F.A.O Doc. Lobster pots S/Shields Pier

[YoursTruly]

Hi Doc, its been a while since i heard from you!

Have you made any progress on the lobster pots around South Shields Pier ?

They seem to be getting worse as there are loads more.
Could you let me know where i can find out the exact amount of lobsters and crab you can land witout a license.

I suspect its 1 lobster and 5 crabs per day. if that is the case then the bosun on the Tynemouth lifeboat must be taking the p**s because it just would not be worth doing all the pots he has out around the pier and groyne just to take so few.
look forward to your reply

Terry

[sless]

there is 3 lanes(beats) of pots along the pier from the blocks
there was a few pots washed up at the 1st gate the other day aswell

[Doc]

Hi Guys,

yes I\'m still pushing this, although I agree with you (little response).

The CFO and dCFO are aware of the issue, and I\'ve spoken at length wrt the concerns of local anglers and the impact the netting and potting is having on shore and pier anglers. There is a quarterly meeting of the NESFC at the end of January, which if I don\'t get some committment to act before then, then I\'ll make an formal request at the meeting that the officers making a serious investigation into the problem. I had hoped that they would investigate without having to go public on this as all it does is forewarn the guilty parties and then they move the gear until the inspection is over, subsequently moving gears back after.

The actual allowances for unlicenced fishers is 2 lobsters and 10 crabs, they are also restricted to 10 pots, unfortunately there are no restrictions in where they can put pots, in other words they can place them anywhere, the only restrictions apply to static nets (gill nets) which cannot be placed within the 10m depth contour (at present) or in the conservation areas at the mouth of the Tyne, Tees and Wear(?), not sure about the Wear but will check., and trawling (conservation boxes) off Whitby, Filey and along the Holderness coast.

I\'ll speak to the CFO again (Monday) and if no committment is forthcoming then raise it as an issue at the NESFC January meeting.

Cheers


Doc

[YoursTruly]

Thanks Doc

You say there are only 10 pots allowed!
Now is this 10 pots in total or 10 on a string?
Is it only one string or as many as they want?

I think we should have gone public well before now, in fact until the bosun of the Tynemouth lifeboat removes his pots from the South Shields area i for one will not be making anymore donations to the RNLI and will be forwarding a letter to the powers that be down at RNLI HQ in Sunderland .

[tony.codling]

terry as you know i put pots out but i do not take any hens what
so ever
everyone gets thrown back chances are if they are not berried they are in that stage

[sless]

i think terry is refering to boats putting pots out

[Doc]

Tony Codling FYI,

if you do not hold a fishing licence (DEFRA) and or a NESFC permit you are allowed to fish a maximum of 10 pots (in any combination (2x5 pots or 1x10 pots or even 5x2 pots) but the maximum is 10 pots. You may also use up to a maximum of 100m of net (measured along the headline) as long as the meshes comply with EU and any local regulations (although the latter is not particularly in the spirit of angling). The maximum allowable catch per day is 2 lobsters, 10 brown/edible crab and 30 whelks, which must be landed the same day they were caught, the use of a keep-pot is illegal if not a registered fisherman. There is no regulation within the NESFC to prohibit the landing of berried lobsters at the present moment, however, DEFRA are currently investigating a national ban on the landing of such (against significant opposition from many areas of the UK I might add). V-notched lobsters may not be landed, this also includes lobsters that have the tail fan damaged or mutilated (this carries a fine of around £5k).

Terry;

Do I interpret your response correctly in that the RNLI bosun is setting his pots from the shore and not from a boat, if so, I need to take this back to the NESFC because unless I\'m wrong, all the current byelaws relate to vessel set gears and not shore set (with the exception of fixed engines (Gill nets)). It is possible that he is actually not breaking any byelaws or regulations and taking advantage of a loophole that should be tightened. Can you confirm whether this is the case?

I\'ll have a word with the CFO and see if there is an electronic version of the NESFC byelaws that can be put up on this site and others in the NE for anglers to be aware of.

Cheers for now


Doc


[Edited on 9/1/2006 by Doc]

[YoursTruly]

Hi Doc
the bosun is working the Tyne estuary from a boat.

Not only is he puting pots around the pier, he is also putting them around the herd groyne.
If you or i were to try and put them around the herd groyne then i feel sure the harbour master would have something to say and stop us.

I think the bosun is using his position on the lifeboat to take liberties.

He really needs to be stopped.

[tony.codling]

thanks for the info doc
by the way i put back a lot of big lobsters coz they dont taste that nice
and i feel sorry for them took so long to grow just to end up being
boiled alive

[MickA]

Terry, is this the lad who works from the blue open boat, sometimes has a lady with him. If so I\'ve been fishing the Groyne when he\'s been lifting his pots, seems to have about 5 on a string. B@stard dropped them back right over my line aswell, he was only about 20yds out, could easily have shouted and asked me to reel in. From there he motored across to firstgate/rubble/post areas and picked up further strings. If thats him I\'d be surprised if he\'s only got 10 pots out.

[sless]

tony codling
your getting soft in your old age
hahaha

[sless]

he was along the pier yesterday
he put pots out from the 1st gate right up to thre wheel
more than 10 pots aswell
i heard his brother is a bailiff
dont know if its true or not

[TC]

This may be of interest to you, Terry - from last nights (Fridays\')Shields Gazette.............

PINCHING LOBSTERS WILL LAND YOU IN HOT WATER
A MAJOR crackdown on illegal fishing is being launched next month along South Tyneside\'s coastline.
The get-tough measures, unveiled by the North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee (NESFC), are being brought in to protect thousands of undersized lobsters being poached from the sea and sold on.
The north east has become a hotspot for illegal fishing, and crunch talks were recently held ahead of the lobster season – between the NESFC and the justice system – to clamp down on the practice and preserve future stocks.
David Nugent, NESFC fishery officer, said: \"Lobsters are big business. Last year alone in the north east – South Shields down to the Humber – the industry was worth £4.4m.
\"And by poaching undersized lobsters, it can boost a fisherman\'s profits as the small ones can be sold for between £1.50 and £3 each.
\"It is an easy money-making scheme, especially when you are talking anything from around 100 to 300 being caught a day.\"
The exact details of the scheme are still to be finalised, but under the Sea Fisheries Act 1966 it is illegal to land and sell lobsters where its carapace – the length from the back of it\'seye socket to the middle of the back – is less than 87mm.
The bylaw protecting lobsters was brought in to help preserve stocks.
Experts say that taking lobsters before they reach full sexual maturity could affect the future of the industry.
Mr Nugent added: \"While lobsters can start laying eggs from 66mm, it is only when they get bigger that they are more productive.\"
The operation, scheduled to be introduced next month, aims to target those who continue to poach undersized lobsters as well as those operating illegal lobster pots.
Mr Nugent said: \"The north east is the worst area by far for illegal fishing. But while we do have a grip on it, we haven\'t conquered it – this is going to be the year.
\"We have held a number of meetings with magistrates and barristers and the whole justice system is clamping down. The small fines will soon be a thing of the past.\"
In future, any fisherman caught with illegal hauls could have equipment confiscated, and shopkeepers who sell illegal stock could also be prosecuted.
Alan Smith, of R&A Seafoods in Frederick Street, South Shields, said: \"It\'s illegal to sell undersized lobsters, so a lot of the fishermen are selling straight from the boat, which is taking custom away from the shops.
\"Not only that, they are also depleting lobster stocks for future generations.\"

By LISA NIGHTINGALE
lisa.nightingale@northeast-press.co.uk
05 May 2006

[fishfinder]

Nice one tony lets hope they act upon it and its not just talk

[Doc]

Just as an update, I\'ve spoken to the dCFO and he informs me that the area officer in conjunction with the Environment Agency have been proactive recently. they have removed a number of illegal nets in and around the Tyne, Wear, Tees estuaries, and along/adjacent to SS pier, in addition to a net at the North Gare. They are continuing to monitor the situation and will remove any illegal nets or gears fishing within restricted areas.

With regard to the pots, no laws are being broken in terms of their placement, however, it is probable that some unlicensed operators are using more than their allocation (10 pots in total). Legislation is on the way to ensure this loophole is closed, however, it is a double edged sword, please see new topic (NESFC byelaw XXII).

Cheers

Doc