Heysham Bass Nursery Areas Latest

[gazc]

after seeing first hand how many undersize bass were being taken at the outflows and being told to f****off and mind me own by scum like that. i think a ban would be welcomed by most of us who fish this area on a regular basis (all year round )and in all weathers not just the summer months .most anglers both local and welcome visiters do respect the nursery area but there is always that unwelcome element.would a ban on fishing only during the bass season be helpfull ??during these months could it be policed by the fisheries on a regular basis?like baz c mentioned if a ban is put in place it needs someone to enforce it.. it's saddening to see it come down to this i am in favour of the ban but as bodger says only with a review to assess progress or try a seasonal ban

[Paul]

There would be nothing gained if the area was reopened or not. The area is only special because of the outflows. If the outflows are turned off, there is no bass nursery!

To IFCA there would be no conversational value in keeping the nursery area, but also from an anglers point of view would anything be gained by fishing there, rather than 200 yards up the beach?!?!

There is evidence that fish return to the same general area year on year.... There was a guy who caught and tagged a bass one year, and caught the same fish the following 2 or 3 years virtually from the same area....

I honestly think this could massively improve the fishing in and around Morecambe. Obviously time will tell if the Byelaw is passed.

[Blanko]

As Rushy said none of us REALLY want to give up ANY venue but being decent conservation minded people we would give up some of our own sport to assuage the damage to both stocks and reputations currently being inflicted by people masquerading as anglers.

We would I'm sure all prefer to continue to fish a properly policed venue where unscrupulous anglers would be caught and taken to task over their deeds-as they should be.

Now I know the local fisheries office is no doubt hopelessly overstretched as far as covering the area goes-Ive been told they cannot act on reports either- but from what I've seen on over a dozen occasions they didn't use their time efficiently at all,preferring to visit just as the tide was flooding or within the 1st hour. I spoke to 2 officers one day and said that (with the greatest respect) they'd be far better coming 1-2 hours after high tide as they'd be FAR more likely to see bulging bags of undersize fish at this point-I know I have on MANY occasions! I was told it basically wasn't my business (politely though ) and I take their point but I'd have been back at that time the next time I visited and I'd expect to make a few collars too.

Sadly for us the lack of resources to police the venue has meant abuse of the area was rife and spreading bad reports leave the fisheries little option but go down this exclusion route when the chance presented itself. I'd love to keep it open + fish it responsibly every day but its always the same - be it cockles/mussels or Bass,where there's a £ or ten to be had it will always attract undesirable elements-so I guess thats why I have to support the ban-reluctantly.


"The wild life of today is not ours to dispose of as we please. We have it in trust and must account for it to those who come after."
--King George VI of England

[mark2]

why can't we have a close season and bag limit on bass similar to our friends over the water, with big penalties for law breakers. these guys who fish to sell and aren't bothered about the size would then have nothing to target as costs would outweigh benefits and real anglers would not be deprived of what after all can be cracking sport.
In the past I have caught between 40 and 80 fish in a session only keeping two for the pot, some would say red letter days others would say damaging fish when little skill is required if you are catching so many,but others were blanking alongside me!
Someone was prosecuted a couple of years back in wales for posessing undersized fish; the couple of fish he had undersize were confiscated, the others (I believe a couple of thousand pounds worth) were not and he was eventually taken to court and fined a few hundred pounds for taking undersized fish. no deterrent and no protection of the fish stocks, the guy still fishes the same area but is now more careful not to take undersized fish but still takes bags full on a daily basis which can only be destined for sale. I understand the only reason he was stopped was because he had been taunting local anglers, one of whom was a friend of the local bobby.

[Paul]

Interesting Poll results so far....

86% in favour......

[Blanko]

I was a bit surprised to find it overwhelmingly supported but sadly I think it reflects the despondency decent anglers feel when faced with how many fellow fishermen behave and the odds against ever changing their behaviour.
Sites like this generally reflect the opinion of more informed people who are mindful of the future for angling + our children,we've all seen the abuse of the outflows,gangs of loudmouth morons turning up + forcing people aside to grab the spots they want then proceeding to fill their bags with fish of ANY size.Failure to see any positive enforcement by the fisheries given the scale of the problem drives decent folks to the point where we feel we'd rather NOBODY fish a venue such is the damage being done to not just stocks but reputations of anglers.
Ask almost anyone with the vaguest interest in the local area,let alone angling,about the outflows + theyll immediately (and correctly in so many cases) associate it with ignorant anglers taking hordes of undersized fish.
As its been stated it might be a moot point anyway as the whole 'dynamic' of the area will change when the hot water gets turned off,we've enjoyed a possibly false diversity of stock for many years,so there won't be too may anglers locally with memory of the bay as it was pre-nuclear power-will there be any Bass to speak of or will we continue to catch year round?
It does highlight how few of us are 'in the know' where angling politics are concerned-and worryingly so,I wonder if this will ever change given the apathy of most toward protecting the sport.It makes sites like this more important than ever and places a responsibility on us all to spread the word about such issues. Anglers could carry a MASSIVE political weight if we ever got organised,if there are 4m+ of us that's a government changing block vote,sadly we're hopelessly divided and will no doubt be whittled away at + regulated + restricted while no one listens to the few voices we have.
I feel better now thats off my chest lol!

[Paul]

I believe the outflows won't be turned off for quite some time (10 years minimum was suggested)

Ten years of a bass nursery area and the benefits of the warm water for small bass, if they are left alone, could well set this area up for a long time.... it has been proven that Bass return year on year to the same area... You take a bass home today, that is one less for tomorrow. don't get me wrong I'm not against people taking Bass for the pot, in moderation. Over the course of a season if only 100 bass are saved, thats 100 more 2lbers next year in the area....

But I would love to see a bag limit in force too.... many will ask the question how all this would be enforced but you only have to look at Ireland to see the benefits. It would only take an odd person getting caught, heavily fined and the whole thing publicised to get the message home. It wouldn't stop everyone, but the vast majority of people would think twice before fishing the outflows or taking fish beyond the bag limit knowing it was a £1000 fine if they got caught

[Blanko]

I believe the outflows won't be turned off for quite some time (10 years minimum was suggested)

Ten years of a bass nursery area and the benefits of the warm water for small bass, if they are left alone, could well set this area up for a long time.... it has been proven that Bass return year on year to the same area... You take a bass home today, that is one less for tomorrow. don't get me wrong I'm not against people taking Bass for the pot, in moderation. Over the course of a season if only 100 bass are saved, thats 100 more 2lbers next year in the area....

But I would love to see a bag limit in force too.... many will ask the question how all this would be enforced but you only have to look at Ireland to see the benefits. It would only take an odd person getting caught, heavily fined and the whole thing publicised to get the message home. It wouldn't stop everyone, but the vast majority of people would think twice before fishing the outflows or taking fish beyond the bag limit knowing it was a £1000 fine if they got caught

The operative word in there's HEAVY. A really weighty slap of £1000+-non-negotiable-would be a solid deterrent as most of the people I've seen taking big bags of undersized fish from the mark don't have that much money invested in their car + complete tackle collection put together.
Mind you-and here comes the inner cynic in me-the majority will then blub that theyre on the dole + will be allowed to pay it off at £1 a week for the following 20 years-will default on the very 1st payment + end up COSTING the fisheries £10,000's to pursue through the courts

[Paul]

Unfortunately you may be right....

I don't think we will ever stop EVERYONE, but this byelaw may be the first step in the right direction, and if the majority can be stopped then only good can come of it....

[phill 85]

what is to me for the law abiding angler this harsh coz very under size fish goes back and fights another day but for the fannies that take everything that bites it needs to be done so what where do we go from here as the real fishman don't want this to happen but how do we stop legal takening of under size fish.. we all now this happens all over the bay area and beyond