petesnr Posted January 25, 2008 Report Posted January 25, 2008 Unfortunately our friend Mr Shaw misses the point entirely as regards recreational angling and the sustainability of bass stocks. No doubt his scientists can prove sustainability at the present level of fishing but this is a bass stock that has already been depleted of many of the mature fish that anglers desire to catch. The total mass of bass might be stable (although I seriously doubt it) but an increasing number of this mass are immature fish of no interest to the recreational sector whatsoever. The other point is that this sustainability is based on a series of good breeding years (this is scientific evidence from Mr Shaw himself). This means that in the event of poor breeding years sustainability is not guaranteed. The bass is a slow growing species and will not recover quickly if this happens. Judging by the ponderous nature of policy change I can't see the ministry responding quickly enough to these natural fluctuations in recruitment. Still look on the bright side with measures to protect tope the majority of sea anglers who we know fish from the shore will be happy in the knowledge that if they can cast at least 3 miles they should be in with a chance of some good sport--if the longliners off the Western Approaches in international waters haven't had them all........ Peter Quote
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