Fishing News

SSACN Fish Size Limits - Return Any Cod Under 50 cm

Today SSACN is formally launching its’ Give Fish A Chance (GFAC) recommended size chart.

When deciding whether a fish is a suitable size to take for the table, many anglers use their clubs’ competition size limits or the government prescribed MLS (minimum landing size) as a guideline in the belief that they are adopting an approach which will help conserve fish stocks.

Unfortunately this is not the case, neither measure necessarily bears any relationship to the size a species needs to attain before it can breed - spawning size can vary greatly as it is dependent on many factors.

With the GFAC initiative we are trying to educate anglers to only consider taking fish for the table if the fish have had the opportunity to breed and thus replace themselves. It’s amazing how many ’serious’ sea anglers are actually unaware of the sizes some fish need to be in order to spawn - Coley/Saithe/Coalfish being a prime example.

GFAC sizes are developed from the upper end of the range for a species and thus are a far better guide.

Each species also has an ‘at risk’ rating reflecting its general status in Scottish waters; obviously we would recommend that anglers think twice before taking any quantity of those rated 3 or 4 without recommending an ‘open-season’ on 2.

Looking down the list you may well think you’ll catch very few that are ‘table-sized’ and none are rated as ‘1? - this is very much a reflection of the state of our stocks, and perhaps even more reason why you should support SSACN and all our efforts.

Regards

The SSACN Team
www.ssacn.org

Species Rating MLS Match Avg GFAC Size
Cm Cm Cm
Bass 3 36 38 45
Black Sea Bream 2 None 23 30
Brill 4 None 30 40
Coalfish / Saithe 2 35 36 60
Cod 4 35 36 50
Conger 4 None 90 90
Dab 2 None 23 25
European Eel 4 None 36 55
Flounder 2 None 25 30
Grey Mullet 4 None 30 45
Gurnard (Grey) 2 20 22 24
Gurnard (Red) 4 None 20 20
Gurnard (Tub) 3 None 20 20
Haddock 3 30 36 40
Hake 4 27 30 65
Herring 4 20 20 25
Horse Mackerel 4 15 20 25
John Dory 3 None 25 35
Lemon Sole 3 None 25 25
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 3 None 60 60
Ling 4 63 64 95
Mackerel 2 30 30 30
Megrim 3 20 25 30
Monkfish 4 None 20 85
Plaice 4 27 27 31
Pollack 3 30 35 55
Poor Cod 2 None 23 23
Pout 2 None 20 20
Smoothound 4 51 75 85
Sole 4 24 25 30
Turbot 4 None 30 35
Tusk 4 None 25 50
Whiting 2 27 28 30
Witch 3 None 28 28
Wolffish 4 None 25 60
Halibut, Tope, All Rays, Common Skate, Spurdog and Porbeagle
Shark – Preferred No-Take, Catch and Return only
Sources :: SFSA, SWSFSA, cefas.org, defra.gov.uk, fao.org, fishbase.org,
wikipedia.org, members and contributors to SSACN

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Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw Back Tracks On A Government Promise To Sea Anglers - but still seeks to introduce a sea angling licence and bag limits through the marine bill and RSA Strategy

Press release from DEFRA Below :

Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960

No change to sea bass landing size

Fishermen and anglers can continue to land sea bass at a size of 36 centimetres and over, Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw announced today.

The minimum landing size (MLS) for the fish, a measure designed to contribute to sustainable stocks, is to be kept at 36 cm. Mr Shaw also announced a range of new measures to benefit bass stocks and anglers.

Jonathan Shaw said:

“Having considered the science and evidence, and having listened carefully to the concerns of anglers and commercial fishermen, I have decided not to increase the MLS for bass.

“Bass is important to the inshore fishing fleet, which would have borne the brunt of the cost of increasing the MLS. I could not justify introducing a measure which would have had such an impact on those fishermen given the current pressures they face and the healthy state of the stock at present.

“Fisheries management needs to be based on collaboration and shared information, which is why I brought both sides together for the first time to debate the issues. I know that anglers will be disappointed, as they have played their part in making sure the stock remains sustainable. I do not rule out returning to an increase in the MLS once the effectiveness of the other measures I am announcing today has been assessed.”

In August last year Defra announced that the MLS for bass would increase to 40 cm from 36 cm, but following representations from the fishing industry it was decided not to proceed until new evidence had been considered.

Scientific advice suggests that bass appears to be fished sustainably and that stocks have stabilised or grown in UK coastal waters since the mid-1990s.

Mr Shaw today also announced plans for a review of Bass Nursery Areas and inshore netting restrictions, and for consultation on the designation and design of new areas.

A Recreational Sea Angling Strategy will be published next month, and Defra is funding research exploring the use of restricted areas to benefit recreational anglers. New management measures for tope, a species of interest to anglers, will be unveiled soon.

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Fishing Reports From Hornsea On The Holderness Coast

Hornsea SAC Results
Match 1 14 October
Tide 5.7 Times 13.00 - 19.00

Hornsea SAC Results
Match 1 14 October

1st LAWSON S . 7 Fish 11.56 Kg 4.54 Kg of Cod
2nd CROSS R . 12 Fish 6.58 Kg
3rd JARVIS A . 11 Fish 3.54 Kg 0.7 Kg of Cod
4th COLMAN M . 7 Fish 3.08 Kg 1.32 Kg of Cod
5th CROSS J . 10 Fish 3.08 Kg
6th AYLWOOD J . 6 Fish 2.84 Kg 0.76 Kg of Cod
7th WILLIAMS B . 5 Fish 2.74 Kg
8th PORTER J . 4 Fish 2.32 Kg 1.52 Kg of Cod
9th BRIGHAM C . 8 Fish 2.22 Kg
10th ASHBRIDGE P . 5 Fish 1.7 Kg

Hornsea SAC Results
Match 2 21 October
Tide 4.7m Times 10.00 - 16.00

1st COLMAN M . 3 Fish 3.34 Kg
2nd WRIGHT M . 11 Fish 3.04 Kg
3rd AYLWOOD J . 7 Fish 2 Kg
4th CLARKE S . 2 Fish 1.98 Kg
5th DAYES A . 3 Fish 1.6 Kg 0.94 Kg of Cod
6th PORTER J . 6 Fish 1.58 Kg
7th THOMPSON A . 5 Fish 1.56 Kg
8th HILDYARD V . 5 Fish 1.36 Kg
9th BOYD K . 5 Fish 1.26 Kg
10th JARVIS A . 3 Fish 1.26 Kg 0.84 Kg of Cod

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The 2007 Whitley Bay Open

Whitley Bay Open raised £235 for the Sunshine Fund

235 fished 45 weighed in aprox 130lb

1st Joe Archer six wrasse 17lb 6oz West Bay
2nd Paul Westmorland five cod 9lb 6oz Beacons
3rd Mark Smith three cod 8lb 9oz

Heaviest Fish
1st Vince Gates cod 6lb 10oz Warriors
2nd Paul Wilson cod 5lb 7oz Church Point
3rd Mark Smith cod 5lb 2oz
juniors
1st Paul Robinson winning with four flounders for 3lb 1oz
2nd Sean Hermin second with 2lb 8oz
3rd Mathew Holdroyd third with 1lb 11oz
Joe Archer




Vince gates



Paul Robinson

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North East UKSF Tournament Casting

A dry day with light sw wind of 2-5mph winds were the conditions,making it a tough day for any big distances to happen at the event .21 casters took part including top Scottish ace Paul Johnson who made the trip down to NESA. Paul showed us some terrific casting in poor conditions and also winning the event and well deserved too.New club records for Steve Anderson on the 200gm lead and also newcomer Tommy Harland using the fixed spool .Well done everyone who came and see you all on the 4th November

Paul Johnson 241-1-10:100gm,242-1-10:125gm,251-1-1:150gm,246-2-6:175gm
Mike Grant 251-0-5;150gm
Steve Anderson 249-1-3:125gm,247-2-4:150gm,242-2-5:175gm,235-1-10:200gm
John Ward 241-1-9:125gm, 239-1-9:150gm
Kieth Carter 233-0-6:125gm
Liegh Mitchell 230-2-11:150gm
Dave Hammill 230-2-8:125gm
Ian Lawson 229-2-11:150gm
Justin Liddle 224-2-3:125gm,215-1-2:150gm
Baz Blakeman 174-0-0:50gm,215-1-3:75gm,224-1-8:100gm
Will Powell 219-1-6:125gm
Marcus Hammill 219-0-9:125gm
Kieth Mitchell 215-2-5:150gm
Ian (onslo)Armstrong 213-1-10:150gm
Jason Earle 200-2-8:125gm, 203-0-5:150gm
Tommy Harland 192-1-0:125gm (fixed spool)
Paul Usherwood 191-0-0:150gm
Phil Darby 189-2-9:125gm
Paul (bam bam)Atkinson 133-0-0:150gm
Kyle Powell (jnr) 93-0-0:50gm
Bruce Malborough NCR

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Visit :

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/shark-fishing.php

A series of five articles about shark fishing written by local shark angler Rupert Drury who landed the first ever Shark caught at Whitby. These articles will give an insight into how to successfully target sharks off the north east coast of England. Although Rupert specifically talks about the north east in his articles the information you will find here could easily be transferred to any part of the UK coastline where sharks may frequent. This, Rupert’s first article gives a brief insight into north east shark fishing. The second article looks at the tackle you will need to go shark fishing at Whitby or from other ports on the north east coast. The next article will discuss how to organise a sharking trip and what baits etc you might need. The fourth in this series of shark fishing articles will look at techniques used and give some information on where sharks could possibly be located off the north east coast. Rupert’s final article will look at what could be possible in the future. With a thresher shark recently being landed by commercial fishermen at Filey the potential for catching huge sharks off our coastline is there. Please select the other Shark Fishing articles from the menu to your right or from the links at the bottom of this page.

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/shark-fishing.php

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Newbiggin Open Fishing Match 2007

510 fished, 114 weighed in 161 cod, 6 coal, 1 dab, 1pout, 2 bass, 1 eel, 12 flr 373lb 8oz 8 drms

1st Geoff King six cod 19-1-4 Private Beach £1,000
2nd Andrew Hooper six cod 12-13-6 Bog Hall
3rd Ray Maddison five cod 11-10-6 Bog hall

Super pool

1st Geoff King six cod 19-1-4 Private Beach £412
2nd Andrew Hooper six cod 12-13-6 Bog Hall £247
3rd Ray Maddison five cod 11-10-6 Bog hall 164

Heaviest fish
1st Chris Hossack cod 8-0-4 Bog hall £255
2nd Geoff King cod 6-5-0 £153
3rd Geoff King 6-0-10 £102

Team
1st Geoff King/Steve Shields 21-13-12 £238
2nd Barry Tweddle/Andrew Hooper 20-7-14 £159

Heaviest flat Dave Barr Whitley Bay Pipe flr 1-1-12 £100
Lady Jean Laverick flr 0-14-14

Junior Matthew Holdroyd flr 8oz

Chris Hossack who took the heaviest fish had to pack in after two hours fishing after taking two cod for 9-6-0. He inadvertantly stepped in a deep hole and went over side ways badly damaging his knee, which it was obvious at the weigh in he was in a great deal of pain and would soon be on his way to hospital. Hope he is alright.

More info and debate about the Newbiggin Open In the Whitby Fishing Forum

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Is A License On The Cards For Sea Anglers ?

20-year vision for sustainable fisheries

A 20-year vision to help fishing communities and businesses prosper, safeguard fish stocks and protect the marine environment has been unveiled.

Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw today (2 October) published Fisheries 2027, the government’s long-term vision for a sustainable fisheries sector to optimise economic and social benefits for society from commercial fishing and recreational angling while protecting marine life and habitats.

Fisheries 2027 envisages more joined-up, flexible and responsive management of fisheries to address the effects of climate change, and predicts that better-informed consumers will demand more variety and more local, environmentally-caught seafood in future.

Jonathan Shaw said:

“We want to get the best possible long-term benefits for society from fisheries.

“We need a healthy marine environment to protect rare and vulnerable species and habitats. That means more environmental protection, and harvesting the sea’s resources in a responsible way.

“We want to see coastal communities boosted by more jobs providing high-quality fresh fish, helping to maintain the character and identity of ports throughout England.

“We are still catching too many of some types of fish, and the greatest negative impact on the marine environment is unsustainable fishing. More needs to be done to safeguard stocks and to secure a sustainable future for businesses throughout the supply chain.”

Defra will be discussing a draft implementation plan, also published today, on how to achieve the vision with people throughout the sector with the aim of publishing a shared plan next year.

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