drop in numbers

[raptar]

Hi all

I was chatting to a nets man over the weekend, he told me that there are taking some of the nets off the Towy next year because the rod licenses where down by at least 50% this year.
apparently there is also a big drop in permit numbers this year, with more not rejoining next year a lot of clubs will be struggling so much that you can join any club without being on any waiting list, can anyone confirm this ? or have heard the same.

[jj1]

I cant see why the netsmen would be blaming the drop in angler numbers for the cut in net licences, i would imagine the fact that the netsmen are still harvesting the dwindling stock of prime sewin may have more to do with it. I did hear that the river may b going c n r for salmon next year but not for sewin, if sewin wer included in that then the nets would have to come off too, but it seems wag and nrw dnt have the balls to do that!

[steelheadnut]

It's about time SOMEBODY had the balls to stop ALL netting of migratory fish entering the river systems of this country. Must all of these stocks be eradicated before someone decides to stop these outdated practices.

Cap

[raptar]

ok I heard that C&R mite be introduced to the Towy catchment in 2016, but if they where going to do it next year for salmon and not sewin that makes no sense at all, as it seems too be more salmon than sewin seen moving in that catchment so far this year.
has anyone got real info on this and not just roomer as that is all this is so far.

as for the nets, I think that there should be no netting at all inland & coastline waters, just line caught fish only as the demand of fish will always be there.

[ratcliffe]

I spoke to a committee member who is involved with a well known club on the tywi recently and they have spoke about mandatory CR on their waters during a group meeting , it was decided that CR was not the way forward as the members would not be renewing their membership next year if CR was brought in , the club in question could not financially keep solvent for the next season if members walked away .... This may have a reason why salmon not sewin could be CR soon , as most clubs on the river could not survive if members walked away. I understand people want to safeguard the river but the bigger picture is to safeguard the clubs, without the clubs the river would become a free for all.
...... Matt

[jj1]

But with no fish in the river..........
The clubs would go under anyway.

[ratcliffe]

To true jj1, there has to be some major changes around the river, not everybody will be happy with the changes but to safeguard the river and it's stock they are needed .. Matt

[johnevs]

In the long run its better to pay for a ticket where there are plenty of fish rather than pay for one where their isn't, what ever helps get the numbers back I'm with it|\

[morphfly]

Ending legal netting will have little or no effect on stocks. It's the illegal drift netting in the estuary. The rod catch last year is 40% of 2002 catch.i doubt this decline is to do with any in river cause. In this period CRT has been doing good work but still we have decline
Morphfly

[jj1]

Yes i agree, a great deal of the problem is out in the bay and beyond. In the ten years up to 2002 the average sewin catch was over 4500, the decline to less than half that in the next ten years has been rapid. Does the fact that the then goverment signed over our inshore fisheries to europe in 2002 have any bearing on this rapid decline or just coincidence?

[johnevs]

That's what a few are saying here jj, if we were out of the EU they say that the trawlers wouldn't be able to come within so far of our coasts is this true??

[jj1]

Depends on how far out of the union we go! Remember, new fisheries have been created since 2002! Sandeel and sprat fisheries have sprung up, these are crushed up, processed then either fed to pigs, salmon in farms or used as fertilizer. These fisheries have had a detrimental effect on not just salmon and sewin but also coastal nesting sea bird populations, migrating mackerel numbers and a whole host of other predators. Legally, im not sure if we pulled out of the eu that these practices would change, ie law suites by foreign persons for loss of livelyhoods, so i would imagine that it would b low down the list of what to repatreate!
So, a quick fix would not be forthcoming, infact i would imagine central goverment would0let them carry on under licence
So, once we opted in in 2002 and as far as im concerned gave away our crown jewels, its gona b nigh on imposible to put things back the way they where.
To put into context what im jawing about, i know its a travesty when adults get taken as a by product of mixed stock fisheries but thousands and thousands of juveniles get taken by mistake in the 'pig food' fishery as well as the prey that they feed on. shallow sandy areas are hit the worse.