NESA Species Hunt 2013

[Bassboyo]

If someone has taken the time to learn the identifying features and takes the neccessary photos to make the id possible beyond doubt they are doing the species hunt pround and should be rewarded with as many points as possible not robbed of them.

I have to agree to a certain degree, but there is a lack of positive clear photographs to distinguish between the sub species. It has to be cut and dry definite features clearly visible. Not everyone has the equipment or technology while at the water. Am happy with whatever is decided, it's only fun ;-)

[finding nemo]

opinions on id- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports

these guys seem pretty shure

[Bassboyo]

opinions on id- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports

these guys seem pretty shure

Yep I agree it's a shore rockling but I also think no one has entered a 3B ;-)

[Thunderpants]

OK lads we still need your votes. The score so far ...

One type of Rockling 2 Votes - Bassboyo, Fishingmark
Different species of Rockling 3 Votes - Aqua Holic, lumpsucker, finding nemo

I have not voted yet and will wait to see if I need to do a deciding vote if its a level score. If the voting result is that we go for multiple species of rockling and peoples individual fish are uncertain then I agree with finding nemo that we should vote on them and go with the majority decision. This species hunt is just a bit of fun anyway so it doesn't matter if we get the species wrong as long as we are all agreed on it. If we go this route then all those currently labelled as 3B in the table will need to be voted on. You may remember that originally I had them all down as shore rockling until I learned that shore rockling do not occur in the north east. Having seen Aqu-holics pic from Whitburn I am doubting this now as his pic looks very like the shore rockling I caught on Chesil Beach.

There are 28 people in the species hunt so we need more votes lads.


As for sandeels, there are five species of sandeels in british waters and they all look the same externally but are different sizes. Greater Sandeels are big so if you catch one over 20cm it is probably one of those but if it is under 20cm it may be another species or may just be a small greater sandeel Unless someone has a definate way of identifying them I intend to call them all Launce and just have the one type in the hunt.

[lumpsucker]

http://britishseafishing.co.uk/greater-and-lesser-sandeel/

Copied the most important bit:
While easy to confuse greater and lesser sandeels there are easy ways to tell the difference between the two species. If a sandeel is over twenty centimetres in length it is likely to be a greater sandeel, while lesser sandeels have an expandable, tube like mouth, which greater sandeel do not. There is also a deeper fork to the tail of the lesser sandeel.

It is possible to tell the difference although it may be tricky with poor photos and no measurements. Read somewhere else the record for a launce is 8oz!

[Wee Ver]

Ban rocklings altogether there getting on my tits now

[Thunderpants]

Nothing about tubular jaws here MarLIN - The Marine Life Information Network but it does say "the greater sand eel Hyperoplus lanceolatus can be distinguished from Ammodytes tobianus by presence of teeth in the roof of the mouth and by its inability to protrude its upper jaw. " I'd be surprised if anyone could get a photo of that though lol

[lumpsucker]

Nothing about tubular jaws here MarLIN - The Marine Life Information Network but it does say "the greater sand eel Hyperoplus lanceolatus can be distinguished from Ammodytes tobianus by presence of teeth in the roof of the mouth and by its inability to protrude its upper jaw. " I'd be surprised if anyone could get a photo of that though lol

Its getting a bit much if we need to take pics of the inside of a sandeels mouth! Lol

[toonboymc]

My vote is only 1 type no 3 beard or 5 beard same as scorpion fish

[codcatcher3000]

multiple species....red cod / spring cod/ nee cod .

being serious. if it has a separate scientific name then its a different species. the onus is one the poster to get the best pics and identify based on the pics. if not u register a basic species/. gotta go work .. i will mumble more later

[finding nemo]

Yes its only a bit of fun, but........

How can ya exclude certain species because some people cant possitively id them.

Some people including myself couldnt identify each blenny or wrasse or probly many others dose that mean people cant include them

in my opinion its silly to if this happens

If there is only to be 1 rockling, sand eel and even bullhead allowed then hoe is that any differnt
to only allowing lets say

1 dog fish
1 wrasse
1 blenny
1 ray
The list goes on
im shure there is a good few who need help identifying a fish now and then and there is always some way to determine an id

this is a bit of fun yes but this is a fishing forum for debate so there is nothing wrong with debating till we confirm each fish even if it takes months
we all obviously have the time or wouldnt be wasting it even having this discussion

we all might actually learn something

its a species hunt after all

[Wee Ver]

Look wot u started nemo!

[lobsterwells]

Few more for me mike

dab

herring

pollock

pouting

whiting

[lobsterwells]

and a

turbot

[Pete from shields]

My vote is for 1 type of rockling, this is supposed to be for fun but lads this is getting silly now. Most people taking pics don't take them with the exact identifying features leaving Mike/Thunderpants the trauma of trying to identify whether or not it is an actual 3 or 5 bearded rockling.

We'll be bloody moaning about Joey or horse mackerel etc next.