Save our Sharks- good news

[IanBurrett]

Hi All

SOS received some good news today as well as some other good news further below

From the SACN website
[link]


At a meeting on the 8th March of the Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee (ESFJC) Byelaw Sub Committee, it was voted to proceed with implementing a byelaw to protect tope within in the ESFJC district.

It is understand that the process will be; the Chief Fisheries Officer will now draft the byelaw, it will then be advertised, sent to DEFRA, and then will need ratification by the full committee.

The byelaw, if passed, will stop the retention of tope (or parts of ) caught within the esfjc district, and any tope caught within the ESFJC district will have to be returned in the same place they where caught.

(The byelaw will apply to catches of both commercial fishermen and anglers)

This will not stop the landing of any tope caught outside the district.

The ESFJC area covers from Doona nook in Lincs ,to a line halfway through the River Stour in north Essex and out to 6 mile at sea

This follows the success of the North Eastern Byelaw which is already in fruition. Several other areas have submitted proposals including one area that is considering outlawing the killing of Blues, Threshers, Porgies and tope and restrictions or increasing minimum landing sizes on rays and smoothhound.

END

These byelaws are seen as a temporary stop gap but we are waiting till they have run their course before submitting the proposal for the tope management plan. It is intended that the plan is also put into EU proposals to conserve the tope in all Eu waters. This would help bypass Scottish fisheries minister Ross Finnie.

Defra have also posted on their website “An Order providing conservation measures for tope Shark may need to be made and come into effect.�

Things are really are moving along nicely in England and Wales but Scotland is a different ball game. The SACN and the SFSA keep hitting a wall in the name of Ross Finnie

Below is the last few paragraphs of a Scottish SACN letter sent to Finnie today

Defra has created a post with the remit to work with RSA and see how the section can be developed. We are considered part of the fishing Industry. I am finding it increasingly difficult to understand how RSA is perceived so differently in Scotland and would appreciate your comments on this.

On the Defra website it shows a “Statement of Forthcoming Legislation for Defra in 2006�

Fishing Regulatory Proposals
An Order providing conservation measures for tope Shark may need to be made and come into effect.


Byelaws have been and are being created in the SFC’s to make the landing and killing of tope illegal. Defra are aware that a tope management plan will be proposed by RSA shortly and indications show they will support the proposal. Tope are much sought after by anglers, always on a catch and release basis, provide jobs in rural communities, are classed as an endangered species by the IUCN and have little or no commercial interest.

Would you agree that it would be a ludicrous situation to have when, it will be possible to kill tope in Scottish waters but illegal in England and Wales. Will you please consider a similar proposal aimed at conserving the tope in Scottish waters

END

I will forward his reply in due course

It won’t belong before the tope/smoothound are frequenting our shores. If you have had a good shark fishing day or have some pictures please post them on the Forum.

Cheers
Ian Burrett
On behalf of the SOS committee
www.save our sharks.org

[snatcher]

Ian bringing this post back to the top of the pile as it is very important mate.

Ian is some guy by the way. Fights tooth and nail for fish/tope/shark/bass/shark consevation.

If you want a pb tope/pollack of a lifetime check out http://www.onyermarks.co.uk/

I got a beaut will try and post the picture up now,canny p1ssed mind

[Rod_bender]

Originally Posted by snatcher

Ian bringing this post back to the top of the pile as it is very important mate.

Ian is some guy by the way. Fights tooth and nail for fish/tope/shark/bass/shark consevation.

If you want a pb tope/pollack of a lifetime check out http://www.onyermarks.co.uk/

I got a beaut will try and post the picture up now,canny p1ssed mind

We can vouch for that, we go out fishing on his boats 2-3 times a year, best Tope 40lb. best pollock 12lb.