Joined
·
86 Posts
the competition that was advertised up northumberland did it go ahead heard nothing
the coronation competition
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Joined
·
1,524 Posts
Yes heaviest cod won by seaham lad steven dixon 5lb5
2nd was about 5lb 3ish
3rd 4.11 ish
stevie williams took heaviest pollock with one about 6lb ish
Joined
·
1,524 Posts
Joined
·
1,524 Posts
Why?
Joined
·
1,524 Posts
all fish where of legal landing size so not a problem with it . They may of wanted to take them home for a meal . Just like people do when pleasure fishing .
Joined
·
1,524 Posts
Again. Legal size . No rules broken .
do you think a large commercial factory trawler who got a full lift of 35cm codlings would say ‘ oh they dont look like much of a meal lets let the lot go and try again? ‘
a couple of open competitions weighing in that amount of fish will have zero effect on the north sea cod stocks .
Joined
·
3,637 Posts
That's a ridiculous argument as recreational anglers are not doing it as their employment.
What would happen to stocks if everyone took every fish that was just in size?
Joined
·
12,007 Posts
You have to remember though that you cant compare catches from years ago to todays results. In the 70s and 80s the base of every pier in the northeast was absolutely lifting with legal sized coalies. You also have to realise that the legal size for a coalie then was just 10in. Winning match reults with up to 30lb of coalies was common. Today if you get one in a match your doing well. Were struggling to see finger sized coalies down the side this year.
About 10 years ago we had a glut of large whiting off our coasts. They were there every day right through the winter. You litterally couldnt get past them on clean ground. We even had a pod of porpoise that were feeding on them for weeks.
Just in my local club match You would need to have well over 50 fish in your bag for a weight well over 45lb in a 3.1/2hr match. And thats without all the undersized fish you'd put back.
None went to waste. I personally made sure of that.
I would fillet, clean and pack every one then pass them out to family and friends.
Those numbers didnt come back again [although weve had healthy numbers] until this year. But.... most local clubs increased there minimum size for them.
You really cant put the fish that one man catches down the side of a wall to there demise.
Theres a far greater problem with factory ships hoovering everything up. With no species or minimum size limits and turning it into fertiliser or animal food. Purely for profit with no regard for the world food problems
Joined
·
3,637 Posts
That's the crux of the matter.
So would that have helped the situation? At that time the herring stock was plummeting and as a direct result those fish that predated on them also tumbled in numbers, cod pollock, coalfish, mackerel etc.
So the best thing we can do as anglers, in the interests of fish stocks, is stop taking immature fish or fish that may only have spawned once otherwise we are no better than the commercial boats you mentioned.
Joined
·
12,007 Posts
Just curious here.
So... what would be your minimum size list for most species?
Bearing in mind that each one would have had to have spawned at least twice.
Joined
·
12,007 Posts
But going by Malks theory. You wont be allowed a cod until its about 7lb
Joined
·
3,637 Posts
Have another read; "...stop taking immature fish or fish that may only have spawned once..."
We can't know how big or small a cod is when it first spawned so we go by size. I'd be happy to go to 45 or preferably 50cm but fishing isn't a science and some fish get gut hooked and it would be stupid to return a fish bleeding from the gills. Perhaps we also need to rethink our tackle, circle hooks, dingle dangle rigs, 6/0-8/0 J hooks with large baits to offset the chance of hooking small codling?
AFAIR I have only taken one cod this year, one haddock and both were deep hooked and a pollock of around 5lb.
Joined
·
2,210 Posts
I have just moved back to the North East after living in Devon for 20 years, never caught a codling down there, must have caught 20 on 2 trips on a boat since I came back, I was amazed out how small the limit is. What size or age do cod breed at?
Joined
·
372 Posts
I'm glad you asked that, so I've just looked it up and this is what I found, copy and pasted:
Growth and age/size at sexual maturity can differ between stocks with some reaching sexual maturity at 2-4 years (40 cm) and others at 6-9 years (60 cm).
I was shocked. So most of these fish don't get a chance to spawn. No wonder numbers are plummeting. Something need a to be done.
Joined
·
1,524 Posts
1 factory ship , in 1 6 hour tow . Will kill as many fish if not more , as the full northeast anglers put together for a full year .
i only keep fish in matches . But have no problem in anyone taking any amount of fish they catch for the table aslong as they are legal landing size .
you mention the herring stocks malks …. Anglers didnt ruin the herring stocks over fishing by commercial boats done that . Mainly danish pelagic boats .
anyway got to go the makerel are in im going to fill bags full of white lightning and head dwn the pier
i only keep fish in matches . But have no problem in anyone taking any amount of fish they catch for the table aslong as they are legal landing size .
you mention the herring stocks malks …. Anglers didnt ruin the herring stocks over fishing by commercial boats done that . Mainly danish pelagic boats .
anyway got to go the makerel are in im going to fill bags full of white lightning and head dwn the pier
Joined
·
2,210 Posts
So the mesh sizes on the trawlers need to be increased signifitantly, or trawlers and factory ships should be banned
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Join the discussion
