Welcome to the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society
Sunday, July 24, 2010
Can bass angling lead the way for the whole of Ireland?
In our posts of 9th February 2010 and 7th April 2010 (see below) we drew your attention to the vital need to ensure that protection for Irish bass stocks continues as it has done for the last twenty years.
Now there is a really important opportunity to ensure that these Irish restrictions on commercial fishing for bass that have been so important to us are expanded to cover the sea areas around Northern Ireland as well.
A new initiative by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland (DARDNI) provides a unique opportunity for sea anglers to have their say in the management of sea bass stocks.
The story starts in the South of Ireland about 20 years ago, where sea bass have been restrictively managed for recreational/tourism angling since stocks were plundered by commercial netting in the 1970s/80s.
This may well be the only example across the whole EU where a marine species has been managed as a recreational species.
Now Northern Ireland authorities are proposing to do the same so that all the island of Ireland treats bass in a similar way.
What we need you to do is respond to the consultation - but hurry, time is short, it ends on 24th August 2010.
It doesn't matter where you live in Europe you are entitled to have your say. Whether you are just a bass angler or are involved in an angling related business it doesn't matter - you absolutely must register your opinion to the Northern Irish Government.
Step 1. Visit the DARDNI website for the consultation document.
Step 2. Complete the document and email it to:
myrtle.ferguson@dardni.gov.uk
It's important that you agree to all the points in the document if you want the Northern Ireland bass legislation to be the same as in the South and their bass stocks protected for anglers.
Remember, you only have until 24th August.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sudden and Tragic Death of John Leballeur
It is with great shock and sadness we report that John Leballeur, the leading campaigner for bass conservation and restoration, died suddenly last Saturday 10th April 2010. He was 60 years old.
John worked tirelessly in the campaign to protect and restore bass stocks.
John had been a keen member of the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society (B.A.S.S.) for some years. Just an ordinary angler enjoying his sport and being part of one of the best fishing clubs around. Then, in 1999, he decided it was time to put something back into the sport he loved. Initially he took on the role of Fish Recorder. How could any of us have known then just how much important and vital work he would go on to do for B.A.S.S. the society, bass the fish, and for the wider world of sea angling?
Very soon after becoming a fish recorder John made links with the great Donovan Kelley MBE and worked alongside him in the research activities that have added so much to our knowledge of bass. Perhaps the major contribution that John made at that time was his input to the joint CEFAS/IFREMER/B.A.S.S. tagging programme that yielded much new information about bass migrations in and around UK waters. John's articles in the B.A.S.S. magazine (later reprinted in the book Bass & B.A.S.S[1].) Bass Tagging 2000-2003, and his contribution to the scientific article Migrations, fishery interactions, and management units of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in Northwest Europe[2] give a good idea of his level of commitment and involvement at that time. When in 2004 Donovan finally retired, John took over the work.
Alongside the many hours of netting and sampling tiny bass and the collation and presentation of the data provided by this work, John became a leading part of the B.A.S.S. Restoration Project as well as being chairman of B.A.S.S. itself. His tireless efforts alongside the likes of Malcolm Gilbert, Bob Cox, Steve Pitts and others in producing, presenting, and fighting for the introduction of the Bass Management Plan which, if adopted, would have given the kind of protection bass stocks really need and would have returned to the recreational sea angler the quality of bass fishing they had been used to until the commercial fishing industry began their gross over-exploitation of the species in the latter part of the twentieth century. John's dedication to this campaign never faltered. Even when others became disheartened he carried on. Recently he championed a formal working arrangement between B.A.S.S. and the Salmon & Trout Association and in his last week he met with the Fisheries Minister to press, once again for an increase in the minimum landing size for bass. At the end of April he was due to meet again with the European Anglers' Alliance to help develop a European-wide plan to protect bass from commercial over-fishing.
At the moment it seems inconceivable that we shall be able to replace him. With his passing, the world of bass angling and bass conservation suffers an irreplaceable loss.
In his non-fishing life John had been a policeman, a fisheries officer, and a self-employed businessman. He had many friends and associates who will miss him greatly, but more than anything he was a family man who leaves behind a wife Gina, and two grown up children. At this time our thoughts go out to them and we offer our sincere condolences.
[1]Bass & B.A.S.S. compiled and edited by Geoff Gonella, published by Angler's Bookcase
[2]Pawson, M.G., Pickett, G.D., Leballeur, J., Brown, M., Fritch, M., Migrations, fishery interactions, and management units of sea bass in Northwest Europe -ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 332-345.
posted at 10:35 PM - [email this]
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Irish Bass stocks update
Your letters and emails needed now.
Don't let quality bass disappear, photo courtesy Tony Hooper, a regular visitor to Ireland
Join Henry Gilbey, Matt Hayes, Paul Young, and others in the campaign to protect Irish bass
Following on from our report of 9th February 2010 (see below) there has now been a re-shuffle of the Irish Government and there is a new Fisheries Minister in post. He is Minister Sean Connick TD and he is, by repute, more sympathetic to the commercial fishing interests than his predecessor. It is therefore vital that all who read this and who care about the preservation of good recreational bass angling in Ireland write to him as soon as possible expressing your worry and concern about the proposal to allow the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) to develop an "industry/science partnership programme of research' to assess Irish inshore bass stocks". We all know that, in reality, this is nothing other than an attempt by commercial fisherman to 'get a foot in the door' and bring an end to the situation where Irish bass stocks have, for the last twenty years, been protected against commercial exploitation.
John Quinlan from the campaign group for Irish Bass said this week:
"Sean Connick is the new Minister for Fisheries in Ireland. After a small amount of research it appears his sympathies lie completely with commercial fishermen. It also appears he feels commercial fishermen should be allowed access to Irish inshore bass stocks. Commercial fishing interests will be contacting him immediately to make sure he looks after their interests. I know it takes a little time and effort but it is absolutely vital that anglers take the time to write a letter to him straight away focusing on the following points:
1) Tell him how much you spend on your bass fishing trips to Ireland and how much it benefits people in remote coastal communities.
2) That keeping sea bass as a recreational resource is the right thing to do because commercial fishermen have already proved they cannot sustainably manage this species.
3) That bass angling is a 8 million euro industry in Ireland, which directly and indirectly employs hundreds of people and those jobs must be protected.
4) Make the Minister aware that you could easily take your money elsewhere if you feel the Irish bass stocks are not being protected and any change in the current legislation would encourage you to go elsewhere."
It is a good idea to email him first, then write to him at: Minister Sean Connick TD, Priory Lane, The Quay, New Ross, Co. Wexford, Republic of Ireland. Email Minister Sean Connick TD
When you have done that, please send copies of your letter and email to Minister Mary Hannifin, Minister for Tourism, Department of Tourism Culture and Sport, 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland. Email Minister Mary Hannifin
Finally, please go to www.irishbass.org to see the good work they are doing.
posted at 9:06 PM - [email this]
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Do you go bass angling in Ireland?
Please help to protect the Irish bass stocks
Irish bass caught in an Irish net, photo courtesy Allan Hughes
If you visit Ireland to fish for bass you need to know that your future fishing is in danger. The Federation of Irish Fishermen (a commercial fishing organisation) has placed a proposal before the Irish Minister to allow them to land bass taken from waters south of the line 51.30N, which hits the Irish coast around Clonakilty. So whilst off the south east coast any commercial fishing activity would be in offshore waters, further west towards Cork this line of latitude is far closer to the shore and once west of Clonakilty is actually up to the shore.
The Federation of irish Fishermen are seeking an 'industry/science partnership programme of research' to assess Irish inshore bass stocks. This could spell real danger for bass angling in the Republic. We must be very worried that this so-called 'industry/science partnership' is really just the 'thin end of the wedge' in opening the door to a return to the commercial exploitation of bass in Ireland The protection of Irish bass, that has done so much to encourage sea angler tourism to Ireland, will be endangered at a time when Ireland will need more tourist income than ever because of the financial crisis.
Please also make anyone you know with an angling interest for bass in Ireland, aware of the dangers and ask them to visit the Irish Bass website, to get more details of the problem. You can also read what Henry Gilbey has to say about it on his website blog.
In the first instance you should write expressing your concerns to:
Mr. C. Lenihan, Minister for State.
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources,
29-31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2,
Republic of Ireland.
If you can find the time please also send a letter of equal concern to the following:
Mr. Tony Killeen TD. Minister of State, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food,
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Brendan Smith TD. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Martin Cullen TD. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism,
23 Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Republic of Ireland.
Mr Eamonn Ryan TD. Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources,
29-31 Adelaide Road,
Dublin 2.
Republic of Ireland.
It is also worth signing the online petition, but please remember that politicians take much more notice of individual letters.
posted at 10:28 PM - [email this]
Monday, February 01, 2010
Bass Lure Storage System
Durable, Transparent, Light Weight
Its O.k. untangling a box full of lures at home, but when bass are on the bite, you need lure changes to be slick & trouble free (I tried lure bonnets . . . but always ended up dropping/losing them).
Using individual lure boxes makes changing lures quicker & hassle free. Take the top off the box, the eye of the lure is there ready to accept your loop or clip.
Before going fishing, consider the ground over which you will be plugging and sort out the lures you are going to use. Put them in the individual storage boxes. Five will fit in a Titan front pocket.
After fishing, wash your lures & boxes in clean water, dry & then mist the hooks with WD 40. Catch more fish with help from B.A.S.S.
The BLSS are constructed of a robust plastic (not brittle) which is clear enough to identify what the box contains and also has the facility to adjust the length for different lures(5" to 8") and with small lures you can get two to a box.
Cost is £1.50 per box. P&P is extra - for up to six boxes this will come to £1.50; to 10 items £2.00; to 15 items £2.50 (UK postage only - for overseas please enquire).
All proceeds are going to the BASS Restoration Project Fund.
Please send cheques made payable to BASS Restoration Fund to:
Frank Whittingham
Shawe Cottage
Shawe Park
Kingsley Holt
Cheadle
ST10 2DL
posted at 9:17 PM - [email this]
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Henry Gilbey shows his support for BASS
We need to give BASS the opportunity...
Henry Gilbey, fanatical sea angler, angling photographer, journalist and broadcaster, who is well known for his television fishing shows and his work in the angling media, has this week given a ringing endorsement to BASS and the conservation and political campaigning work we do.
Henry has his own website and in his latest blog he says:
"...the more I learn about the organisation known as BASS (Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society), the more I feel that grassroots anglers (like me) need to give these kinds of people more and more opportunity to try and make a difference."
Henry describes how he joined us at the CLA Game Fair this year and has come to understand what we are trying to achieve for the ordinary bass angler. To read more of what Henry has to say go to the blog on his website. While you are there also have a look round at the rest of the site. You will find, amongst others things, some very interesting views on what Henry considers to be the most effective bass lures as well as some beautiful photographs.
Image courtesy of Henry Gilbey
posted at 9:46 PM - [email this]
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
European Bass Stocks Under Threat
Decline Alarms Anglers
UK anglers will soon start to see a disastrous decline in both the number and size of bass available in the important and valuable Recreational Fishery.
That is the conclusion from studies that show an alarming reduction in the number of juvenile fish coming into Southern nursery areas indicating a collapse in recruitment in recent years.
And if that isn't bad enough, this harsh winter could very well have wiped out most of the young fish expected to have recently entered the nursery areas
"Typically young bass will spend four or five years growing in protected shallow inshore areas" said John Leballeur, Chairman of the BASS Restoration Project team
"And it's not until those fish leave the nursery areas and spread out around the coast that anglers and fishermen will notice that there are far fewer young fish joining the fishery to replace those now being taken as adults in the commercial fishery."
Bass are a non-quota species and are not subject to any significant controls on the total amount that can be landed by the commercial fishing fleet. With fishermen struggling to operate within reduced quotas for other species, available stocks of mature fish are now being fished down.
"With little hope of strong replenishment, the future isn't looking too positive" said John Leballeur.
Hopes that these problems are local to the UK have been dashed by reports that the same concerns are now being expressed by anglers in Europe.
An item posted on a French angling website illustrates their concerns.
Some news from last year with a decline in Bass landings of line caught fish of 40% on the Breton markets, "Peche au Bar" are questioning current evaluation of the stock (2000 & 2006), concerned about the exploitation and targeting of larger breeding stock, and the general malaise that is all too familiar to us. They propose a close season from February to March.
"In these conditions, the line fishermen require implementation of a stock assessment worthy of the name, and that they identify a number of parameters affecting that stock : catches of course, but also recruitment, disturbances in the coastal zone, impact of sonar emissions, degradation of the quality of water etc..?" (Source: Pêche au Bar.com http://www.pointe-de-bretagne.fr/ )
In response to such concerns within Europe, John Leballeur was invited to address a meeting of European Anglers in Amsterdam last year on measures that can be implemented to protect the European Recreational Bass Fishery and is working with the European Anglers Alliance to convene a European-wide workshop to address the problems and consider the measures needed to restore the Bass Fishery.
"With generally warming seas, we should be seeing a significant increase in both the number and size of bass in our inshore waters, not a decline" said John Leballeur.
"The reason that isn't happening is because of the wilful failure of fishery managers to address the issues simply because they find it politically difficult to do so when the commercial fleet is suffering from the consequences of over-capacity"
"That wilful neglect does nothing to address the long term health of our bass stocks, the important and valuable recreational bass fishery, or the future prospects of commercial fishermen who above all else need healthy fish stocks to survive".
BASS are calling on DEFRA to take urgent action to address the problems of overexploitation of bass stocks and to reverse this alarming decline now, not when their failure to do so becomes obvious to all.
posted at 8:29 PM - [email this]
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Donovan Kelley 1918 - 2008
By Malcolm Brindle
When I was a boy in the 1950's I read the Fishing Gazette in the local library. An article written by Donovan Kelley about bass fishing caught my eye. It ignited a pilot light that has never diminished. Many years later I noticed in the BASS magazine that he required scale samples from Portland bass for his voluntary research and so began a correspondence that lasted until his recent death. I have filed all his letters because everyone regarded Donovan as the leading authority and for which he received a MBE in 1991.
His devotion started when the family moved from Plymouth to Torbay. A chance meeting at Dartmouth with Ray West - a local expert ? opened up the mysteries of bass biology. After seven years interrupted by war service Donovan a former government auditor continued his studies retaining amateur status throughout and corresponded with over 400 people ? too many to name -who had connections with the fishery. In the early 1970's with the help of the Natural Environmental Research Council fish were tagged over a five-year period in Anglesey followed later with corroborative studies in North Pembrokeshire, North Cornwall, Dorset and offshore in Essex. In 1981 research started focusing on first year bass (0-group) survival rates up to maturity. Other tagging programmes followed. It is difficult to emphasis how important his contribution has been to legislation on bass protection. Such was his enthusiasm these projects were just part of an endless ongoing investigation that continued until the end. He has written two books, "Forty Anglers" (Merlin Books Ltd 1994) and "Life with bass" (1998) plus nine scientific papers (J. Mar. Bio. Ass. UK).
He was more than a friend to our society and was with us from the beginning. When told of the death of a special person many say "they do not make them like that anymore" So true of Donovan.
Donovan's funeral took place at Bodmin Crematorium on 10th December 2008. The chapel was full to overflowing, not only with family, but with the many friends and associates who had got to know and admire him through his bass research, and his lifelong love of sea angling. BASS was represented by the Peter Macconnell, Malcolm Gilbert, and Dave Cooling, though numerous other bass anglers and research helpers were present to pay their respects. Currently BASS is looking into ways that we might create a fitting memoriam (perhaps in the form of an annual research bursary) so as to pay proper and ongoing tribute to the man who did more than any other to advance our knowledge of bass ecology and behaviour, and to make us first aware of the dangers to the species from over exploitation.
posted at 10:24 PM - [email this]
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Anglers Attack Brussels
'Junk this ridiculous proposal' says BASS
After years of urging the EU to adopt sensible conservation measures and being ignored, UK anglers are turning on Brussels in anger at ridiculous proposals to bureaucratise their sport and to criminalise anglers who fail to tell them what they have caught.
John Leballeur, the chairman of the Bass Restoration Team of the Bass Anglers Sport Fishing Society said "Over the years, members have spent much of both their own and the Society?s money on futile trips to meet with EU politicians and officials to press the case for measures to preserve our fish stocks so that there will be sport for future generations of anglers to enjoy, as well as ensuring robust fisheries that can support both recreational and sustainable commercial fisheries."
We have always been greeted warmly and had our proposals accepted with promises of follow up actions that have afterwards never seen the light of day.
Just as scientific evidence presented by ICES is discarded each year when the EU sets quotas for how many fish can be taken from the sea, leading inevitably to fewer fish, and those that remain becoming smaller, year upon year.
And now we have these entirely inappropriate proposals to regulate Recreational Sea Angling contained in 'Article 47'.
Not only do these measures, if implemented, have the potential for destroying many businesses and livelihoods in the UK economy, they come as an ultimate insult to the Recreational Sea Angling sector which is widely acknowledged as having a minimal impact on fish stocks, and which has been at the forefront of calling for meaningful conservation measures where these can make a real difference.
The catch of anglers is insignificant when compared to the amount of fish dumped over the side by fishing vessels. It's like trying to change the washer on a tap, when the mains pipe has burst and is flooding the house.
"Stop telling us what you are going to do to us, and start truly listening to us? is the message that BASS is sending to Brussels."
posted at 10:43 AM - [email this]
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Bass Ice Tragedy
'We could lose and entire year group' says BASS.
"A cruel trick of nature threatens the first positive signs of a recovery in the recruitment of bass stocks" says John Leballeur, Chairman of the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society's Bass Restoration team.
"Following three disastrous years when bass recruitment seemed to be failing, 2008 saw the late arrival in shallow nursery areas of a year group that seemed to indicate better numbers of juveniles promising hope for the future.
But past experience has shown that entire juvenile year classes can be wiped out as they seek refuge and food in shallow nursery areas, when winter temperatures plummet below freezing, for any continuous period of time.
And we are seeing now for the first time in a decade or more, a sustained period of freezing temperatures cold enough to ice up sheltered harbours in the South-west.
This could decimate that 2008 year class which is now so vulnerable to this bitter winter"
And with such poor recruitment for the previous three years, the signs are that bass could become much rarer in our inshore waters.
That would not only impact on the future commercial fishery, but could devastate the extremely valuable recreational bass fishery, said to be worth some £100 million to the coastal economy.
Already bass are being heavily exploited by commercial fishermen because bass is a non-quota species, and with ever tightening enforcement of fishing for quota species, more fishermen and boats are turning to bass to maintain their profitability.
"We are heartsick at what we see unfolding before us" said John Leballeur who is calling upon DEFRA to act quickly to protect remaining bass stocks, and to ensure that the Marine Fisheries Agency and the Sea Fisheries Committees are given adequate resources to properly enforce existing protection measures for bass.
"If we do lose this year group to the cold, following the previous three years of recruitment failure, it will be a tragedy, not just for commercial fishermen and anglers, but for many businesses and livelihoods dependent upon the bass fishery.
The time to act is now, before it is too late. "
posted at 5:09 PM - [email this]
Friday, October 03, 2008
BASS Tells Minister to Beef Up for 2012
Don't Lose this Chance says BASS.
BASS are urging the Fisheries Minister, Jonathan Shaw, to adopt a strong position ahead of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy by 2012. BASS are demanding that UK national and regional legislation created for the protection of our close-inshore fisheries apply to all vessels fishing within the UK's 12 mile limit, whatever their nationality.
2012 may still seem a long way off, but there is much work to be done to agree the UK's position in readiness for the next formal ten-year review.
Of all the issues that most concern both anglers and inshore commercial fishermen, the amount of access allowed to other EU nations to fish-stocks within close inshore waters probably causes the greatest concern.
Although the previous review in 2002 allowed EU nations to create their own conservation rules within their own 6 to 12 mile zone (to which some other country's fleets have 'grandfather rights' of access), such rules can only apply to foreign vessels with the agreement of those nations, and the EU.
This has led to UK conservation rules such as those preventing pair-trawling for bass, and the protection of tope, both prized sport fish, only applying to UK vessels, whereas foreign boats fishing alongside UK boats close to our shores are not subject to such restrictions, considerably weakening the effectiveness of such legislation.
Of even greater concern is the reluctance of fishermen and Sea Fisheries Committees to adopt conservation measures within our own six mile limit (which is reserved for UK licensed vessels only), when foreign boats fishing only just outside the current six mile limit can legally ignore such measures. It was this situation that allowed the UK commercial sector to oppose the increase in the bass MLS from the current 36cm (650 grams) to 45cm ( 1 kilo)
BASS Restoration Project chairman John Leballeur said "It is essential for the adoption and effectiveness of UK fisheries conservation rules that they should apply to all, and that UK fishermen are not put at a disadvantage when trying to protect the valuable inshore stocks upon which both anglers and commercial fishermen depend."
"It is time to beef up the UK position to ensure a lasting legacy that will improve our fishing in the years and decades far beyond 2012"
posted at 8:25 PM - [email this]