Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society

Sudden and Tragic Death of John Leballeur

2010-04-13T22:35:00.006+01:00

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.

Irish Bass stocks update

2010-04-07T21:06:00.002+01:00

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.

Do you go bass angling in Ireland?

2010-02-09T22:28:00.004Z

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.

Bass Lure Storage System

2010-02-01T21:17:00.000Z

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

Henry Gilbey shows his support for BASS

2009-11-26T21:46:00.005Z

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

European Bass Stocks Under Threat

2009-02-17T20:29:00.003Z

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: P�che 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.

Donovan Kelley 1918 - 2008

2009-01-28T22:24:00.005Z

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.

Anglers Attack Brussels

2009-01-25T10:43:00.001Z

'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."

Bass Ice Tragedy

2009-01-11T17:09:00.003Z

'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. "

BASS Tells Minister to Beef Up for 2012

2008-10-03T20:25:00.003+01:00

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"

The Fisheries Challenge Fund Project

2008-09-05T16:43:00.004+01:00

The view from Bob Cox and TSF>

We reproduce below, an article which appeared in the most recent issue of Total Sea Fishing Magazine (a David Hall Publication). The article provides an update on the first Fisheries Challenge Fund project to directly involve anglers. BASS is not itself involved but is watching these developments with keen interest. We feel that visitors to this site might find it interesting and informative.

We are grateful to Bob Cox, TSF and its editor Barney Wright for allowing us to republish it here.

Bobs Bite

Bass and Bass

2008-07-15T20:18:00.005+01:00

The book of the Society: 'Bass and B.A.S.S.'

A superb selection of articles and letters from the B.A.S.S. magazine over the years, with some new material specially written.Designed, edited and published by Geoff Gonella in conjunction with Peter Macconnell and John Morgan.

Bound in hardback with dust wrapper, a high quality book.Price: �28+Post & packaging:UK: �5 (1 copy), �8 (2 copies)Rep. Of Ireland: �7 (1 copy), �13 (2 copies)Rest of Europe: �10 (1 copy), �15 (2 copies)Other quantities & destinations: Please send request by post or to sales@anglersbookcase.com

Ordering

By post: Send UK cheque, UK Postal Order or Bankers Draft in UK Sterling, made out to Geoff Gonella, with your details to: 26 The Firs, Reydon, Southwold IP18 6YS

By Internet: via Payment by PayPal using the button. Sorry, cannot take cards directly

Bass Slaughter

2008-07-09T22:16:00.002+01:00

We are losing our bass stocks

A combination of unfolding circumstances is leading to the rapid destruction of the country's inshore bass stocks and a loss of the valuable Recreational Sea Fishery, along with thousands of jobs in the Recreational Sea Fishing sector.

Already under great pressure, and with a legal minimum landing size set far below spawning age, because there is no quota for bass, commercial fishermen are free to help themselves to bass stocks almost without restriction.

And with little available quota for other species, many more fishermen are increasingly turning to bass to maintain their profits.

Appallingly, DEFRA simply have no idea of the number of boats now targeting bass, nor the amount of netting that is being deployed (which can be up to 20 miles of net from one small vessel), and so are completely unable to manage the fishery.

The fuel crisis too is playing its part, as fishermen turn from making longer sea journeys and concentrate on exploiting local inshore stocks.

They are also turning away from fuel-hungry fishing methods such as bottom-trawling to setting static gear such as gill-nets for bass, with a huge increase in the numbers of marine mammals and birds becoming entangled in nets set for bass.

And if this was not enough, illegal fishermen have realised that budget restrictions have severely affected the ability of Sea Fisheries Committees and the Environment Agency to carry out enforcement of the few existing regulations protecting bass, and within protected areas to anything like the extent required, leading to widespread illegal fishing by 'bass pirates'.

With a recruitment failure evident in bass stocks over the last three years, unless the Government takes rapid and firm action to further protect bass stocks and to ensure adequate enforcement, it is likely that the developing and valuable Recreational Sea Fishery for bass will become another 'what could have been' to be laid at the foot of the Government.

In view of these concerns, John Leballeur, chairman of the B.A.S.S. Restoration Team has written to Jonathan Shaw MP, the UK's Fisheries Minister, demanding urgent action on measures to protect bass stocks, and to ensure that enforcement agencies are properly funded to meet the rapidly growing need for more robust enforcement.

BASS Challenges Minister's Smokescreen

2008-06-08T21:53:00.006+01:00

Minister's Parliamentary answers duck the issue.

BASS, the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society, has rounded upon the answers given in Parliament by the Fisheries Minister, Jonathan Shaw, to Bill Wiggins the Conservative Shadow Fisheries Minister, seeking information about recent scientific evidence pointing to a recruitment failure in the UK bass stock.

In a statement issued in response to the Minister's replies (see below), John Leballeur, chairman of the Bass Restoration Team says "The public and anglers are increasingly fed up with the same old rhetoric from the stuck gramophone record of DEFRA, that the fishery is being fished sustainably, when mounting evidence shows that this is not the case and that there is a real cause for concern".

Statement from the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society (BASS) regarding answers to recent parliamentary questions regarding failing recruitment to UK bass stocks.

On Tuesday 3rd June the Fisheries Minister, Jonathan Shaw, provided answers to a series of questions asked by Bill Wiggins, the Conservative Shadow Fisheries Minister, relating to recent scientific evidence warning of a recruitment collapse in the UK bass fishery in years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The Minister's replies side-step the main issue with an apparent smoke-screen constructed to play down the alarming evidence of the possibility of an imminent collapse in the fishery, and to maintain the false impression that there is little need for concern.

In the answers provided he did however acknowledge a similar pattern of pre-recruitment indices for the Solent to that of the Tamar since records commenced in 1997.

CEFAS, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science at Lowestoft, is the authority who's Marine Biologists have the responsibility of conducting and collating of bass pre-recruitment survey results from the Thames, Solent and the Tamar.

These surveys indicate the spawning success of the bass breeding stock during the winter months, and it is the juvenile '0' Group bass which in five year's time, enter the fish stocks around our coasts.

The scientific evidence which John Leballeur, Chairman of the Bass Restoration Team, is questioning the Minister, is in respect of CEFAS's survey results against the sampling he himself conducts on the Tamar, which clearly shows a pre-recruitment collapse.

B.A.S.S's own records (commencing in 1977) and that of CEFAS (Solent data), also clearly show that the pre-recruitment stock has actually halved in size since the good year classes of the 90's.

It is the breeding stock in the Western Approaches and English Channel from which juvenile '0' group year classes derive to populate the estuaries along the southern part of the United Kingdom, including the Tamar and Solent estuaries, and it is this fishery which has seen over-fishing of the breeding stock in recent years.

Anglers have witnessed the year on year decline of size and quantity of bass.

In the coming next two years, we will begin to see an even further decline when there will be no replacement year classes to enter the fishery.

The public and anglers are increasingly fed up with the same old rhetoric from the stuck gramophone record of DEFRA, that the fishery is being fished sustainably, when mounting evidence shows that this is not the case and that there is a real cause for concern.

Stop Eating the Babies

2008-06-02T20:57:00.005+01:00

We should never eat a fish that has never had the chance to breed.

With widespread and still growing public concern about over-fishing, and the terrible waste from fishery discards, most people would be horrified to realise that some fishermen are targeting the wild bass stocks before they have ever had a chance to spawn.

Despite the fact that such small fish are readily and cheaply available on the fish counter as farmed bass.

"Wild baby bass are just too valuable a resource to be wasted like this" said John Leballeur, Chairman of the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society's Restoration Team.

If these baby fish were allowed to grow for just a little longer, every wild bass now served up at merely plate-size would have the opportunity to grow and spawn, and to be served as fillets providing two or more good meals instead of just the one, reducing the need to kill so many wild fish to fill our plates.

"We really need to start taking the conservation of our marine resources seriously, rather than simply talking about doing so", he added."And consumers can make a real difference by being more selective about what they buy and what they order when they dine out."

Responding to claims that increasing the legal size that bass may be taken would only lead to more discards, John Leballeur points out that young bass congregate in shallow inshore waters.

And that by allowing their exploitation at such a small size trawlers are encouraged to fish where small fish are gathered.

That only leads to already unacceptable discards of fish smaller than even the current legal size.

Around 65% of what should be the future stock is being destroyed by trawling in the Eastern Channel, and yet it was to defend this fishery that the Minister rejected all previous advice to increase the Minimum Landing size of bass.

And for every baby bass served on a plate, many other smaller fish will have died simply to be dumped back dead.

The ethical course of action, when demand for small fish can readily be met from fish farms, is to preserve our precious stocks of wild bass, by only taking fewer, larger, more valuable fish from the stock, and by avoiding fishing where the future stocks are growing.

"The Government backed down on its plans to increase the Minimum Landing Size for bass. They must now urgently deliver on their promises to protect these small fish by closing the areas where they gather to feed and grow, and introduce measures to protect the areas where breeding fish congregate, as well as introducing a close season leaving them to gather to breed in peace"

"Successive governments have ignored warnings from fisheries scientists about the measures needed to restore fish-stocks, preferring to bow down and placate short-term commercial fishing interests with the predictable results now apparent for all to see".

Recent scientific evidence has raised concerns about collapsing recruitment levels in the UK bass fishery, the time to act is now.

RSA strategy - Trade view

2008-05-22T15:26:00.001+01:00

[Comment - We reproduce below, an article which appeared in the June 2008 issue of the angling trade magazine 'Tackle & Guns' (a David Hall Publication). The article covers the tackle industry's only trade body, 'The Angling Trades Association', suggestions for the future of sea fishing in the UK, in connection with the Government's proposal for a Recreational Sea Angling Strategy. BASS is grateful to the Editor of 'Tackle & Guns' and the Chairman of the 'Angling Trades Association', for allowing BASS to publish the article on this website.]

The 'Angling Trades Association (ATA)' plea for more fish in our seas

The Angling Trades Association, which represents our industry, has produced its views on Government plans for a national Recreational Sea Angling Strategy. Here's what it had to say ...

With many of the leading suppliers, retailers, press and fishery owners, the tackle industry's only trade body is uniquely positioned to get across our views to Government.
When plans were unveiled for a Recreational Sea Angling Strategy, it made sense, for the sake of everyone in the business, that the association put across a strong and coherent argument.
Recent research indicates the trade is worth approximately �500 million per annum and employs some 24,000 full and part-time people.
Given that the Angling Trades Association (ATA) promotes, represents and protects the trade across all angling disciplines - including sea fishing - to achieve long-term stability and, more importantly, growth. T & G felt it was important that the entire industry could read its suggestions.

Sea angling
The popularity of sea angling is directly linked to the availability of suitable fish to catch. When fish are plentiful, angling participation increases markedly; conversely, there is a widespread perception among sea anglers that there has been a decline in the abundance of many marine species in recent years - attributed to commercial overfishing - and this has adversely impacted on sea angling activity.
It follows that any meaningful recovery of fish species targeted by anglers will stimulate a rapid upsurge in recreational sea angling. More than any other, this branch of angling has huge potential for expansion and offers substantial opportunities to existing and new sea anglers.

The development of recreational sea fisheries
For this reason, the ATA welcomes the development of a Recreational Sea Angling Strategy and the improved management of marine fisheries resources it could bring. However, it is vital for the future of sea angling that many of the measures in the strategy are reflected in subsequent policies that take into account the legitimate rights, needs and aspirations of all stakeholders.
Historically, the angling sector has had to exist on what fish stocks remained after exploitation by commercial sea fishing interests, an outdated, inequitable and inevitably unsustainable means of managing marine resources.
The ATA urges the Government to seize this perfect opportunity to firmly establish the principal of 'how much can we leave', rather than 'how much can we take' and to ensure that this ethos is given practical expression in the development of its strategy.
It is perhaps inevitable that any debate on the management of sea fisheries resources will focus on the control of use or exploitation, rather than development of sea fisheries. The most controversial issue - that of licences for sea anglers - has coloured the debate and would have dominated the ATA's response. We are pleased that, in his recent statement, the Fisheries Minister has ruled out the imposition of sea angling licences.
The ATA also expects the Government to act to ensure that, within the new legislative framework provided by the Marine Bill, the needs of sea anglers are an integral part of management and development policies, equitable representation is afforded to anglers' representatives and organisations, and that the underlying scientific basis for sea fish management policies takes full account of the sea angling sector.

Strategy goals
We fully support the aim of the strategy and the four objectives it contains. However, the overarching principle is that recreational sea angling is dependent on the presence of more and bigger fish (objective 1). Improved stocks are fundamental to the future of sea angling, the numbers who fish, the enjoyment that anglers derive from their sport and the trade that it supports. Without more and bigger fish, the other objectives will not be met and the strategy will fail.

Fisheries management
Clearly, the reform of the Sea Fisheries Committees (SFCs) is central to the strategy. In the same way that land and freshwater management policies have altered from simply exploiting the resource to protecting and conserving it, the same change should be enshrined in the new committees.
It is vital that the SFCs are powerful, well funded and truly representative of those who use or enjoy sea fisheries and, specifically, that they work effectively to develop recreational sea angling. Indeed, the strategy will fail sea angling if the composition and work of the SFCs is dominated by commercial sea fishing interests.

Species, stock impact and habitat management
We support the principle of specific management plans for fish species of particular interest to recreational sea anglers.
During the debate surrounding the decision not to raise the minimum landing size for bass, the most striking argument has been the need to ensure that fish are able to reach maturity and breed at least once. We endorse this underlying ethos.
There are other potential initiatives which would benefit the RSA sector and which we endorse. They include the establishment of a 'golden mile'.
Much recreational sea angling takes place along or close to the shore, and measures to improve marine fish stocks will prove meaningless to sea anglers if inshore areas are so exploited commercially that anglers are unable to catch fish there.
We also agree that other areas could be reserved for recreational sea angling use only or managed in such a manner that commercial exploitation is restricted.
However, these measures alone will be insufficient: if commercial sea fishing effort increases around the edges of such areas, opportunities for fish to successfully enter or leave such areas will be reduced.
The ATA supports the principle of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and endorsed those sections of the Marine Bill that provide the powers to create them.
Nevertheless, MPAs can only deliver the benefits ascribed to them if they are managed in an enlightened manner, allowing non-damaging access and non- consumptive use.
Again, it is the association's opinion that the underlying foundation of what to limit, and how, should be based on the conservation of fish stocks, not their maximum exploitation.

Codes of conduct and best practice
We strongly endorse moves to develop national codes of conduct that promote best practice by recreational sea anglers. As the strategy acknowledges, this will require considerable and positive dialogue with other bodies and agencies.

In conclusion
In this response, the ATA has highlighted some of those areas of specific interest. In the association's opinion, all members of society have a right to enjoy the marine environment, and the actions of one particular interest group must no longer be allowed to subsume the enjoyment of others. Anglers have just as much right of access to marine fish as commercial fishermen, and the strategy - and the Marine Bill - provides great opportunities for the marine environment, and the fish it supports, to be managed sustainably and equitably.
For this to succeed, it is vital to move away from any automatic assumption that, because commercial fishing delivers a source of food, all other forms of exploitation must be subservient to it and automatically assume lesser priority in policy or implementation of management action.
But on purely financial grounds, it is also imperative that the Government recognises and acts on the huge financial value delivered by recreational sea fishing.
The ATA is fully supportive of calls for regular monitoring of those financial benefits, via detailed socio-economic research, to both measure the current economic activity associated with sea angling and to plot its increase as proposed in the Strategy.

[Comment - it is interesting to note, that the document that Sean O'Driscoll and Jonathan Shaw MP are seen holding in the photograph above, is a copy of the Bass Management Plan, produced by BASS.]

Bass stocks are collapsing

2008-05-17T12:05:00.002+01:00

Recent scientific evidence shows that UK bass stocks are collapsing.

BASS demands urgent government action

John Leballeur, Chairman of the BASS Restoration Project team has stated that in over 20 years of bass sampling, he has never seen a period when the numbers of young bass have been so low, for so long.

Shocked by the emerging evidence, the Society has written to Jonathan Shaw MP, Fisheries Minister (see below), demanding urgent measures to halt the disastrous collapse. The Society has requested, that both the recreational and commercial bass fisheries are closed during the 3 month breeding season, when spawning congregations of bass are particularly vulnerable. BASS have suggested the establishment of designated Marine Protection Areas to protect bass stocks.

Bass were recommended as a species to be regarded as 'recreational only', in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit 'Net Benefits' report (2004).

Last year, when he cancelled measures designed to protect the species, bass were described by the current Fisheries Minister as, 'an important displacement species' for the hard pressed commercial fishing industry, despite the superior value of the UK recreational bass fishery.

Even some commercial fishermen have since expressed concerns at the present unsustainable level of exploitation.

In his letter to the Minister, as well as offering the new evidence, John Leballeur has pointed out to the Minister, that he now faces a catastrophe on 'his watch', as Fisheries Minister, unless he acts with urgency, to bring in effective measures to protect the species.

Background

Since 1984, members of BASS have collected information each year from estuaries, such as the Tamar, on the number of juvenile bass present. The young fish are caught in nets, from the same place, at the same time of the year, to measure abundance and to estimate how healthy the bass populations will be in future years.

A variety of factors govern how many young bass survive, including winter estuary water temperature, natural predation and food availability. Cold winters can significantly decrease the survival chances of young fish.

The numbers of young fish captured each year naturally fluctuate. In some years the numbers of young bass are low, whilst in others, it can be high. In general, where there are large numbers of young bass caught, it indicates that there will be a lot more fish maturing seven years later. Often these years of high abundance are reflected in later years by an increased abundance of larger bass caught from coastal waters.

In the period 1984-1986 the populations of young bass recorded from estuaries was very low, due to very cold winters. In response to this the government introduced measures to protect bass to keep populations healthy.

Between 1986-2006 the numbers of young bass recorded from the Tamar have fluctuated each year. However, since 2000 the netting samples from this west country estuary have shown a very worrying continual downward trend.

Between 1985 and 2006 there were 11 years, when the numbers of young bass recorded each year were below average. Of most concern is that five of these poor years all fell between 2000-2006. Since 1984, when recording first began, there has not been another period when the numbers of young bass in the Tamar samples have been so low, for so many years, in such a short period.

John Leballeur of BASS, who co-ordinates the sampling of young bass, is very worried about what these results mean:

"In over 20 years of bass sampling I have never seen a period, when the numbers of young bass have been so low for so long. With warmer winters giving ideal conditions for the survival of young bass and Defra telling us that the spawning stock is healthy, we should be seeing healthy juvenile populations. I am very concerned that what we may be seeing, are the first signs that adult spawning bass from the Western Approaches and from autumn inshore marks, have been over fished significantly, reducing the number available to spawn and sustain healthy populations in south coast estuaries. Inshore fisherman, who have run out of quota species, have now upped their effort on bass, which is also not helping matters.

Also, I believe that the biomass has in fact halved in recent years and not doubled, as Jonathon Shaw MP was advised, in the recent bass mls decision. A consequence of the poor recruitment will be that, in a short time, the stock will decline further and catches by the much-increased fleet that fish for bass, will exacerbate this. The fishery will then become uneconomical, or collapse, as has been seen, with so many other stocks of fish.

I ask the Fisheries Minister to consider a closure in the breeding season, for all stakeholders, commencing in February 2009 for three months of each year, so as to address the balance. I also ask, that he make the main offshore bass fishery area a Marine Protected Area, to run parallel with the closed season. The breeding stock and cetaceans would be protected during the main reproduction cycle. All stakeholders would benefit by this precautionary measure and we would not witness the collapse in the bass fishery some years down the line. Another benefit would be the protection of cetaceans that have shown unacceptable losses due to this fishery.

Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear and the pre-recruitment survey indices are an accurate barometer of the future spawning stock."

Open Letter to Jonathan Shaw MP, Fisheries Minister, dated 15 May 2008

Dear Jonathan Shaw

Bass recruitment failure

When you took office, you inherited the postponed decision from your predecessor, Ben Bradshaw MP, of the bass mls (minimum landing size).

After a long drawn out consultation, which received over 2800 responses, of which 85% were in favour of increasing to 45 cms, this was diluted down to 40 cm , as a result of pressure from the commercial < 10m catching sector whilst ignoring RSA's desire for more and bigger fish.

You took the opportunity of meeting both the commercial catching sector and RSA before making the decision not to increase the MLS. You were advised that the bass biomass had doubled since the 1980s and the fishery was being fished sustainably. You stated that you did not want any collapse whilst 'on your watch'. However, there is a danger that in the English Channel, this may soon be the case. I have enclosed two CEFAS documents; one is a graph displaying the bass pre-recruit index for the Solent, Thames and Tamar of both '0' group and '1' year old bass sampling survey results, together with the worked up data from the named locations.

On examining the recruitment indices for the period 1989-1999 and also from 2000 until last year.

Solent
1989-1999 = 1.42 average
2000-2005 = 0.60 * There is no up to date survey information for the years 2006 or 2007

Tamar
1989-1999 = 1.22 '0' Groups 1989-1999 = 1.34 '1 yr olds'
2000-2007 = 0.76 " 2000-2007 = 0.87"

Thames
2000-2007 average 1.45 This is a relative new sampling site, when compared to the Solent & Tamar, whose records commenced in 1977 & 1984 respectively.

The Tamar clearly shows the failure of the recruitment for the years of 2005-2006 and 2007, which is also indicated by the Solent provisional figures and graphs, which samples 2 yr old fish and above. These figures suggest the beginning of a decline for the Solent, which is two years behind the up to date sampling data of the Tamar. These figures clearly demonstrate that recruitment has halved since the 1990's.

The last time we witnessed these figures and circumstances was in 1985-1986-1987, when MAFF immediately implemented the precautionary approach and increased the MLS and introduced the nursery area legislation.

We have had no up to date landing figures from IFREMER, France regarding the winter offshore fishery for a number of years, since the last ICES bass conference study in 2004, which concluded that fishing effort should be capped to the year 2000 and average for the preceding five years. This has never been implemented and effort has significantly increased since. Global warming has contributed to warmer winters and higher sea temperatures around our shores for some time now, yet we are witnessing the failure of the recruitment year classes in the English Channel and Western Approaches at a time when, according to scientists, we should be seeing strong broods.

It is now very obvious that the increase in fishing effort and the reduction of the breeding stock is now seriously contributing to this state of affairs. Also, I believe that the biomass has in fact halved in recent years and not doubled, as you were advised. A consequence of the poor recruitment will be that, in a short time, the stock will decline further and catches by the much-increased fleet that fish for bass, will exacerbate this. The fishery will then become uneconomical, or collapse, as has been seen with so many other stocks of fish.

I ask you to consider a closure in the breeding season for all stakeholders commencing in February 2009, for three months of each year, so as to address the balance and also make the main offshore bass fishery area, a Marine Protected Area, to run parallel with the closed season. The breeding stock would be protected during the main reproduction cycle. All stakeholders would benefit by this precautionary measure and we would not witness the collapse in the bass fishery some years down the line. Another benefit would be the protection of cetaceans that have shown unacceptable losses due to this fishery.

Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear and the pre-recruitment survey indices are an accurate barometer of the future spawning stock. You indicated at our first meeting, that whilst you are on watch you do not want any catastrophes. Please treat this very seriously and urgently consider the above recommendations so as to address the last three years of recruitment collapse of bass.

I look forward to your speedy reply upon this matter.

Yours sincerely

John Leballeur
Chairman
BASS Restoration Project team.

BASS measuring tape

2008-04-20T15:04:00.003+01:00

Length to weight conversion measure for European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

The BASS tape measure has been designed to enable bass anglers to have a packable and durable piece of equipment which dispenses with the need to carry a set of weighing scales. On one edge are the measuring increments (in centimetres) and on the opposing edge the length to weight calculations (in lbs and ozs). Whether you retain the occasional bass for the table (above the minimum size limit) or release all your catch, the tape allows you to measure your bass and be able to read off a scientifically calculated weight from the length measurement. To obtain the most accurate reading from the tape, it is preferable that you measure the total length i.e. measure from the nose of the bass to the end of the flattened down (and closed) tail.

The tape is made of a product called Tyvek and can be crumpled up and shoved in your pocket with no ill effects (to you or the tape!). Due to the nature of the material it is tear-resistant, rot-proof, water-proof - in fact it appears near enough indestructible (so ideal for a saltwater environment). It also does not stretch.

The tape is not only useful to bass anglers. As many angling competitions are currently run to total length of fish caught this measuring tape would prove invaluable to all anglers for measuring their catch. (NB - the length to weight calculation is only applicable for European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax).

The tapes may be purchased by non-members as well as BASS members and are available for the princely sum of �2.00 (two pounds sterling) each [see note 1 below] with all proceeds going to the BASS Restoration Project Fund.

Please send cheques made payable to BASS Restoration Fund to:

John Morgan
30 Thomas Street
Aberavon
Port Talbot
West Glamorgan
SA12 6LT

[note 1] This figure includes postage within the UK. Orders from outside of the UK will incur extra postage. For further information about postal charges to outside the UK, please contact John Morgan, whose email address can be found in the contact BASS web page.

BASS AGM 2008

2008-04-07T09:06:00.001+01:00

[photo - Clive Hodges (left) receiving the trophy, for the heaviest bass (12lbs) caught on natural bait in 2008, from angling author, Chris Yates. The fish was released. - photo courtesy Alan Parfitt]

On Sunday 30 March 2008, BASS members from all points North, South, East and West, including one member from the 'Emerald isle', descended upon Oxstall Tennis Centre, Gloucester for the BASS AGM.

BASS AGMs are noted for their lack of formality and, despite some very serious issues being discussed, this year was no exception. Old friendships were renewed and new ones made. Members gathered to discuss bassing matters, listen to some very interesting lectures, debate the way forward with regards to bass conservation, browse at some of David Miller's excellent works of art, as well as purchase, a few 'must have' tackle items from Veals tackle stand and watch some very interesting fly tying demonstrations by Steve Binckes & John Taylor. This year members were able to preview the new book, 'Bass and B.A.S.S.' which has been produced by the Society in conjunction with BASS member, Geoff Gonella of Anglers Bookcase, who has edited the book and arranged for the publishing. (N.B. the book is due out in mid April).

Raffle tickets were purchased (this years prizes were exceptional), even the odd late payer renewed his subs!

Peter Macconnell, BASS Chairman, took charge of the proceedings and the day ran like clockwork, ably assisted by the Committee members and other members eager to help.

Mike Ladle, BASS veteran, film maker and well known angling writer, opened the proceedings with a very interesting talk on bait fishing and the use of circle hooks. Mike, who has been involved in fishing, both professionally, as a Fishery research scientist and as an angler, probably for more years than he cares to admit to, is still not averse to learning new skills when it comes to bass fishing. This years lecture was about those newly acquired skills and gave many members food for thought.

The 'official' side of the AGM was kept to a minimum, as is traditional with BASS, although this year a new BASS Treasurer, Paul Owens, was elected into office. John Halton, the previous Treasurer, decided to step down after six years of safely managing the BASS finances. Thank you, John, for your hard work over the years, which is much appreciated by the membership. BASS is financially stronger because of it.

A lively discussion, promoted by the BASS Restoration Project Team, chaired by John Leballeur, ensued. The Restoration team detailed their work concerning the bass mls and other issues currently concerning BASS members and the recreational sea fishing fraternity. Members were given the opportunity to air their views. A useful exchange of ideas concerning the way forward followed, which was continued later in the day, chaired by Peter Macconnell, BASS Chairman, after a very interesting talk by Chris Yates, the well known angling personality and author.

Chris Yates is normally associated with carp and other freshwater species. Who would have known that Chris is actually a 'closet' bass angler, forming his first association with the species as a teenager on holiday with his brother, many years (well a few) ago. Chris gave a talk, literally 'off the cuff' about his bassing experiences, which have been encouraged by his friend and BASS member, Matt Spence. The members sat enthralled listening to Chris, whose relaxed style and enthusiasm for bass, captivated the audience. On behalf of the membership, thank you Chris.

2007 was quite a good year for some members, many of whom collected awards for their catches (all returned). A particularly pleasant occasion was to see John Leballeur, Chairman of the BASS Restoration Project team, as well as co-ordinator of the BASS bass tagging project, a few years ago, not forgetting his work as a BASS Fish recorder for a number of years, be made a 'Fellow of the Society' in recognition of all his hard work. Chris Yates made the presentation.

This years AGM was enjoyed by all those who attended, many journeying home with newly acquired rods, reels, lures, etc., as a result of the raffle which raised a few hundred pounds towards the BASS coffers. Thank you to all those who contributed prizes. Also thank you to all those members who helped to make the day special for those attending. We would also like to thank, Veals, David Miller and Geoff Gonella of Anglers Bookcase, for giving up their time to provide some retail therapy for the members.

Another excellent AGM. See you next year.

No licence

2008-03-19T10:17:00.000Z

BASS welcomes 'no licence' decision

Commenting upon yesterday's statement by Jonathan Shaw MP, the Fisheries Minister, that proposals to introduce a sea angling licence are to be dropped, BASS spokesman John Leballeur said "At last this administration is beginning to show some sense, when talking about recreational sea angling".

At the recent 'Angling Summit' held in the Palace of Westminster, the Minister had been told by BASS and other sea angling organisations, in the most forceful terms possible, that the current proposal for a sea angling licence was unacceptable to the UK's recreational sea anglers (RSA). This was especially so in the light of his decision not to increase the bass minimum landing size (MLS).

The Minister's failure to take the decision to protect juvenile bass meant, that he had lost the trust of the UK's recreational sea anglers. The overwhelming majority of whom, did not believe he was prepared to deliver any benefits to them. Yet sea anglers were still expected to pay for a licence. For decades the sea anglers' voice has been ignored, whilst at the same time, there has been relentless decline, in both the number and size of fish available to RSA.

Does this announcement mean that the Minister has begun to listen to recreational sea anglers? We hope so. We also hope, that he will continue to act upon what he has been hearing and deliver on his promise to work with BASS and other organisations to improve the UK's recreational bass fisheries, by implementing those other conservation measures, contained within the Bass Management Plan.

However, we will still need to see some positive benefits, in terms of improved fish stocks, before we can be confident that the tide really has turned.

NFSA press release

2008-03-19T09:51:00.002Z

Anglers battering the fish heads of Europe

After ten years of stubbornly refusing recreational sea anglers any say in managing fisheries, the European Council has given up and agreed that the euro 8- euro 10 billion (�6-8 billion) they generate each year now qualifies them as a genuine part of the community's fishing industry.

Sea angling has been denied a role in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) since it was set up 25 years ago to regulate commercial fishing.

Jan Kappel, who represents European sea angling interests, including those in Britain, through the European Anglers Alliance in Brussels, found the changed policy tucked away in a little noticed European Council Regulation issued on 25 February.

This stated, for the first time, that Europe's "fisheries sector" now includes both commercial and recreational fishing which it defined as "non-commercial fishing activities exploiting living aquatic resources for recreation or sport.".

Mr. Kappel said that while this level of recognition for angling was welcome, it was not the same as being fully recognised by the CFP and the EU Treaty.

"We still have work to do before we're properly recognised at the highest level as a legitimate stakeholder in Europe's fisheries policy," he said. "However, this new regulation gives us new hooks to use in the waters of the Brussels fisheries directorate."

The regulation set up a Community framework for the collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector and support for scientific advice regarding the Common Fisheries Policy.

The National Federation of Sea Anglers (NFSA) is pressing the British government to insist on the CFP embracing angling as well as commercial fishing.

In evidence submitted to a House of Lords committee shortly to review the CFP, the federation puts the case for the CFP to commit to the regeneration of fish stocks to a healthy and sustainable level in a given timetable.

Richard Ferré, chairman of the NFSA said: "We need the CFP to endorse a sensible scale of minimum landing sizes to stop immature fish being taken.

"This would substantially increase the brood stocks which is an essential step in building-up fishstocks from the present perilously low level caused by years of carefree commercial overfishing."

Commenting on the European change of heart, Malcolm Gilbert, said that unless Brussels fully recognised RSA, anglers stood no chance of exerting influence in fisheries management.

He recalled that on a visit to Brussels ten years ago he was met by a senior official in the Fisheries Directorate who stonewalled: "The activity you represent doesn't exist with us, I don't even know why I am meeting with you as the CFP doesn't recognise recreational angling or sportfishing."

Dated 18 March 2008

END

BASS magazine 124

2008-02-20T16:42:00.000Z

The next issue of the BASS magazine, No. 124, is scheduled for distribution to all BASS members on 4 March 2008.

In addition to the editorial, officer's reports, the letters column and other regular features, the magazine will also contain the following articles:-

........last man standing - Steve Butler
A new angle of attack - Alan Behenna
Halcyon days - Simon Everett
Crouching angler hidden dragon - Ian Morris

If you are are not a member of BASS but would like to join and receive the BASS magazine, full details of how to join BASS can be found on this website.

Everyone loses

2008-01-21T11:51:00.000Z

"Defra appeasement and inactivity will destroy bass stocks for everyone"

Cornish inshore commercial fishermen have finally admitted that bass stocks in Cornwall are over-fished.

In the 18 January 2008 edition of Fishing News, skipper David Bond of Looe, explained that the lack of available quota for species, such as, cod and sole, has forced the inshore fleet to increase the pressure on non quota species, like bass, using gill nets.

In the article he states: "We have tens of small boats from Mevagissey almost literally crying out after being forced to fish (nets) for bass, when there's already too much pressure on that fishery."

For many years the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society (BASS) have advised Defra, that increasing commercial fishing for bass, was threatening both bass stocks and recreational angling quality.

BASS have repeatedly called on Defra to introduce measures to better protect bass stocks and to accept the government research, which clearly shows that recreational sea angling for bass generates a huge amount of money, by comparison to the value of the commercial catch and supports thousands more livelihoods, particularly in the South West.

The Bass Management Plan written by BASS and presented to Defra, called for a range of measures, including an increase in the minimum landing size to allow all female bass to spawn before capture.

This measure was put out to consultation by Defra, but subsequently turned down. Not on biological grounds, but because of lobbying from the commercial sector and a 'behind closed doors' acceptance by Defra, that it would impact the inshore fleet when quota species were used up.

"The latest admission by skipper Bond has revealed what we all knew would happen, when Defra were afraid to grasp the nettle regarding the minimum landing size increase", states John Leballeur of BASS.

"We now have a situation created by Defra, in which neither recreational nor commercial bass fishermen will benefit and the biggest losers will be the bass stocks and the environment.

The bass which are inshore at this time of the year, tend to be the smaller fish, which have come out of the estuaries. These fish are mostly immature and have not yet spawned.

The failure of Defra to increase the minimum landing size to protect these fish, means that the increased pressure now being exerted by the commercials, will take even more bass before they have ever spawned.

With the lack of available quota on other species, every inshore commercial is now setting gill nets for immature bass, which are non quota species.

This is a recipe for total disaster, a mismanagement of a public resource and a blatant acceptance of an unsustainable situation."

[NB - Skipper David Bond is also quoted in an article by Phil Lockley in the 21 January edition of the Western Morning News. A copy of the article can be read on the Western Morning News website, where you can also leave a comment.]

BASS press release

2008-01-13T10:54:00.000Z

BASS goes to Parliament

Demanding more bigger fish.

On the 21 January, the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society (BASS) will be meeting with MPs of all parties to discuss proposals to further develop the valuable UK Recreational Bass Fishery.

Though the new Fisheries Minister (Jonathan Shaw MP) recently backed down from increasing the legal size at which bass can be taken, there are still worthwhile conservation proposals for bass encompassed within the highly praised Bass Management Plan which he has stated that he will take forward.

Inshore netting restrictions, protection for spawning bass and a review of bass nursery area regulation are all being actively looked at by the Minister.

John Leballeur chairman of the BASS Restoration Project Team said "This is an opportunity to present our arguments for the development of the UK's valuable Recreational Bass Fishery, and the need to change our fisheries management of bass in ways that will increase angler participation, including the business opportunities and livelihoods dependent upon a thriving Recreational Sea Angling Sector.

What the Recreational Bass Fishery needs more than anything, is more bigger fish of the size most prized by anglers, allowing many more fish to grow bigger, and with a good few approaching the 20lbs plus that nature intends.

We are grateful to Martin Salter MP for all of his previous efforts, and for providing this opportunity to present our proposals to a wide audience of parliamentarians."

End

[note - information about the Bass Management Plan can be found on this website]

BASS press release

2008-01-06T13:22:00.000Z

Question of Trust

Labour is on course to lose the Angling Vote

That is the conclusion that many are coming to in the aftermath of the recent decision by Jonathan Shaw MP to abandon previous government policy to protect the UK's important and valuable Recreational Bass Fishery.

With local fishermen's organisations protesting that reduced fish quotas for 2008 are likely to drive some smaller inshore boats out of business, it is becoming clearer why Jonathan Shaw MP, the newly appointed Fisheries Minister, has overturned previous Government promises and sacrificed the opportunity for building a first class UK saltwater sports fishery, providing many more business opportunities and livelihoods in the Recreational Sea Angling sector, by abandoning the previous Fishery Minister's decision to increase the minimum landing size for bass.

Bass are a slow growing and late maturing species, capable of growing to over 20lbs, living some 25 years and capable of spawning up to 15 times.

But they are now harvested as baby fish at just 36cm (around just 1lb in weight) and before they have ever had the opportunity to spawn.

Bass have historically been a recreational species especially prized by anglers and second only to salmon in their status and value as a premier sportsfish.

The value of the Recreational Sea Fishery for bass is worth considerably more than the commercial fishery, supporting many businesses and livelihoods.

However, increased inshore netting, as well as the development of the controversial method of pair-trawling for spawning congregations, means that anglers now rarely encounter fish of the stamp and quality which anglers most prize.

The problem is that there is no commercial quota for bass, and only a meaningless 5 tonne per week per boat landing limit (an unimaginable number of fish) to 'restrict' catches.

The danger is that with falling quotas for other species, and no cap on the number of boats that can fish for bass, or the amount of gear that each boat can deploy, fishing effort on bass will increase significantly, as boats turn to bass to maintain their profits as the reduced quota for other species is used up.

It is now almost certain that bass of any size will soon become a much rarer catch for UK anglers and inshore fishermen alike.

No doubt Jonathan Shaw MP has followed the advice of his Defra fishery officials in the light of the problems of the inshore fishing fleet but unfamiliar with the opportunities and economic importance of the Recreational Sea Angling sector, it is likely that he has made a grave political and economic miscalculation which will cost his party dear when the Angling Vote is next cast at the polls.

John Leballeur, chairman of the BASS Restoration Project Team said "what he has done by handing bass, the most valuable recreational species, to the commercial sector for unrestrained exploitation, is to tear up the assurances given in the past by the Labour Party that "Angling is safe in Labour's hands", and ripped the heart from Labour's 'Angling Charter'.

That is unless Jonathan Shaw MP has other plans to restore the damage that his decision has bought about.

But it would appear that time is not now on his side to gain the trust of Britain's millions of anglers, whether they fish for bass or not".

ENDS