As of today each inshore commercial gill net fishing boat can take 1.3 tonnes of bass every month for the rest of the year. Anglers on the other hand cannot take a single bass until July and then only 1 a day for the remaining 6 months of 2016.
As completely crazy as this seems, this no April fools prank.
This is only part of the farce though! As many of you will know the EU’s own scientists stated we needed to reduce bass landings to 541 tonnes in 2016 to prevent further decline in bass stocks. The EU itself compromised and proposed landing restrictions of 3 times this amount. Then politiians – including George Eustace the UK Fisheries Minister – watered things down further, resulting in the current farcical regulations.
So anglers who wanted more protection for the bass stocks, got less protection, with restrictions being disproportionate against the sector who fish in the most sustainable way, take just a quarter of the catch, but generate the most money for the economy. No wonder we are fuming.
So in case you missed it, there is a protest in Camborne in Cornwall next Saturday (9th April) when we plan to express our displeasure about tall this to the minister with responsibility to fisheries – see here for all the details.
We now have pennants that will be available on the day that you can adorn your rods with on the day to add to the visual impact.
Please join us if you can make it to make your own feelings known. It’s one fishing related trip where you might not catch, but it might just increase your future chances of catching more and bigger bass.
Apologies for largely repeating my last blog but we need you to join us to show the politians and the attendant media that we are – to put it politely – fuming.
DEMAND A FAIR DEAL FOR BASS AND ANGLERS: DEMONSTRATION, 9TH APRIL, CAMBORNE