Steve S

Lovely midday in the sun - Photo by Alun

I use insulated work gloves like from Screwfix / Toolstation they are cheap, durable and work well enough for me, I also use them in the garden. Wearing them while baiting up tends to make them stink so washing required after each trip if using bait. They are so cheap you could try cutting off the fingers you want bare to see if they are still ok, in fact I think I'll try that!

I was out today, lots of bass to be caught on lures in spite of the cold (7 Deg) temperatures. They bite pretty slow and tend to hold on.

Well it's time to think about going to fish round Alderney again. Last year 2 trips were planned and cancelled before Tigerfish made it over in June but when we got there it turned out to be the best trip in recent years with lots of keeper turbot and plenty of pollock, a couple of cod and a surprise and club record coalfish from the wrecks. As ever we need to take the tides into consideration to decide when we want to go and the weather to decide if we can go. For those unfamiliar fishing the banks and tides round Alderney, we need neaps as otherwise the tide is too fast over the banks to fish them very well, also IMO the very very small tides don't result in a lot of fish but I'd probably still go. Fishing in June can be fine but arranging the accommodation is more expensive with less flexibility regarding cancelling. Before anyone asks basing yourself in Guernsey would be great except the accommodation is expensive and they don't generally accept cancellations, diesel fuel (Boatworks) is much cheaper though. FIRST SET of neaps tide are from the Tue 30th April to Sat 4th May, beyond those dates they are getting a bit strong, the Sat would be a wrecking day heading back SECOND SET are a longer set of neaps starting Tue 14th May till Mon 20th May a longer window THIRD SET are Wed 29th May till Sun 2 Jun Now in a classic bit of bad planning I can't make the 2nd set, but shed no tears... I'll be fishing in the Florida keys I'm planning to take Tigerfish over for 3 or 4 days in the date range Tue 30th April to Fri 3rd May, happily my crew are pretty flexible regarding midweek dates. My reserve dates would be the THIRD SET of dates For those wanting to include a weekend the SECOND or THIRD SET of dates look favourite. Ok so Tigerfish is planning to go, any others? please add your boat names

Please add your January photos here, hopefully we will have a few more entries than the 1 in December. Only 'likes' count towards scoring

Submitted by Boyscott (Max White) It had the most likes and was the only entry!

Yes Colin very much agree, it's important for us to turn up in numbers. In my view if just a small number turn up it would be interpreted as little interest from RSAs on this topic/species. The meetings are informative and interactive, at no point did I feel I was wasting my time being there.

The current idea under consideration for the short term (0 to 2 years) measure is a slot limit of >45cm wing to wing (20cm winged) for all ray species except undulates which already has a pre existing slot size. Clearly this will do more for spotted rays than blondes. Also a maximum wing to wing landing size, the measurement subject to feedback between now and Spring. This is while further data is gathered on the needed slot sizes for each species, taking into account species size and breeding size. It's pretty crude to say the least but easy to enforce. I got the impression commercials do not know their different ray species very well (blonde or spotted anyone!) but they can use a measure. Moving to a min and max wing tip to wing tip size for each species with a species specific TAC. In my view all very sensible stuff

There were 11 or so at the meeting. In summary: currently in the the consultancy phase prior to issuing directives. It's recognised conservation measures are needed for rays and that recreational angler keep very few. There are some short term proposed plans which are rather simplistic and known to be so (size limits on rays regardless of species), medium and long term which are more species specific. The meeting was to get our input on the measures under consideration and suggest others. The meeting was interactive and I felt everyone had an opportunity to get our thoughts and suggestions across and most importantly I thought we were listened to. To avoid the possibility of a shouting match (which has happened 'up north') commercials and recreational are in separate meetings to get suggestions. Looking at setting policy in the Spring. One interesting takeaway, there is currently maximum take size limit for undulates of 97cm (nose to tail), that's one hell of a big undulate, anyone like to postulate what a likely weight would be? So why no massive undulates being generally caught...

Sea News Update | December 2023 Angling Trust leading a strong rebuttal to claims that Salcombe estuary can be netted sustainably Devon and Severn IFCA have launched an online consultation, proposing the commencement of a six month winter commercial net fishery in Salcombe estuary. The Angling Trust is already working with other parties including the National Mullet Club, BASS, Wyvern Region and many more to build a robust and collaborative opposition, highlighting both the short-sighted nature of the proposed fishery and the damages it will cause to the recreational angling sector. What a load of pollacks! Angling Trust urge minister to think twice on recreational fishing ban The Angling Trust wrote to the Fisheries Minister, Mark Spencer, on behalf of our members last week to urge government to provide reassurances that recreational fishing for pollack will not be banned in 2024 following the latest ICES advice. HAVE YOUR SAY Skates and Rays Fisheries Management Plan Recreational sea anglers are invited to share their views with the Marine Management Organisation as part of the Skates and Rays Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) which is currently in development. The Skates and Rays FMP will cover the Southern North Sea and English Channel – a vast and important region for recreational sea angling. Southern North Sea Demersal Non-Quota Species FMP Gurnards, Squid and Dogfish – but what about Smoothhound? Recreational anglers are invited to share their views with the Marine Management Organisation as part of the Southern North Sea Non-Quota Species Fisheries Management Plan which is currently in development. VIRTUAL SEA ANGLING FORUM An evening with FinVision - watch now on Youtube Catch up with the latest Virtual Sea Angling Forum about how the Fisheries Industry Science Partnership is working with recreational sea anglers to identify essential fish habitat for juvenile recreationally important species like bass, mullet and flounder around the south west of England. Find out how you can become a citizen scientist and learn about fish ID. CATCHWISE Catchwise catch up - could you be a volunteer? BLUEFIN TUNA FISHERY DEFRA announces intention to establish Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery in England in 2024 Three of the biggest stakeholder representative bodies in a future recreational bluefin tuna fishery have welcomed the publication by DEFRA of their consultation response and policy proposal setting out the intention to establish a Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery in England in 2024. However, they remain concerned the government has not fully taken on board the advice of those groups in key areas of fishery design. This risks a fishery that has minimal management measures in place to ensure its safety and sustainability, and secures high levels of fish welfare and valuable economic benefits. BRITISH RECORD FISH COMMITTEE Length based records for large shark species Representatives from Shark Hub UK attended a meeting with the British Record Fish Committee to discuss fish handling and welfare issues and how the procedures for claiming British record captures of large shark species may be adapted to take account of best practice in catch and release of these fish. The BRFC will soon be introducing length based records for all of the sea species on the main list (not for mini-species). For the larger shark species – Blue, Mako, Porbeagle, Thresher and Six-Gill – there will only be length based records, with a requirement that the fish is measured whilst still in the water. SPECIES HUNT Despite the cooling temperatures the Species Hunt submissions have still been landing in our inbox . November saw over 100 species submitted proving the spirit of the Species Hunter is weather-resistant! Leader board update for November There’s not been much change at the top of the leader boards this month. Elite League: Martin Avons has increased his lead slightly by two species taking his total to 66 and keeping him ahead of Simon Lancastle who is unchanged on 62 species. Senior League: Ben Price is out in front on 62 species, but Luke Woodford is chasing the top spot, increasing his tally to 56 in November. Alan Mundy has risen to fourth place after submitting five species this month taking his total to 47. Junior League: Reuben Judge has increased his lead from 32 to 34 species with no change to the numbers in the four spots below him. Dave Cobb's Small Eyed Ray wins monthly specimen award This month's specimen entries wowed us, but a huge shout out to Dave Cobb, whose Small Eyed Ray stole the spotlight, narrowly beating Nayan Gondouin by 2.5cm. Congratulations, Dave! Commiserations, Nayan – your time will come! Thank you! A heartfelt thank you to everyone for your unwavering support! Special kudos to Cedric Gondouin for treating us to breathtaking sunset pictures of Bournemouth pier. We love sharing in your fishing adventures! SPECIMEN SEA FISH AWARDS SCHEME Thank you to Eric as Trevor takes on sea fish awards Our popular sea fishing awards programme opened on 1 December 2023, and we say a fond farewell to volunteer Eric Gerrey. Eric has managed the scheme for more than 12 years and hands over to Trevor Sutch. The Specimen Sea Fish Awards Scheme is an annual competition opening 1 December and closing 30 November of the following year. It is open to all paid up members of the Angling Trust and members of our affiliated clubs. The scheme is divided into two sections for fish caught from boats and shore with categories for both adult and junior anglers. Supported by Glasgow Angling Centre the angler who registers the best specimen of the month will be awarded a £20 gift voucher with five £75 gift vouchers up for grabs as a bonus end of season award. Danny Williams, Angling Trust’s Competition Development Manager (Marine) said “It’s been my pleasure to work with Eric for the last three years. His attention to detail and expansive knowledge of the Marine Regions maps and the species sizes in each area has made the programme what it is. Eric was also instrumental in identifying Trevor as the scheme’s next safe pair of hands.” MEMBER OFFERS Get 20% off The Song of the Solitary Bass Angler Angling Trust members can get 20% off all Merlin Unwin fishing and countryside books - including this fabulous read by James Batty, The Song of the Solitary Bass Angler. Batty seldom ventures further than 20 miles from his Cornish home, fishing from the rocks and beaches in a handful of places. Generous with his knowledge and full of fresh ideas, Batty catches bass with lures, flies and bait. It’s a myth, he says, that you need expensive gear – he beaches plenty of big bass yet is a tackle skinflint. Click here for more details Save £££s on DFDS ferry trips to Europe DFDS have been voted the world’s leading ferry operator for 12 years in a row - and now Angling Trust & Fish Legal members can travel to France and the Netherlands at discounted prices! Whether you are looking to book travel for your fishing trip, holidays for the family or superb mini cruises, our DFDS partnership gives you access to Europe in comfort and style. Generously partnering with us to provide travel for our England teams, the fabulous team at DFDS have also agreed to offer exclusive discounts including: 10% off Dover-France ferry crossings 15% off Newcastle–Amsterdam ferry crossings 10% off Newhaven–Dieppe ferry crossings 33% off special mini cruise from Newcastle–Amsterdam FUNDRAISERS Take part in our Christmas Raffle - 24 great prizes! Our Christmas Raffle is bigger than ever with 24 prizes on offer including £2,000 worth of Daiwa tackle of your choice, £500 of Korda tackle, a £300 Angling Direct gift card, a £264 Korum tackle bundle and a £250 Orvis gift card. Tickets are still just £2, and you can either buy them online or - if you are an Angling Trust member - send back the paper raffle tickets you received with this year's Angler magazine. The Angling Trust's work is supported by our Trade Associates Click on a logo to visit our Trade Associate partner's website We are a not for profit organisation, representing anglers, fighting for fish, fishing and the environment. We are recognised by the Government as the National Governing Body for angling in England and partner with Visit Wales and Natural Resources Wales to promote Fishing in Wales. We are a member-based organisation made up of anglers of all disciplines providing a united front to represent, grow and protect our sport. As the National Governing Body for Angling, the Angling Trust requires all members who fish Angling Trust Competitions to abide by Angling Trust anti-doping policies and UKAD Anti-Doping Rules as adopted. Details can be found on the competitions section of our website or search “Anti-Doping” on our website. By becoming a member of the Angling Trust you are helping to protect the waterways you fish in and the fish which live within them, ensuring their health and protection for future generations. st email communications

Colin and I are planning to go to the one on the 18th

The seals have been getting some but they are professionals!

Please add your December photos here

Anchor was down about a couple of hours in the Solent, then up it came with this sea urchin attached! It's a first for me

Your club can apply for up to £2,500 to get people fishing - deadline Friday, 8th December There's still time for clubs and fisheries to apply for grants of up to £2,500 from the Get Fishing Fund to encourage more people to give fishing a go for the first time. Funded from fishing licence sales, the Environment Agency and Angling Trust have announced that £200,000 is available in this latest round of funding. The money could be used to help purchase equipment, fishing tackle and resources to run fishing events and activities to give people the opportunity to get into fishing. Clubs, fisheries and other organisations have until Friday 8th December to apply. Free advice for your Get Fishing events For free, professional advice on running fun, safe, friendly Get Fishing events that have safeguarding, a rod licence waiver and publicity in place, please contact your Regional Angling Development Officer. £154,000 awarded for sea angling facilities The UK Seafood Scheme Infrastructure Fund has awarded £154,000 of government funding to develop better access and facilities to support recreational sea angling. Since recreational sea angling was formally recognised as a stakeholder in UK fisheries, the Angling Trust have lobbied the government hard to follow through with their commitments to promote and develop the sport. The three successful projects were: Shoreham Port - awarded over £24,000 to fund the construction of an access path that will connect a car park to the Western Harbour Arm, a popular location for sea fishing. Southport Boat Angling Club - awarded just under £30,000 as part of a project to build their own club house and storage facility. Wigtown Bay Coastal Rowing Club - awarded £100,000 to build a boatshed that will enable sea anglers to maintain and repair their boats, as well as provide access to showers, toilets, and changing facilities. Important update on fish-eating bird licences The Angling Trust understand that many of you may have already received your fish-eating bird licences for the 2023-24 period (admittedly, albeit late), and a good number may be frustratingly still waiting. However, Natural England have reached out to the Angling Trust to inform us that there are at least 30 licences outstanding due to requiring further information from the licence holder before the licence can proceed. They suggest that multiple contact attempts have been made via phone and email to obtain the information, however Natural England has been unable to reach the individuals concerned. Due to GDPR, they are not permitted to provide us with any further information, e.g. name, club or fishery etc. To prompt these customers, we have been asked to issue a notice encouraging our club and fishery contacts to check their emails (including their SPAM folder) for any contact received from Natural England’s wildlife department in the hope that this prompt may capture the outstanding applicants and help move these cases along. Should you be one of those affected, please respond to Natural England via wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk Alternatively, please contact one of the Angling Trust Fisheries Management Advisors: Richard Bamforth, richard.bamforth@anglingtrust.net or 07904 041518 Jake Davoile, jake.davoile@anglingtrust.net or 07949 703206 Save £££s on DFDS trips to France & Netherlands DFDS have been voted the world’s leading ferry operator for 12 years in a row - and now Angling Trust & Fish Legal members can travel to France and the Netherlands at discounted prices! Whether you are looking to book travel for your fishing trip, holidays for the family or superb mini cruises, our DFDS partnership gives you access to Europe in comfort and style. Generously partnering with us to provide travel for our England teams, the fabulous team at DFDS have also agreed to offer exclusive discounts including: 10% off Dover-France ferry crossings 15% off Newcastle–Amsterdam ferry crossings 10% off Newhaven–Dieppe ferry crossings 33% off special mini cruise from Newcastle–Amsterdam MARINE

Well done Charlie, hope the engine alarm does not reoccur. I've had random alarms on the odd occasion, doesn't do a lot for the confidence. You can try buttoning out the error code but a lot of alarms don't have any that we can see. As long as you leave the power on to the engine a Volvo engineer should be able to get the code later, they can get a wider range of codes. Unless you are surrounded by dolphins I see them being here as a good thing as it means lots of fish around. Being as the whiting have arrived I assume that's what they are munching on, back in the Spring the bream arrived and so did the dolphins over the Ledge.

Beware, the Shingle bank is on the move. An island has appeared at some states of the tide and what was 'deep' now is not! I was over there a few days ago, water vis was not great. I was expecting about 10-13ft at one spot suddenly it was 2.5ft!!! I couldn't see the bottom... I trimmed up and very slowly headed back from whence I came to the sound of props chewing up gravel 😪. It appears the bank is now somewhat reconfigured after storm Babet with movements continuing, so take care, it's fast drifts over it so it's super easy to get caught out. A quick check of the props when I got back showed the ends had been polished but fortunately as far as I could see no dents, phew.

Anchor was down about a couple of hours in the Solent, then up it came with this sea urchin attached! It's a first for me

Resuming this 'comp', so get your photos submitted, it was popular in the past with lots of views. Rules reminder: Photo must be taken during the named month Like the photo to register your vote The winner will have the most 'likes', other things won't count The likes will be tallied approx 1 week after the end of the month to give late submissions a chance to get votes The winning photo will be posted as winner If 2 or more photos have the same highest number of likes they are all winners Keep them clean please!

Wednesday is looking the day 🤞

Sea News Update | August 2023 Stunning 52cm Ballan Wrasse caught in the Angling Trust Tronix Pro Species Hunt - full details later in this newsletter New consultation: Highly Protected Marine Areas fishing management The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) are consulting on the proposed management measures to ban fishing (commercial and recreational) within the site boundaries of newly designated Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). The Angling Trust will be responding to this consultation and will publish our response in due course, but we strongly encourage individual anglers, charter skippers, private boat owners, angling clubs and tackle shops impacted by these proposed management measures to also share their views by responding to the consultation. Those fishing recreationally in Allonby Bay (pictured) are encouraged to respond in particular due to the location of the site and the impact on local anglers, businesses and tourism. The consultation closes on Thursday 14th September 2023. There are three newly designated HPMAs in English waters: Allonby Bay (inshore) and Dolphin Head and North Farnes Deep (offshore). Allonby Bay is an inshore HPMA situated in the Irish Sea. It covers the southern region at the mouth of the Solway Firth and extends approximately 5.6km seaward from the shoreline between Maryport and Mawbray. Dolphin Head is situated beyond the 12 nautical mile territorial sea limit in the Eastern English Channel. It is approximately 55km south of Selsey Bill, West Sussex. North Farnes Deep is situated beyond the 12 nautical mile territorial sea limit in the Northern North Sea Region. At its closest, it is approximately 55km from the coast to the east of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. If you have any queries, concerns or views you would like to share please get in touch with the Angling Trust at admin@anglingtrust.net Have Your Say Future Fisheries Management LIVE The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a number of important consultations on changes that will transform the way we manage our fisheries – ensuring we deliver a thriving, sustainable fishing industry and healthy marine environment for generations to come. Throughout summer, Defra will be hosting a series of engagement events, in-person and online, to gather stakeholder views on their plans. The Angling Trust strongly encourage individual anglers, charter skippers, private boat owners, angling clubs and tackle shops to attend an event local to them and share their views. At these events you will find out what the reforms mean for UK fisheries management and contribute your views to a range of consultations. Lowestoft - Lowestoft Library | Tuesday 15th August 14:00 West Mersea - The Victoria at Mersea | Wednesday 16th August 16:30 Gosport - Gosport & Stokes Bay Golf Club | Tuesday 22nd August 16:30 Weymouth - Best Western Hotel Rembrandt | Wed 23rd August 14:00 Poole - Poole Quay Hotel | Thursday 24th August 10:00 Rye - Rye Community Centre | Tuesday 29th August 16:30 Folkestone - Folkestone Yacht & Motor Boat Club | Wed 30th August 10:00 Whitstable - Whitstable Umbrella Centre | Thursday 31st August 17:00 Open consultations The Angling Trust will be responding to the below consultations and providing guidance to anglers who wish to respond in due course. In the meantime, take a look at the current open opportunities to have your say on fisheries management. Bass Fishery Management Plan - Consultation Closes 1st October 2023 Channel Demersal NQS Fishery Management Plan - Consultation Closes 1st October 2023 Southern North Sea & Eastern Channel Flatfish Fishery Management Plan - Consultation Closes 1st October 2023 Recreational Bluefin Tuna Fishery - Consultation Closes 4th September 2023 Finfish Licence Cap - Consultation Closes 30th August 2023 Discards Reform - Consultation Closes 9th October 2023 Remote Electronic Monitoring - Consultation Closes 9th October 2023 SAVE THE DATE Save The Date Virtual Sea Angling Forum - Pollack FISP – Thursday 5th October 2023 Join us for a Virtual Sea Angling Forum on Thursday 5th October 18:30-19:30 where we will be joined by the Pollack FISP team who will provide an overview of the project’s progress and findings so far. There will be opportunities to ask the team questions and share your thoughts and observations on pollack. Whilst Pollack FISP is focused on the southwest of England, we encourage all with an interest in pollack to attend. Register here Angling for Sustainability Workshop – Weymouth Angling Society – Tuesday 22nd August 2023 Due to popular demand we are hosting another #AnglingforSustainability workshop on Tuesday 22nd August - this time in Weymouth! Come and join us at Weymouth Angling Society for an evening of chatting about black bream and learn how you can get involved in this exciting project. Thanks to the support of recreational anglers and skippers, there are now over 100 acoustically tagged black bream swimming around the Dorset coast - have you caught one? Let us know at fishtracking@plymouth.ac.uk Catchwise East of England Surveyors and Volunteers We’re hiring! The Angling Trust are seeking applications for a paid contract field surveyor(s) based in the East of England to join a nationwide team across England and Wales as part of the Catchwise project - the biggest single study of sea angling undertaken for over a decade. This is an exciting opportunity to work closely together with the recreational fisheries sector and other stakeholders within marine management. Catchwise is funded through the Fisheries Industry Science Partnership (FISP) and will involve collaboration with the project's partners, Substance and Cefas. Find out more Can’t commit to a part-time role? Become a Catchwise Volunteer instead. Supper for Science Developing a bass tissue bank for the study of connectivity between European coastal nursery habitats Supper for Science aims to develop a better understanding of the contribution of sea bass nurseries to different adult populations around the UK. Understanding where bass fry end up and which areas best support growth and survival to adulthood is important to a sustainable bass fishery, AND YOU CAN HELP! This is a great opportunity for anglers to get involved in research which will help to restore bass stocks and maintain them in the future. If you are keeping a bass (or two) for the table, it would be great if you could pop the raw head(s) into the freezer ready for subsequent collection by Essex University, who will analyse them as part of their research. To register your interest and let them know about any bass heads you have collected, please email the University on seabasstastic@gmail.com GET FISHING Get into fishing and get a Blue Peter Sport Badge! Age 5 to 15? Send in a few words and a picture, video or art showing you learning to fish to get the new Blue Peter Sport Badge designed by football legend Leah Williamson. Find out more Register free on British Blind Sport Activity Finder Angling clubs can register free on the British Blind Sport Activity Finder with VI (Visually Impaired) friendly fishing activities and competitions - it only takes a few minutes. Find out more Species Hunt Over 400 new entries hit the Angling Trust Tronix Pro Species Hunt email box in July as the free-to-enter sea fishing competition headed into its summer season in style. Despite the foul weather there were fish galore reported from all over the country this month, including some remarkable specimens, with each different species earning valuable points for their captors. Since the event kicked off on April 1 there has been nearly 1,700 fish catches submitted and we’re starting to see the three leaderboards – Elite, Seniors, and Juniors – grow and take shape with plenty of movement as anglers tick off their target fish. Don’t worry if you’re not in the reckoning just yet, there are plenty more fish to be caught during this year-long event! July's leaderboard revealed It’s incredibly tight at the top of the three leaderboards with just 12 points separating the top five in the busy Seniors league. Last month’s leader, Pembrokeshire’s Ben Price, only added a single point to his score in July but it was enough to keep him at the top of the table ahead of a chasing pack led by Luke Woodford on 35 and Darren Pearson who leaped from fifth to third with 34 species caught. The Elite anglers have piled on the points this month and it’s a familiar name – Martin Avons – who continues to dominate this league set up for last year’s top 30 anglers. The 2022-23 overall champion Simon Lancastle is hot on his heels though and has moved up from tenth to second in the last two months. He now stands on 43 points ahead of third-placed Neil Stephenson, from Thirsk, who managed to catch an impressive 12 different species this month. Reuben Judge extended his lead at the top of the Juniors’ League by adding five more fish to his total this month taking him to 25 points overall. He’s being hotly chased by Zephyr Laramy, from Ilfracombe, who is still holding onto second place with 16 species although he is now in a tie with Hemingstone’s Mark Banham. Beautiful bream takes July specimen honour There were four outstanding fish in the running for this month’s Specimen Award - a 148cm Conger Eel caught by Simon Lancastle, a 3lb 3oz Gilthead Bream taken by Mark Griffiths, a Common Smooth-hound of 102cm caught by Jason Warne, and a 52cm Ballan Wrasse which fell to Simon Gavey. All provided great pictures of their fish, but it was Mark Griffiths’ rare Gilthead Bream which was selected by our experts as the best of the four, although this was one of the closest calls we’ve ever had to make. Congratulations to all the anglers who submitted catches for Species Hunt and Specimen Awards in July - we’re looking forward to seeing your August fish. Member Offer Lure fishing for wrasse or bass? Get 10% off at Predator Tackle Our friends at Predator Tackle offer 10% discount on all online sales - just one of the great benefits you receive as an Angling Trust Individual Member, including savings on tackle, bait, fishing books, holidays, travel, household goods - and more! Click here to find out more.

He had bass or 5lb and 6lb so not bad.

Report removed at the request of the person who told me about it.

View in browser | Latest Sea Angling News from the Angling Trust Sea News Update July 2023 Defra confirms CHART 2023 will continue in England The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed to the Angling Trust and the UK Bluefin Tuna Association (UKBFTA) that the funding for the English CHART (Catch and Release Tagging) programme in 2023 has been signed off and the programme has been given the green light. Given the severe funding constraints we have highlighted previously, the process for approval took longer than we would have liked, but we are pleased the Minister recognised the importance of ensuring CHART will continue this year in England. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION Angling for Sustainability: tagging black bream, sharks and rays in the Solent and Dorset An exciting research partnership focused on black bream, sharks and rays in the Solent and Dorset has launched with scientists and anglers. The Angling Trust are proud to be collaborating with the University of Plymouth, Southern IFCA, the Professional Boatman’s Association and Natural England on this Fisheries Industry Science Partnership which focuses on the environmental sustainability of the recreational angling sector and gives the sector a bigger voice through ongoing fisheries management plans. Anglers fishing around the Solent and Dorset are encouraged to look out for tagged fish and report them to fishtracking@plymouth.ac.uk. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION Project Pollack: understanding a recreationally important fish Recent stock assessments and observations by anglers have suggested a concerning decline in the pollack stocks and a reduction in large fish, urging local skippers and anglers to take action by instigating collaboration with scientists The Angling Trust are delighted to be collaborating with the Professional Boatman’s Association, the University of Plymouth and the University of York with support from Cefas to leverage the importance of recreational knowledge and safeguard the future of this important fish via a Fisheries Industry Science Partnership. CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE Catchwise onsite surveys are underway! Our team of regional surveyors have hit the shoreline to start surveying sea anglers as part of a 12-month project. Catchwise is a new survey of sea angling taking place across England and Wales in 2023 and 2024. The project has been co-developed with sea anglers and aims to significantly improve the recognition of the sport’s value to coastal communities and inform relevant fisheries management decisions accurately. Catchwise is funded via a Fisheries Industry Science Partnership with Substance and Cefas. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION Be part of Catchwise ... surveyor roles still available The Angling Trust is seeking five highly motivated and organised individuals who have experience in face-to-face surveying to join Catchwise. There are five self-employed contracts available: 1 x South Wales (covering from Aberystwyth to Prince of Wales Bridge), 1 x North Yorkshire and the Humber, 1 x East Anglia, 1 x South East of England (ideally based in Surrey, East Sussex or West Sussex), and 1 x Northumberland. Interested applicants should send their CV and cover letter to galini.samlidou@anglingtrust.net and hannah.rudd@anglingtrust.net, and cc samantha.hook@substance.net CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE Bass Fishery Management Plan consultation opening soon The hotly anticipated Bass Fishery Management Plan consultation is due to open this summer following a long initial stakeholder engagement process in 2022. For more than a decade the Angling Trust has been campaigning for ecosystem-based fisheries management that sets catch limits within scientific advice, improves protections for bass nursery areas and prioritises maximising the benefits of the fishery to coastal communities. This is our opportunity to get a bass fishery that delivers for angling. Watch this space for updates on when the consultation goes live. CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE Skippers and anglers urge Fisheries Minister caution on spurdog With anglers and skippers up and down the coastline noticing the disappearance of spurdogs from areas where they were abundant prior to the commercial fishery reopening, fears are growing about the population’s future. That’s why we’ve written to the Minister to demand action. CLICK TO READ MORE Devon and Severn netting bye-law consultation The Devon and Severn IFCA recently held a written consultation on the previously implemented netting bye-law. Having consulted with affected anglers in the region, the Angling Trust considers that the bye-law has had a positive effect on a variety of species including bass and mullet and as such, we support the continuance. Our full written response to the consultation addressed each of the key aspects and can be read in full on the link here: READ OUR FULL RESPONSE Devon and Severn IFCA have since advised that the responses will be summarised in a report that will be presented to D&S IFCA’s Byelaw & Permitting Sub-Committee (B&PSC) in due course. When finalised, the consultation report will be published on the D&S IFCA website to enable all those that responded to see how their views were documented. The B&PSC will discuss the findings of the consultation (the initial open phase) and will determine what happens next with the review. No date has been set for the next B&PSC meeting; however, it is possible that it could take place in August. Lyme Bay sole fishery consultation A consultation on the sole fishing in Lyme Bay (which encompasses Chesil beach) took place initially by way of written submissions, to which over 160 recreational anglers submitted responses. This was followed with an invitational meeting by the MMO, facilitated by an independent company. The attendance at this meeting was largely the commercial sector, with a mix of fixed net and trawled gear fishers. Our Sea Angling Engagement manager, Grant Jones, attended to represent the recreational sea angling community and put our concerns across. Whilst there was much talk of an improving stock, we challenged the data and queried whether this had taken account of any class size of fish. Whilst the commercial sector appeared optimistic about the price for small sole in the Spanish market, we know how important specimen size fish are to the recreational sector. There was no class size data whatsoever and we argued that any indication of increased stock could be attributable to a stressed stock increasing re-production, which often leads to a glut of smaller fish with more limited potential for growth. The debate moved on to mesh size and minimum legal sizes, with increases in both of these receiving wide support from the attendees on the day, though no decisions could be ratified there and then and will require further consultation and lead times to allow fishers to change gear. A hot topic of contention was gear disputes. Whilst this was perceived as fixed gear being interrupted by trawled gear, Grant raised the issue of both ghost gear causing issues for recreational anglers, as well as the increased frequency with which trawlers are coming within casting distance of the shore. A specific meeting to look at ‘zoning’ will take place at the start of 2024, where we will continue to push for a one-mile recreational buffer / commercial exclusion zone along the entirety of Lyme Bay. The feedback from the commercial fishing sector is that this is not their most fished area nor their most profitable, but we know how important an ecosystem it is and how critical it is to the recreational angling sector and should be maximised as such. The independent facilitators proposed a prioritisation of issues several times throughout the day, which the Angling Trust successfully convinced them was not the way to proceed given the skewed representation present. Whilst assurances were given that this would only be indicative, we warned of the risks of getting any ball in motion with an unrepresentative body of voices. Whilst this was avoided on this occasion, it shows how important it is that we strive for greater representation at such meetings. Several other anglers had received invites but were unfortunately unable to attend. If you have a passionate interest in this fishery, please reach out to Grant Jones via email - grant.jones@anglingtrust.net - as he will be looking for others to attend follow up meetings, such as the zoning meeting in 2024. Amazing month in Angling Trust Tronix Pro Species Hunt With the warmer weather and longer days, June has seen some bumper catches recorded in our free-to-enter Angling Trust Tronix Pro Species Hunt competition. Since the event kicked off on April 1 there has been an incredible 1,244 fish reported and we’re starting to see plenty of new faces on the three leaderboards – Elite, Seniors, and Juniors - and movement in the top 10s too. Don’t worry if you’re not in the reckoning just yet, there are plenty more fish to be caught in this year-long event. JUNE'S LEADERBOARDS REVEALED: Keeping his No1 position in the Elite League – created for the top 30 anglers of last year – is Warminster, Wilts-based Martin Avons with an incredible 44 species, 14 up on last month. Local rival Keith Woods – also from Warminster - has moved up from third to second in this top tier with nine more fish this month, taking him to 33 in total. Last year’s overall winner Simon Lancastle is hot on their heels though with 32 species, up from 10th. There’s a new leader in the Seniors League after Pembrokeshire’s Ben Price recorded an impressive 21 new species this month to take him to a total of 41. Last month’s leader Luke Woodford slips down a place on 35, and third placed Norman Bowerman, from Widnes, moves up from fifth overall with his tally of 27. The Junior League continues to be a close affair with Reuben Judge still leading with 20 species with a tie for second between Ilfracombe’s Zephyr Laramy and Bournemouth’s Kacper Karp, on 12. SUPER SOLE WINS MONTHLY AWARD Last year’s overall champion Simon Lancastle has claimed this month’s Specimen Award for his 49cm long Dover Sole caught on the first day of June from the Bristol Channel. This ranks as one of the longest sole’s submitted to the challenge. This month sees the Species Hunt Summer Challenges begin for our junior hunters with eight targets to catch over the school holidays. Everyone who submits a catch as part of the challenge will earn themselves an exclusive species sticker – can anyone collect them all? FIND OUT MORE & SIGN UP FOR FREE Anglers Against Pollution Our seas are suffocating in sewage. Sea angling voices need to be heard more than ever. Pledge your support to our Anglers Against Pollution campaign today. Pledge Your Support Anglers Against Litter Plastics plague our marine environment and we're committed to creating a healthier future for our seas and the fish we love. Pledge Your Support Fishing Buzz The Angling Trust curate the best sea angling content all in one place. Videos, articles and blogs, just head over to Fishing Buzz and take a look. Click for Fishing Buzz No.1 site for fishing in Wales Fishing In Wales is the no.1 website for Welsh sea, coarse and game angling. Where, when, how and what to fish for in Wales – we have it covered! Take a look for yourself Not yet a member? Please join today and support our work Angling Trust Facebook Group for sea anglers The Angling Trust has set up a Facebook Group just for sea anglers - and we want you to get involved! It is the ideal place to catch up with news, views, events, pictures and videos from the world of sea angling. CLICK HERE FOR FACEBOOK GROUP The Angling Trust's work is supported by our Trade Associates

Alun with a 7lb 4oz Turbot