New Northumbrian Bylaw

[davem2005]

As of June the first a new bylaw is in place regarding hobby potters(and all commercials ).

This only affects those putting out pots NORTH OF THE TYNE TO BERWICK. South of the tyne is different rules.

Take a look here for details of new bylaw....hmmmmm

Just gone to the website...believe it or not there is no mention of the new bylaw!!!! Not even under the news section!

Ok ...from memory...5 pots max and you MUST HAVE A TAG ON THEM!. 1 lobster a day per set of tags.

Tags available free from the NSFC office from 11/5/09. Law comes into force on the first of June. Expect the guys to be out chasing recreational potters and handing out warnings!

Contact details for the NSFC...since they dont seem to want to put stuff on website.

Tel 01670731399
Email [email protected]
website THE NORTHUMBERLAND SEA FISHERIES COMMITTEE - Home Page ...but dont expect to find details of new bylaw!

Cheers
Dave

 

[Iva-Cod-on]

cheers Dave I sent an email to ask what the crack was about a month ago and no reply I'll try a call this time.
Do they issue the tags?

 

[northeast1]

Just to back that up, last time i was up St Marys they where checking 2 boats putting pots out..so they are about and checking.

Still some shocking marking of pots going on out there, not sure about everyone else but when its abit choppy i find it hard to see a small 2pint milk container that someone has used as a pot marker.

 

[davem2005]

Richy,

I was rather hoping they would give us a pull that day it would have been interesting. I would have loved to have mentioned the pots markers we saw just outside the Tyne entrance even though the boat was only travelling as far as cullercoats for recovery.

What worries me most about this is that the SFC know every licensed potter out there and have written to them with full details. But they have no details of RSA's using pots so these people are the most likely ones to fall fowl of this new bylaw.

I mentioned this and was asked to help with a list of who to contact to provide a press release etc. This is what I started on last night but was shocked to see there is no mention of the new bylaw on what is arguably the "shop window" of the SFC. In fact if you read the FAQ,s on the website it advises wrongly even now at this late stage.

I have spoken to the fisheries protection guys who commented " they know most of the recreational potters anyway" but I think its a dead cert that they will be have a major clamp down on pots with this new Bylaw.

Apply to the SFC office for your tags and MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR CONTACT DETAILS ON YOUR DAHN. At least that way you can claim to be trying to stay within the law subject to the information available.

Iva cod... The tags were supposed to be available as of the 12th of this month. At this late stage I would recommend a phone call not an email as they have never been super fast at responding to electronic correspondence. You could email "FAO the Chief Fisheries officer" which gets forwarded direct to the boat. It may get a faster response.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Red5]

Dave,

did James fromthe Gazette get in touch with you about this as he phoned me earlier in the week for comments, so I gave him your Mobey....Also told him to ask you about MCZ's and MPA's while he was on

 

[davem2005]

I have not had any contact from the press on this or any other matter.

However I have recieved a reply from the NSFC Chief Excecutive to an email I sent this morning expressing my thoughts on the lack of information on the website and the likelihood that RSA's would bear the brunt of any early prosecutions under this new bylaw.

An extract from the email with regard to potential prosecutions goes as follows.

The fishery officers will deal appropriately and proportionately with any breaches of the new byelaw which they find in the early days following its implementation. Each such case will be treated on its merits and appropriate account taken of any explanation of a byelaw breach.

He also confirmed they are working on getting the website up to date.

I will be sending him a list of people I think they should inform and places they should put adverts or posters. These include
Alan C, Sam, Mike Thrussel. Elton, all marinas in the NE, Tackle shops, all slipways.

if anyone can think of any more please let me know.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Graham B]

Aye dave,

I Launched her on tuesday and the fisheries officers were just retreiving their rib on the slip at Amble. I questioned them about the ins and outs and they were pretty sketchy to say the least. The tags are avaliable from the cramlington office from the 11th of May with a fisheries officer there to answer questions. I think he is there for until the friday so you can nip in and pick up your tags. The thing I find sickening is that I am only allowed one lobster per boat!!!!!!!! Even though me and micky are 50/50 share we can only keep one allthough it may be legel to set ten pots if we had seperate tags. How are you meant to feed a family of five when you are only allowed to land one lobster per day???????? I just think it is unbelivable. If your pots are set six miles off though they have no powers over you, or that may just be my reading of the law???????????
Graham.