Legal Vs Recommended

Let's hope Treeboa, That's the whole idea of having size limits, so everyone understands the rules, like you say . all singing from the same hymn book. I don't care if they cant speak the lingo, ignorance is no defense.
I think Jim's idea of getting DEFRA / AT to distribute ( multilingual ) leaflets or laminated size charts through tackle dealers and Angling clubs would be the way to go... Tony look what you've started :eek:
 
Topfly said:
Let's hope Treeboa, That's the whole idea of having size limits, so everyone understands the rules, like you say . all singing from the same hymn book. I don't care if they cant speak the lingo, ignorance is no defense.
I think Jim's idea of getting DEFRA / AT to distribute ( multilingual ) leaflets or laminated size charts through tackle dealers and Angling clubs would be the way to go... Tony look what you've started :eek:
Click to expand...

Or maybe Clubs should also take it upon themselves to make members aware... like you say ignorance shouldn't be an excuse - but I agree that DEFRA/AT maybe to take the bull by the horns a little on this one
 
As this thread seems to be directed at me, I would like to point out that it was not my intention to "vilify" anyone and I was simply pointing out the fact that lots of anglers (especially youngsters) may not be aware of size limits and could therefore innocently take undersized fish.

I do not know Brian and certainly have no gripe with him. My post came in response to the photos of undersized bass that my 13 year old sons mates sent him yesterday.

In response to the sizes that I stated, I always use the size chart on the South Shields Sea Angling Club website for reference, which states the following:

c) Size limits ( Northern Federation ) No fish measured from nose to tip of tail below the following sizes can be weighed in.

Bass 41 cms Pollack 35cms
Cod 35 cms Pouting 25cms
Coalfish 35 cms Sole 30cms
Dab 25cms Sole (Lemon) 30cms
Eel No Limit Turbot 40cms
Flounder 30cms Mackeral 30cms
Gurnard 25cms Whiting 30cms
Haddock 30cms Plaice 30cms

No other sea fish less than 30cms can be weighed in.

I'll probably get into trouble for reproducing this without permission next, but hay ho!
 
Rob I certainly wasn't having a pop at anyone mate...which is why I started a new thread so as not to directly infer relation to anyones comments...my thinking was merely prompted by Brians thread and some of the coments within

I started this thread because there is a lot of people out there that take the (now defunct) NFSA sizes as gospel and interpret them to be legal...which they are not - merely advisory

def not aimed at anyone I can assure you - just borne out my own pedantry ;)
 
Tony, as i said earlier a good thread, if i had thought you were having a dig at someone i would have not contributed, but i know you are not like
that.
Rob , I'm in the Shields club and go by their sizes, but i think the whole thing needs an overhaul . tight lines Jim,:)
 
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"Or maybe Clubs should also take it upon themselves to make members aware... like you say ignorance shouldn't be an excuse - but I agree that DEFRA/AT maybe to take the bull by the horns a little on this one"

Tony, if you didn't have a PC, where would you go to get the legal size limits of fish?

I think that by the time people get to fishing clubs they will know the minimum sizes, as I doubt there are many that have bought gear and joined a club straight away. I think the first time they brought back a bagful of undersize fish they would find out the legal sizes :eek: :eek: :D :D

A tackle shop is probably the first place that anyone going fishing for the first time will come in contact with, unless going with family or a friend. If you are going with someone that is experienced they should inform you. I say should because I had to find out for myself by asking about instead of guessing.

When I first started fishing I didn't know there was a legal size, small fish were never kept as it was a case of "We would only take them if we could get a decent meal out of them". I bet it was a couple of years before I found out more info about it and that was by meeting and talking to fishermen. I first started fishing on a boat, I've never seen anyone measure a fish on a boat yet and when I started from the shore was given lots of info but mostly duff lol. No PCs and very difficult to find decent books with up to date info in those days. Even today, you come away from the coast and try and find info without using your PC and you will find it difficult as a lot of tackle dealers just cater for the fresh water fisherman and don't have the faintest idea (or interest) in the sea side of our sport.

Defra make the rules and they should do as much as they can to get information where it is needed, they should also be out more too, checking to see that people have the correct info.

Jim.
 
Just to hoy my usual spanner in the works, but would you all stop harping about minimum size limits for one minute and consider maximum size limits? I've said this time and time before, taking undersize fish is bad but taking BREEDING size fish is worse - deplete the breeding stock and the undersize ones simply won't be there, it's a simple fact.

I've taken bass upto 7.5lb off our coast, I feel very sad to look back and realise that having done so probably impacted the shoals of schoolies in years to come. I can see lately we're getting loads of them in my area since the power station vanished - perhaps because the big fish aren't drawn in-shore and caught as often - all my fish over 5lb were from the former Cambois hot pipe and when caught I'm sorry to say fed my family, but I know the majority caught by other people went to be sold to restaurants as a side income for people.

So yeah, don't take the schoolies, but lets realise that taking the big fish, size legal as they may be. like you see on the covers of the magazines is even worse long term as you're killing the future generations before they are even spawned.
 
5150 said:
Just to hoy my usual spanner in the works, but would you all stop harping about minimum size limits for one minute and consider maximum size limits? I've said this time and time before, taking undersize fish is bad but taking BREEDING size fish is worse - deplete the breeding stock and the undersize ones simply won't be there, it's a simple fact.

I've taken bass upto 7.5lb off our coast, I feel very sad to look back and realise that having done so probably impacted the shoals of schoolies in years to come. I can see lately we're getting loads of them in my area since the power station vanished - perhaps because the big fish aren't drawn in-shore and caught as often - all my fish over 5lb were from the former Cambois hot pipe and when caught I'm sorry to say fed my family, but I know the majority caught by other people went to be sold to restaurants as a side income for people.

So yeah, don't take the schoolies, but lets realise that taking the big fish, size legal as they may be. like you see on the covers of the magazines is even worse long term as you're killing the future generations before they are even spawned.
Click to expand...

well said ;D

i never catch any fish that would warrant a maximum size limit.

i do however adopt the thinking of keeping 1 fish and returning 2 when i am salmon fishing. not that i ever catch any in big numbers, but they have gone through so much, to get where they have been caught.
just what i do, i know a few other lads that do it, i also know a few lads that keep everything they catch.
i was looking at the number of fish landed and the number or fish retained vs number of fish returned for the last few years on the tyne, the % being returned seems to be going up quite alot.

there are many things that would benefit the fish stocks, but they need to be addressed by the officials, i dont think i have ever been to a tackle shop that has a size limit chart on display for all to see?? bar the fish rules.

if i am pleasure fishing, i keep the decent fish. they will never go unused, the same goes for fishing a comp.
 
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how would you claim a record fish?
go in the record books, photo in a mag, big grin, fish in hand.
then landed with a fine for breaking the law, no escaping due to the evidence.

tough call.
not that i will ever land a record fash :D

tony, have an xmas size limit pub quiz ;D
everyone will get to learn the size limits, link most people fav passtimes, fishing and pubs together for one night lol

education is the future.
maybe foreign fish rules dished out on the piers to foreign scum that bag up on undersize fish.
 
So why not mention giving out fish rules to all of the local scum that keep undersized fish in the same sentence Boz. I am quite sure it has been done a hell of a lot more on our piers, beaches and rocks by British people mate. I have seen them do it as have many many more people on this forum. Let's keep things clear for everyone not just one set of people.

Jim.
 
never really seen many people do it where i fish, but im not one for trying to single out one group.
locals as well ;D
 
At the end of the day
I've caught a few Bass now but only kept one,
I kept it because it was above the minimun NFSA limit, and of course only because I ate it.
However, I love Bass, it's a beautiful tasting fish, I would love to take any I catch to eat, but I wont.
If I caught one and it was above legal DEFRA size but below NFSA size I would return it.
Simple fact being that I'm an angler, and its my sport
I'm not fishing to feed myself, but if the rules of my sport say I can keep certain spoils then thats a bonus
I've returned many an NFSA size fish (Bass included) and I always will, because I prefer the nice feeling I get knowing that I'm a responsible angler and a sportsman*
*however on occasion I will take home a fish for tea, not every size one I catch, but occasionnaly, I'm sure there's some irony in there somewhere but I'm happy with it.
 
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as a idea maybe the local tackle shops could include a page in their new tide guide books for 2010 a page that tells people size limits for fish caught from our shores maybe
 
A canny idea Guy, at least that way they could pass on the price of it to us, as they should not have to pay for it. I for one wouldn't mind having to pay a little more for something like that and just one small page of writing would not be a lot. I still think something in the way of information should come from the government though as there have been a few schemes to get new people into fishing over the last few years.

Jim.
 
personally i fish for the sport, and only keep fish that are unable to be returned.

i get alot more pleasure returning them than eating them and even if a caught a record breaking monster a would 100% return the fish if it was still healthy;) a nearly always take my camera so a have the photos for memories and proof etc

as for size limits a think all size limits should be based on breeding/spawning age, so a think a keeper should be a fish that has had at least 2 years breeding.

there should also be alot more patrols to catch out people who take undersize fish, or else people are never gonna take notice:rolleyes:
 
post

post

ive watched this thread from a distance and not really wanted get embroiled in an ultimately self defeating argument. the comments and thoughts of all who have posted have one thing in common, the general wellbeing and sustainment of our sport. However, the overall picture should be taken into account and as far im concerned. from what ive seen on shows like "trawlermen",no matter how much damage the combined effects of every single angler in the north east in taking undersize fish it isnt even scratching the surface of a SINGLE non profitable full net of discard fish chucked back by so called farmers of the sea. a group of people who as far as i can see put f#ckall back into the industry in which they work.
Beat yourselves up if you want to folks but it could be seen as just an exercise in points scoring and one upmanship from the outside looking in.
as a recent returnee to sea angling I can guarentee you that more fish are returned now by the majority of anglers that where ever set free in the 80's. long may it continue but lets get it into perspective.
p.s. I aint condoning taking home baby fish but like a previous poster said, taking the breeding adults is far worse
 
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I hear what you are saying Pondy but at least we (as Recreatoinal Sea Anglers) can maintain the moral high ground if we can keep our own house in order when it comes to fish sizes
 

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