[blueskip]

One of the anglers on board the boat yesterday caught a 5.5lb male lobster (which he kept) & I caught a female lobster in berry (which I returned). Now it has been suggested that you have to have a licence to keep a lobster? That you have to return any lobster caught after 30th Sept? That you can only retain 1 per boat? :confused2:
I can understand these regulations applying to somebody who takes a boat out, & lays 6 pots with the intention of catching crabs/lobsters, but does it also apply to 6 guys on a boat with rods & lines fishing for finned fish, & absolutely no intention of fishing for lobster/crabs?:confused2:
I know regulations rarely make sense to normal people, but in this instance it seems that they are contravening basic human rights :eeks:
5 guys with nothing in common (except being in the same boat) are prevented from keeping a lobster they catch, simply because one of them caught one first? Yet 6 guys, in 6 separate boats, can catch one each?
Plus does the April to Sept 30th ruling apply to accidental catching on rod & line? Or is it just to cover the deliberate targeting by recreational potting? :confused2:

 

[blueskip]

Lots of people viewing but nobody coming up with any answers as yet. I have studied the regulations & they are pretty clear as far as "recreational lobster fishing" with pots is concerned, as it is with shore collection, but there seems to be nothing that covers the "accidental" catch on a rod & line by somebody fishing for plaice & catching a lobster unintentionally. :confused2:
If you are intending to catch lobsters then you need to get a free licence & be governed by the legislation which is 5 pots, 1 lobster & 5 crabs per day, per boat. per licence. But what about the guy who unintentionally catches one? :confused2:
Also the "number per boat" is debatable, obviously nobody has considered a group of anglers in a boat catching more than a single lobster, so there is no legislation for it, really the only clear thing is the length of the lobster season, but if you aren't deliberately fishing for them then how can you be fishing "out of season"
As usual with regulations they are open to interpretation, & the NRW will no doubt pull some sort of rabbit out of the hat, similar to the skipper being responsible, if the number of bass on board is over the permitted number! (Try stopping some 6' 5" second row from taking 10 bass if he wants to )

 

[sniggle]

I think recreational fishing covers fish and shellfish . I applied to local fisheries (Milford Haven area) and was told no licence was needed here for hobby potting.

 

[blueskip]

I think recreational fishing covers fish and shellfish . I applied to local fisheries (Milford Haven area) and was told no licence was needed here for hobby potting.

So one can safely assume that no licence is required because its the same as "hobby potting". But what about the number per boat, would that mean 1 boat + 6 men = 1 lobster, or 6 boats @ 1 man per boat + 6 lobsters, sounds like a Brexit type debate. What about the season for catching lobsters "recreationally" is it the same as commercially? So many questions & so few CLEAR answers, it seems that nobody understands the regulations until you break them. :confused2:

 

[sniggle]

So one can safely assume that no licence is required because its the same as "hobby potting". But what about the number per boat, would that mean 1 boat + 6 men = 1 lobster, or 6 boats @ 1 man per boat + 6 lobsters, sounds like a Brexit type debate. What about the season for catching lobsters "recreationally" is it the same as commercially? So many questions & so few CLEAR answers, it seems that nobody understands the regulations until you break them. :confused2:

I think the boat limit is not variable with extra persons , in my region it is two lobster and five crab.

It would be interesting in court proving who had the illegal lobster of the six or eight people on a charter.
Perhaps a test case is needed .:whistling:

 

[codlingchaser]

So one can safely assume that no licence is required because its the same as "hobby potting". But what about the number per boat, would that mean 1 boat + 6 men = 1 lobster, or 6 boats @ 1 man per boat + 6 lobsters, sounds like a Brexit type debate. What about the season for catching lobsters "recreationally" is it the same as commercially? So many questions & so few CLEAR answers, it seems that nobody understands the regulations until you break them. :confused2:

Bilimey, reading that made my head hurt!

 

[blueskip]

Bilimey, reading that made my head hurt!

I know it seems complicated chaser, but I need to know the "why's & wherefore's" because everybody else concerned will shrug their shoulders & point at me if we get boarded & we are illegal
We are not a charter boat sniggle it is a club boat that I skipper, but I am pretty certain they would deny all knowledge if anything was to go wrong!

 

[sniggle]

Just sent an E mail to Welsh fisheries asking the questions, will let you know the result .

 

[blueskip]

Just sent an E mail to Welsh fisheries asking the questions, will let you know the result .

Thank you

 

[sniggle]

The reply from Welsh fisheries,

BYELAW 30

FISHING FOR LOBSTER, CRAWFISH, CRAB, PRAWN AND WHELK

1. No person shall take or land from any fishery within the District more than the specified amount of the species listed below in a calendar day, except in accordance with paragraph 5. All such fish must be landed on the same calendar day on which they were caught and may not be stored in any keep pot or similar device at sea.

Species

Maximum Daily Quantity

Lobsters (Homarus

gammarus)

2 individuals

I did ask about club or charter boats with multiple anglers , it seems the ' no person shall land' covers it .

If six anglers come off the boat carrying two lobbies each not a problem, if anyone carries more than two an offence has been commited.

 

[blueskip]

That's great sniggle makes life a lot easier when you are not looking over your shoulder, thank you! :rofl: