Stainthorpe-10.10.10
16-Andy Barmby-10.6.14
17-Monty Burton-10.2.0
18-Chris Scaife- 9.11.2
19-Dave Medd-9.7.12
20-Pete Bayes-9.2.4
21-Tom Mrashall-8.8.8
22-Adrain Colling-8.7.0
23-Andrew Colling-8.5.0
24-Dave Gyte-8.2.12
25-Dave Bielby

Greatest weight by a Lady- The Dawson Trophy- Angela Skelton-3.12.4
Heaviest Single Fish by a Junior-Doris Bayes Memorial Trophy- Tom Marshall -4.7.12
Greatest Weight of Codling by a Junior- Gordon Shayrpe Trophy-
1-Tom Marshall- 8.8.8
2-Matthew Stonehouse-1.15.10
3-Fraser Bielby-1.5.4
Greatest Weight by a Visitor- Scarborough Hotels Association Shield- Paul Short-Guisbrough
Seal Weight-Ross Mason

Superpool 1- Andy Barnby-Cod 6.14.0-£250.00
Superpool 2- Malcolm Skelton- 6.6.10

Drawn Pairs- 1st Steve I’anson and Adrian Colling-35.1.2 - £50.00
2nd Terry Holmes and Mark Colling -25.6.8 - £30.00
3rd Harry Moon and Chris Scaife -24.1.8- £20.00

134Fished - 63 Weighed In

Full results can be found in our forum at the following link :

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/forum/north-east-coast-fishing/scarborough-angling-festival-results-2007/0/

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31 Pounder Takes 1st Prize In Whitby Angling Festival

The whitby charter skippers late summer festival has once again been a very sucessfull event with most boats being fully booked for the competition conditions over the first few day were poor to say the least with fresh winds and big tides thus resulting in the size of the fish which were brought to the scales, quite a few boats cancelled over the first few days but as the weather improved and the tides dropped the size of the fish caught dramaticly improved it was terry harrison from halifax who managed to hook into his monster ling of 31lb 11oz fishing on board richard wards boat shy-torqe 2000 he took first prize of £1000 and also his £50 daily prize which in total gives a grand total £1050 not a bad days work terry not not only had 1 ling on his line when he got the big one but had 2 hooks on and also had a 12lb at the same time which amounted to 43lb of fish he had to pull to the surface a bit of a struggle for him .
Overall the festival produced some cracking fish with 8 ling going over the 20lb mark paul eddons boat trot on came the closest to the winner with a really good ling of 27lb 2oz caught by local angler andy bowman from whitby there was also some good sized cod caught but with the stamp of the ling they never made the prizes the winning fish was caught just 5 miles from the shore and the 2nd heaviest was caught on a wreck just over 2 miles from the shore also the majority of the larger fish were caught probably no further than 3 or 4 miles from the shore.

RESULTS

DAY 1
1ST JASON PASSEY LEEDS 11LB 14OZ LING SHY-TORQE 2000
2ND IAN WELSH DARLINGTON 9LB 6OZ LING NEVER CAN TELL A
3RD ANDREW CALVERT NEWCASTLE 6LB 3OZ LING SHY-TORQE 2000

DAY 2
1ST ALAN COATES DARLINGTON 8LB 13OZ LING CHARISMA
2ND COLIN THROWER BISHOP AUCKLAND 6LB CHARISMA
3RD ALAN COATES DARLINGTON 5LB 11OZ POLLOCK CHARISMA

DAY 3
CANCELLED DUE TO POOR WEATHER

DAY 4
1ST D MACHIN GOOLE 10LB 8OZ LING SHY-TORQE 2000
2ND IAN WESTWOOD CHESTERFIELD 7LB 12OZ LING SHY -TORQE 2000
3RD D MACHIN GOOLE 5LB 15OZ LING SHY-TORQE 2000

DAY 5
1ST TERRY HARRISON HALIFAX 31LB 11OZ LING SHY-TORQE 2000
2ND MALCOLM MACDONALD MIDDLESBOROUGH 20LB 11OZ LING SHY-TORQE 2000
3RD NIGEL GALLOP GRIMSBY 20LB 2OZ LING NEVER CAN TELL A

DAY 6
1ST DAVE TAYLOR HUDDESFIELD 17LB 3OZ LING SEA-OTTER 2
2ND DAVE TAYLOR “” 16LB 8OZ LING SEA-OTTER 2
3RD COLIN DAVY HULL 15LB 13OZ LING NEVER CAN TELL A

DAY 7
1ST ANDY BOWMAN WHITBY 27LB 2OZ LING TROT ON
2ND ROY BOLLINGTON CHESTERFIELD 20LB 11OZ LING SEA-OTTER 2
3RD ALAN DUKE LING WHITBY LING 18LB 1OZ TROT ON

DAY 8
1ST ANDY LITTLE BURNLEY 20LB 8OZ LING JEAN-K
2ND FRED MALISTER CHESTERFIELD 19LB 8OZ LING SEA-OTTER 2
3RD A ANGLER 17LB 0OZ MAC

DAY 9
1ST PHILIP PURVIS WHITBY 19LB 8OZ LING ACHATES
2ND IAN BUCHAN NOTTS 18LB 4OZ LING TROT ON
3RD KEITH HUNT RIPON 15LB 3 OZ LING SEA SPRAY

DAY 10
CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER

DAY 11
CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER

DAY 12
1ST SIMON OXBY WHITBY 22LB 5OZ LING SEA URCHIN
2ND BRIAN CLARK WORKSOP 21LB 13OZ LING NEVER CAN TELL A
3RD DAVE ABEL LEEDS 16LB 13OX LING SEA-OTTER 2

DAY 13
1ST R LITTLEFAR WOODTHORPE 15LB 3OZ LING CHARISMA
2ND IAN BELK LEEDS 14LB 13OZ LING SEA-OTTER 2
3RD STEVE COOPER BRIDLINGTON 13LB 12OZ TROT ON

DAY 14
CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER.

regards

paul kilpatrick (chairman wcsa)

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Sea Fishing License A Potential Threat To UK Tackle Shops

Press release from here.

The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) today urged governments across Europe to think carefully before introducing sea fishing licences, after it was revealed that the introduction of a licence scheme in Portugal has had a catastrophic effect on tackle sales in the country.

The official trade body, EFTTA, which represents almost 300 manufacturers and wholesalers, warned that the widespread adoption of sea angling licences – which is due to be considered in a number of European countries - could damage the 25 billion euros generated in socio-economic value by recreational fishermen across Europe.

Sea anglers in Portugal have been forced to buy a licence to fish since January, wiping out as much as 60% off tackle sales. And tackle trade companies and fishermen have been angered even more by the fact that 50% of revenue collected by the Portuguese government from the 12 Euro land licence and 60 Euro boat licence is being put towards a compensation fund for commercial fishermen.

EFTTA President, Gregg Holloway, said: “We do not feel that sea licences for recreational fishermen are a bad thing if the money raised by those licences is put back into improving fishing habitats, conservation and better and more access to fishing waters for anglers.

“But the sea angling licence introduced in Portugal on January 1st does none of this. On the contrary, the licence takes money out of anglers’ pockets, giving nothing back that is needed and wished for by the recreational anglers and tackle trade.”

EFTTA is embarking on a concerted campaign of lobbying the Portuguese government to change the new law, which also saw sea fishing banned from many coastal areas including beaches, harbours and piers favoured by anglers.

EFTTA has also launched an online petition called ‘EFTTA Campaign Against Unfair Sea Fishing Taxes’ which can be signed at www.ipetitions.com/petition/eftta-licences/ and is urging all sea anglers across Europe to sign up.

Before this new law was put into force, Portugal had between 750,000 and 1 million sea anglers. EFTTA now fears a dramatic reduction in sea angling participation in the country due to this ‘ill-thought law’.

Added Mr Holloway: “It is a proven fact that sportfishing and recreational angling in many cases provides substantial revenue to the local economy, by anglers purchasing equipment, food, drink and accommodation. Europe’s 25 million anglers generate some 25 billion euros in socio-economic value to the European societies, every year.

“It only makes matters worse that the same new law denies anglers access to a range of areas where they used to fish. This can only decrease the participation in angling and sportfishing in Portugal. Is this really what the law makers wanted?”

“Portugal used to be a preferred venue for sea angling tourists from other countries. We can only guess at how much this has already hurt and could hurt the Portuguese rural communities who depend on angling tourism going forward.

EFTTA has asked the Portuguese administration for the total sales of angling fishing licences, but the number cannot be given over the phone. EFTTA has now sent a formal request in writing and intends to publish it as soon as it is available.

The Portuguese situation has caused ripples throughout the European fishing tackle trade.

Aku Valta of Rapala, the world’s leading lure manufacturer, based in Finland, said: “If what I have read proves to be true, it is a major blow to recreational salt water fishermen all around Europe. It makes me really worry, not only about the Portuguese sport fishermen, but also about those hundreds or thousands of people who make their living out of recreational fishing there”.

Sea fishing licences already operate in Spain, while UK ministers are proposing charges to cover beach anglers, boat fishing and charter trips, with a new Bill scheduled for 2009.

This would overturn a British tradition enshrined in common law nearly 800 years ago. A public right to fish dates to the Digest of Justinian, a Byzantine legal codification, in the sixth century AD.

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Scarborough Angler Mick Chadwick struck it lucky in this years Filey Angling festival when he wound in this 15 pound cod from Scarborough’s Marine Drive.

Mick caught the cod, the biggest in this years Filey festival in Tuesday nights match. The fish along with another smaller codling gave him first place in the evenings competition and won him roughly £150 for his efforts.

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Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Results By Billy Colling

Day 1 Saturday 1st September 2007

Class 1:
Mick Chadwick, 17lb-15
Paul Lobley, 15lb-4
Andy Crowe, 13lb-x12.25
Steve Norris, 13lb-6
Peter Bayes, 12lb-12.5
Chris Anderson, 11lb-7.5
Davis Bielby, 10lb-12.75
Mark Smith. 9lb-11
Ian Thompson, 8lb-13.25
Peter Atkinson, 8lb-6.75

Juvenile Class:
No juvenile weighed in

FBAS Member:
Martin Cammish, 6-13.25

Super pool:
Martin Cammish, 6-13.25
Paul Lobley, 5-11.25

69 Competitors

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 2 Sunday 2nd September 2007

Class 1:
Ray Maddison, 21lb-6
Adrian Colling, 20lb-15
Pete Atkinson, 16lb-1.25
Ryan Blakebrough, 15lb-0.25
Aaron Brown, 12lb-15.25
Martin Dixon, 12lb-15.25
Andy Crowe, 12lb-10
Paul Lobley. 12lb-9.5
Chris Scaife, 11lb-7
Richard Cappleman, 10lb-8.25

Juvenile Class:
John Sutton, 1lb-9.25

Super pool:
Ryan Blakebrough, 6-0.25
Chris Scaife, 5-9

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 3 Monday 3rd September 2007
Greatest weight of fish
Class 1:
Mick Chadwick, 16lb-13.75
Phil Arliss, 12lb-3
Pete Atkinson, 8lb-9.75
Andy Cammish, 7lb-12.75
Harry Moon, 7lb-6.5
Mally Skelton, 6lb-10
Tom Cliffe, 6lb-5.25
Ben Kennedy. 5lb-4
Guy Handley, 5lb-2.5
Phil Jenkinson, 4lb-15

Juvenile Class:
John Sutton, 1lb-14.5

Super pool:
Mick Chadwick 15-13.25
Harry Moon 5-8.25

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 4 Tuesday 4th September 2007
Greatest weight of fish
Class 1:
Mally Skelton, 17-1
Martin Dixon, 13-5.5
Glenn Kilpatrick, 11-13.25
Adrian Colling, 11-8.75
Chris Scaife, 10-14
Steve Norris, 8-15.75
Chris Anderson, 8-11
Dave Medd. 7-9.25
Andy Barmby, 7-5.25
Tex Kennedy, 6-6
Super pool:
Mally Skelton 5-7 and 5-2.5

Day 5 Wednesday 5th September 2007
Heaviest single fish boat match
Jason Lovitt 9-0
Steve Ross 6-5
Martin Dixon 6-5
Steve Ross 5-8
Jamie Haxby 5-2
Dean Burton 5-0
Mandy Gage 4-12
Jamie Gilbank 4-12
Richard Farnell 4-12
Terry Holmes 4-10
Tony Jeffels 4-10
Lady
Mandy Gage 4-12
Juvenile
Alex Lovitt 4-6
Superpool
Richard Cappleman 43-6½
Total number of competitors 33
Number of boats 12

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 5 Wednesday 5th September 2007
Heaviest single fish
Class 1:
Mark Ferriby, 10-4
Mally Skelton, 5-1.25
Jason Riley, 4-7
Dave Beilby, 4-4.75
Tom Marshall, 4-2.25
Tom Cliffe, 4-1.75
Mick Wright, 3-15.5
Chris Scaife. 3-15
Mally Skelton, 3-13.5
Pete Atkinson, 3-10.75

Juvenile Class:
Abbie Colling, 4-5.25
Shaun Whitton, 12oz

Super pool:
Mally Skelton, 14-0.25
Mark Ferriby, 10-4

Day 6 Thursday 6th September 2007
Greatest weight of fish boat match
Martin Dixon 51-15
James Haxby 35-1½
Joe Matthews 33-9
Ray Holmes 30-11
Mandy Gage 27-0
Frank Colling 26-3½
Maurice Danby 25-10½
Joe Brain 21-11½
John Whitehead 20-7½
Rich Farnell 20-6
Lady
Mandy Gage 27-0
Juvenile
Alex Lovitt 3-1½
Heaviest fish by a senior citizen
Ray Holmes 8-4
Superpool
Ray Holmes 8-4
Number of competitors 37
Number of boats 13

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 6 Thursday 6th September 2007
Greatest weight of fish
Class 1:
Billy Colling, 16-14.25
Martin Dixon, 11-5.25
Andy Barmby, 9-6.5
Ray Maddison, 5-10.25
Adrian Colling, 5-7.5
Tom Marshall, 4-11
Andy Cammish, 4-9
Chris Scaife. 4-5.75
Terry Holmes, 3-7
John Huntley, 3-0.5
Juvenile Class:
Liam Robson, 4oz

Super pool:
Martin Dixon, 5-4.75
Billy Colling, 3-15.25

51 competitors

Day 7 Friday 7th September 2007
Greatest weight of fish boat match
Richard Cappleman 66-12
Martin Dixon 51-4¼
Terry Holmes 49-14¼
Frank Colling 47-13
Joe Matthews 45-14½
Tony Jeffels 38-7
Jamie Gilbank 38-0½
Andrew Colling 36-4½
Matt Crooks 34-8½
Adrian Colling 33-11½
Lady
Kim Marshall 26-6
Juvenile
Alex lovitt 1-3
super pool
Andrew Colling 8-3
Number of competitors 38
Number of boats 14

Day 7 Friday 7th September 2007
No shore match

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 8 Saturday 8th September 2007
Heaviest single fish
Class 1:
Mally Skelton, 6-12.75
Charles Hemming, 6-7
Dave Turnbull, 6-3
Paul Lobley, 5-11
Mark Colling, 4-14
Mally Norris, 4-13.75
Jason Riley, 4-8
Martin Dixon. 4-7
Terry Holmes, 4-7.75
Andy Barmby, 4-4.75
Angela Skelton, 4-0

Juvenile Class:
Liam Robson, 5-2.25
Liam Robson, 3-7
Hannah Colling, 2-9.5

Heaviest bag:
Martin Dixon, 20-3
Richard Cappleman, 16-4

Filey Fishing Festival 2007 Shore Match Results

Day 9 Sunday 9th September 2007
North of England Codling Championship
Class 1:

Adrian Colling, 16-6.25
Paul Medd, 13-4.75
Andy Crowe, 13-1.25
Billy Colling, 12-0.75
Pete Atkinson, 11-8
Steve Ianson, 10-6
Harry Moon, 8-13.25
Phil Arliss, 8-10
Chris France, 8-8
Aaron Brown, 8-6.5
Mark Smith, 7-9.5
Paul Westmoreland, 7-8.75
Ian Thompson, 6-8
Martin Dixon, 6-3
Mark Hall, 5-15.25
Colin Stainthorpe, 5-14.5
Martin Cammish, 5-9.75
Andy Cammish, 5-8.75
Mark Colling, 5-8.75
Steve Coverdale, 5-5.5

Ladies:
Angela Sketon, 1-7.5

Juvenile Class:
John Sutton, 2-10

Super pool:
Aaron Brown, 6-11.75 winning £166.66
Colin Stainthorpe, 5-14.5 winning £83.33

140 Competitors

Filey Brigg Angling Society Annual Fishing Festival Special shore prizes

Shore Angler of the week
Mally Skelton 34 points

Most points gained in the week by a juvenile (15 mile radius)J
ohn Sutton 9points

Heaviest Cod caught during shore competitions
Mick Chadwick 15-13¼

Heaviest fish caught during shore competitions by a juvenile
Liam Robson 5-1 Pollack

Heaviest catch of codling in any one day
Ray Maddison 21-6

Heaviest catch of in any one match by a juvenile
Liam Robson 11-1¾

Heaviest aggregate for a local competitor (25mile radius)
Martin Dixon 63-10½

Heaviest aggregate weight of fish by a juvenile
Liam Robson 11-5¾

Heaviest aggregate weight of fish by a lady
Angela Skelton 5-7

Heaviest single fish by a juvenile during festival
Liam Robson 5-1 Pollack

Heaviest Pollack
Martin Cammish 6-13¼

Heaviest flat fish
Mick Newlands 0-15½

Heaviest bass over 5lb caught in shore competitions
No winner - prize rolls over to next year £200

Well done to all anglers

Special boat prizes
Boat angler of the week
Martin Dixon 28 points
Visitor with most points
Joe Matthews 96-12½
Heaviest single cod
Jason Lovitt 9-0
Heaviest fish of the week by a juvenile
Alex Lovitt 4-6
Heaviest fish of the week by a visitor
Joe Matthews 6-0
Heaviest single fish by a boat club member
Jason Lovitt 9-0
Heaviest catch of codling in any one day
Richard Cappleman 65-1
Heaviest catch in boating competitions in one day by a lady
Mandy Gage 72-7
Heaviest catch in one day by a juvenile
Alex Lovitt
Heaviest aggregate by a local competitor (25 mile radius)
Martin Dixon 134-6½
Heaviest aggregate for the week by a local competitor who has not won a major prize (including specials, 5 mile radius of Filey Railway Station)
Steve Ross 81-9
Heaviest aggregate for the week by a senior citizen
Frank Colling 96-5½
Overall festival angler (awarded to the angler gaining the highest number of points entering boat and shore matches on any day may claim their highest points from both matches)
Martin Dixon
The president’s festival trophy
Andy Cammish

Well done to all anglers

A big THANKYOU to all anglers and sponsors for making the Festival a success
Next years Festival takes place 6th - 14th September

Also special thanks to those of you from the forum site who made the trip down to Filey to fish

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7 Pound Bass For Iain - Kayak Fishing

Whilst out in his kayak from Flamborough, Scarborough angler Iain sellors landed a superb Bass which tipped the scales at 7 pounds.

Iain who is no stranger to kayak fishing for bass said the fish took a Rapala X Rap trolled from his ocean prowler kayak.

Read the full report on Kayak Fishing for Bass Here.

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Marine Bill Needed To Stop Overfishing Say RSPB

The RSPB in the north east have called for an introduction of a marine bill to protect the areas marine life. The national organisation are asking all their members to contact the Prime Minister Gorden Brown to ask him to include the Marine Bill in the Queens speech meaning the Bill will get a hearing in this years sitting of Parliament. A Report in the Hull Daily Mail Says

East Yorks: Wildlife lovers are being urged to back a campaign for greater protection of marine animals and birds.

The rallying call is being made by the RSPB amid fears about marine wildlife at sites such as Flamborough Head and Spurn Point.

Over-fishing, dredging, pollution and sea bed disturbance are among activities which are putting creatures at risk, it is claimed.

Now the RSPB wants East Yorkshire people to support its campaign for further laws to protect the seas around the coast.

People are being asked to bombard Prime Minister Gordon Brown with special postcards urging him to ensure a Marine Bill is included in the Queen’s speech this autumn.

Full Report Here.

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31 Pound Ling In Whitby Angling Festival - Autumn 2007

A 31 pound ling for Terry Harrison from Halifax currently leads the way in the Autumn Angling Festival At Whitby. Terry caught his angling festival ling onboard Rich Wards Boat Shytorque using a mackerel flapper fished on a long flowing trace.

The Whitby Angling festival continues until Friday the 14th September 2007. Please return here for more results and fishing reports as they happen

The results so far are as follows:

Day 1 - 1st Sept 2007

• John Passey - Leeds - 11-14 Ling - Shytorque 2000
• Iain Welsh - Darlington 9-6 - Ling - Never Can Tell
• Andrew Calvert - Newcastle - 6-3 - Ling Shytorque

Day 2 2nd Sept 2007

• Alan Coates - Darlington - 8-13 Ling - Charisma
• Colin Thrower - B Auckland - 6-0 Cod - Charisma
• Alan Coates - Darlington - 5-11 Pollock - Charisma

Day 3 3rd Sept 2007
CANCELLED FOR POOR WEATHER

Day 4 4th Sept 2007

• D Machin - Goole - 10-08 Ling - Shytorque
• Iain Westwood - Chesterfield - 7-12 Ling - Shy Torque
• D Machin 5-15 Ling - Shytorque 2000

Day 5 5th Sept 2007

• Terry Harrison - Halifax - 31 11.5 - Ling - Shytorque 2000
• Malcolm Macdonald - Middlesbrough - 20-11 - Ling - Shytorque
• Nigel Gallop - Grimsby - 20-2.5 Ling - Never Can Tell A

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FILEY ANGLING FESTIVAL RESULTS DAY 1 2007

The Filey Brigg Angling Society Fishing Festival kicked off today with an open roving event fished from the shore Between Whitby West Pier and Sewerby Steps at Flamborough. The match winner was the captor of the heaviest bag of fish with all species allowed to be weighed in.

Scarborough’s Mick Chadwick was today’s winner with a bag of 17 pounds 15 ounces. Travelling Angler Paul Lobley from Middlesbrough fished Filey Brigg and caught 15 pounds 4 ounces of fish to take second place. Scarborough’s Andy Crowe took third with 13 pounds 12 ounces.

Pictures and debate on the days results can be found in the Whitby fishing forum at the following link :

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/forum/north-east-coast-fishing/and-ther’re-off!-filey-fishing-festival-2007-shore-match-results/0/

Full Results From Filey Angling Festival Day 1

Day 1 Saturday 1st September 2007

Class 1:
Mick Chadwick, 17lb-15
Paul Lobley, 15lb-4
Andy Crowe, 13lb-x12.25
Steve Norris, 13lb-6
Peter Bayes, 12lb-12.5
Chris Anderson, 11lb-7.5
David Bielby, 10lb-12.75
Mark Smith. 9lb-11
Ian Thompson, 8lb-13.25
Peter Atkinson, 8lb-6.75

Juvenile Class:
No juvenile weighed in

FBAS Member:
Martin Cammish, 6-13.25

Super pool:
Martin Cammish, 6-13.25
Paul Lobley, 5-11.25

69 Competitors

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Marine Biology Students On Whitby Fish Quay

Stand By For Science Students on the Early Morning Fish Markets

When coastal marine biology student Rachel Terry, from the Scarborough campus at the University of Hull, asked the MFA for work experience, she had only herself in mind.

But the relationship proved so successful that Rachel, 31, from Harrogate, will now be among a team of marine science students set to become a regular sight on the early morning fish markets of Whitby, Scarborough and Bridlington.

Rachel’s desire for some practical experience has helped forge a new partnership between the Marine and Fisheries Agency’s Scarborough office and the Centre for Environment and Marine Sciences – based on the Scarborough campus at the University of Hull. The deal will be sealed today (Wednesday 22 August).

The University will sign a contract with the MFA to enable students to help the MFA with the biological sampling of fish landings at the three ports.

The scientific sampling is widely recognised as a vital part of securing the future of the fishing industry.

It involves measuring the lengths of fish and shellfish from samples of those landed which determines the size and age of commercial catches.

The students on the fish markets in the mornings and the afternoons will also be removing small ear stones, or otoliths, from sample fish. Looked under a microscope, other scientists can then count rings, like the rings of a tree trunk, to tell the fish’s age.

This operation is skilfully done through the fish’s gill covers which then allows the fish to be still sold undamaged.

The information collected from all this biological sampling informs the official scientific advice on the size and quality of fish stocks, and allows them to work out how quickly fish grow and therefore plan for sustainable catches rates.

The MFA’s Yorkshire coast senior fisheries officer, Nick Garside, said : “We are delighted to sign up to this new partnership with the Scarborough campus at the University of Hull.

“It will give the students relevant and valuable work experience for which they will be paid.

“And it will give the MFA a more efficient flexible approach to biological sampling and improve our service to the Yorkshire fishing industry.”

Dr. Magnus Johnson, Head of the Centre for the Environmental and Marine Sciences at the University of Hull, said: “There are lots of graduates out there who want to be professional marine biologists – we want our students to stand out from the crowd. One way to ensure this is to encourage them to gain practical experience while they are with us. This is a win-win deal between the MFA and the University of Hull.

“I hope that the sight of students on fish markets in the mornings will help to dispel the myth that they spend all their time in the pub and don’t get out of bed before noon!”

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The River Humber May Become A Special Area Of Conservation

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Estuaries in bid for special conservation status

Three estuaries - the Dee, Humber and Severn - have been earmarked by the government as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) to protect vulnerable wildlife and habitats.

Defra has written to the European Commission to seek SAC status for the three candidate sites, to add to the UK’s 611 SACs covering just over two and a half million hectares. This is part of a long-running process of designation of UK conservation areas under the EU Habitats Directive.

The Severn Estuary has been selected as one of the best areas in the UK for mudflats, sand flats and Atlantic salt meadows. The estuary is also an important area for migratory fish and as a nursery for juvenile fish of many species.

The Dee Estuary supports extensive areas of salt marsh and has the fifth largest extent of mudflats and sand flats of any estuary in the UK. It includes a dune system along the north-east coast of Wales which supports a rich variety of plants, including the rare petalwort. The estuary is also important for a number of migratory fish species.

The Humber Estuary is the largest British coastal plain estuary on the North Sea coast, and drains one fifth of England. The subtidal and intertidal habitats, fringing salt marsh and reedbeds provide a valuable resource for a large number of rare or threatened mammals, fish and plants.

The Sustainable Development Commission is due to report in the autumn on the potential for utilising tidal power to generate electricity both in the Severn and elsewhere. SAC designation would not rule out tidal power development, including in the Severn Estuary, in appropriate circumstances. The Government is ready to consider carefully proposals for a Severn Barrage and other tidal power developments.

In the light of this Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government have drawn the European Commission’s attention to the potential of the Severn Estuary to contribute towards emissions reduction and renewable energy targets. We have also pointed out that these proposals could significantly alter the ecological characteristics of the Estuary and raise issues regarding the balance between habitat protection and tackling the wider problems caused by global warming. We are discussing this balance with the EU Commission.

Biodiversity Minister Joan Ruddock said:

“In submitting these sites the Government has demonstrated its commitment to the protection and restoration of the UK’s richly diverse, and internationally important, wildlife habitats. We will work towards ensuring that our environmental protection agenda and our aim to develop renewable sources of power are complementary.”

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