[Codfather2]

hi all,
i know that you all feel strongly about netters (illegal), so i think i need to tell you what i saw a few days ago in weymouth bay.
i work in the fish and chip shop opposite the jubilie clock on the seafront and when i was bored and looking out to sea on a lovely evening last week i saw a small boat with two men in yellow sallopetes about 50 yrds off the beach pulling up nets, they went along parelell with the beach for about 100yrds and then seemed to turn in towards the beach, they eventually stopped pulling them up about 20 yrds out. they didnt seem to be catching much other than a few tiny flatties. the thing that anoys me is the fact that there were people swimming at the time and they werent catching anything decent.
in my opinion, they were endangering people for a few small flatties.
this is the first time i have ever seen netters at work so i am not entirely sure what they were up to but it was pretty clear.

i think ian should keep an eye out for this in the near future, although i dont think it will happen again due to thier poor catch.
thanks.

 

[dunce]

Fished in Devon last weekand they said that there were loads of bass being caught in axmouth estuary but mainly in nets!!!

 

[cabbytx1]

hello codfather,are you sure they werent sand eeling,thats the only reason anyones that close to the beach normally

 

[H4H]

I think the only thing they're likely to catch at weymouth is a holidaymaker, as the sea is so shallow i'm suprised they didn't ground their boat.
Unfortunatley there are no restrictions on how close to the shore a net can be placed, whether legal or illegal DEFRA aren't really interested, apparently if an illegal netter gets caught, he just denies the net belongs to him, says he was just moving it or having a look at it or whatever and as they have no proof that it is his there isn't a lot they can do about it.
look on conservation and angling politics for more Ian posted a thread on there a while ago about netters and DEFRA

 

[Ian Houlton]

hello codfather,are you sure they werent sand eeling,thats the only reason anyones that close to the beach normally

doubt it mate . they are all over the place down here and i could show you at least fifty

 

[Codfather2]

i was quite disgusted to be honest, i think the reason they came so close to the beach was because it was high tide and therefor deep enough for the small boat. i cant think why they woud want to net there as it is very shallow and is not somewhere that offers alot of fish, as i said the odd tiny flatfish. and i dont think they will be back as thier nets were coming up bare.

 

[ChezzieM]

i agree. lots of bass in the shallows early evening an mornings. they done the same in portland harbour 2 yrs ago. they had 3000kg of bass in 1 night. the bass stocks around this area haven't been the same since. i hate the netters

 

[Guest]

there are rumours afoot that suggest future regulations as to netting require that no net's are placed within 1 mile of the shoreline.
let's hope the powers that be make this law.soon.

 

[Blenny]

Who would be the person / people to lobby regarding a change of the law? If we present a united front and come from the depleting fish stocks AND a danger to children / bathers then surely this would carry some weight.

If anyone can help then please add your comments.
Cheers
Blenny

 

[Ian Houlton]

Hi mate, look through the forum for posts which highlight netting and you will see that people are trying now.
you will also see that we have no chance. which is why i have returned to my original way of dealing with it