Chris Mono of www.remixbaits.co.uk changed species moving away from carp for a session after perch and tempted this stunning specimen of 2lb 15oz using a good old traditional lobworm. The venue was a North Devon Reservoir.
Missing Tails of codling on the coast!
Jamie Steward enjoyed an awesome session targeting codling on the North Devon Coast. Jamie landed four tasty fish up to 5lb 5oz. The largest codling had obviously been attached by a large predator at some point either a large fish or a seal!
Pike Fishing Talk
Respected West Country based Specimen Hunter Julian Chidgey is presenting a talk on catching Big Pike across the UK and beyond.
For details contact :- Julian via his facebook or instagram pages,
EARLY MORNING HUSS
An early morning start produced this 10lb 2oz bull Huss for Combe Martin SAC member Jamie Steward.
Reports from lockdown
For those who don’t buy the Journal here are a couple of recent angling reports written during lockdown. With a reduction in angling news it’s been liberating to have the freedom to write something different beyond the normal catch reports.
ANGLING REPORT – January 11th
FISHING IN LOCKDOWN
The Angling Trust have done a sterling job in lobbying government to allow angling to continue within the present strict lockdown rule. Angling can be practiced locally as daily exercise and whilst angling would not generally be considered as cardiovascular exercise it is undoubtedly beneficial for mental health. Anglers must make their own judgement regarding the ethics of fishing during the lockdown and whether it is within the spirit of public good. Angling is without doubt as COVID safe as is possible the only issue could arise if an accident arises whilst fishing or travelling to the water’s edge. This could of course impact upon the busy emergency services as can virtually any activity.
As a result of the lockdown angling reports are few and far between so I will take this opportunity to look back at angling in North Devon during the past. It is generally accepted that fish stocks have declined dramatically in recent times and I would certainly concur with this view. I would however add that the picture is not always as bleak as it is painted.
I have over recent years raised serious concerns regarding the all too frequent pollution incidents that impact upon our local rivers. Fortunately I feel that there is a ground swell of concern across society for the health of the planet that could bring renewed hope. Since I have been casting a line in North Devon’s rivers I have seen a dramatic decline in salmon numbers. There are many reasons for this but it is not the first time in our history that salmon have been endangered by human activity. During the Victorian era many rivers were dammed for water mills and effluent was frequently discharged into the regions rivers that were treated as open sewers.
I came across an old newspaper cutting recently that reflects upon fishing the Upper Teign. “ When I called, in the dim light of a December evening, Mr Perrott was putting the finishing touches to a red Maxwell. He last went fishing on April 5th 1930, but as the water was very high and the weather very cold he only got two trout. On his eightieth birthday he walked eight and a half miles and caught eighteen. “Trout are not so numerous as in the good old days” said Mr Perrott. “They were more plentiful when the lead mines at Christow prevented the salmon from getting into the upper reaches. I on one occasion killed one thousand trout in ten days and one day one hundred and twenty-two. I started at 5.00am and finished at 2.00pm. It is not necessarily the neatest fly that kills. The modern fly is too small. Fish rise to them but do not take.”
The above extract from the Western Times Newspaper, January 1st 1932 raised several interesting facts. The first observation is that whilst the River Teign was considered a top class salmon fishing river in recent times it was not always so as pollution from mine workings undoubtedly had a significant impact upon the rivers migratory fish population. The apparent abundance of wild trout is on the other hand quite staggering.
The book ,Exmoor Streams By Clave.F.Wade published in 1903 has many mesmerising tales of tumbling streams with abundant wild trout and salmon. The author recalls “They are at times so plentiful that I remember a boy once catching between seventy and eighty in the same pool fishing downstream with flies. I admit I have eaten them and they are even better and sweeter than the trout.” To my horror I realise that he is referring to salmon parr! That the River East Lyn survived such overfishing is testimony to the resilience of the salmon.
ANGLING REPORT
Mysteries of the past
The lockdown has inevitably impacted heavily on angling with travel restricted in line with national lockdown guidelines. There has been widespread debate regarding what is deemed local with angling permitted as daily exercise on a local basis.
This is perhaps the quietest time of year for angling with most looking forward to the Springtime that will bring longer days and hopefully an easing of the COVID situation.
I once again take this opportunity to reflect on angling in North Devon in the past. In 2019 I was privileged to have a book published entitled; “ I Caught A Glimpse” that includes a mixture of my own recollections and those of others.
The Bristol Channel was once the home of huge common skate that were frequently landed from deep-water marks. The largest of these weighed in excess of 200lb and were boated using tackle far inferior to that available today. Earlier this Winter Combe Martin SAC member Jamie Steward was fishing from a shore mark near Weston-Super-Mare when he hooked a rare blue skate. Whilst the fish was not large in skate terms at 8lb 3oz it confirmed that these fish still swim within the murky waters of the Bristol Channel. The reason the large skate disappeared was undoubtedly as a result of overfishing in past decades. These huge fish support a recreational fishery off the West Coast of Scotland where a strict catch and release policy has resulted in a thriving population. Perhaps these fish could re-populate North Devon’s local waters if conservation measures were introduced.
It is not just off the coast that species have disappeared as North Devon has also lost freshwater species. The River Taw renowned for its game fishing also has a population of Coarse fish including roach and dace. Whilst dace still abound the specimen roach that were once abundant have all but vanished. These fish were caught to over 3lb and interviewed anglers who caught these fish on a regular basis up until the late seventies when the population appears to have collapsed. The reason for this is unclear as the water quality enables a thriving population of wild brown trout that are generally considered to be less tolerant of poor quality water than roach.
It is likely that other species of fish once swam in the Taw and Torridge including perhaps mighty sturgeon that have become extinct across the UK. There are occasional reports of twaite shad caught from both the Taw and Torridge during late spring. These fish are protected by law and must be returned immediately to the water. Large shoals still migrate up the River Severn and Wye each Spring seizing lures intended for trout and salmon.
It is testament to man-kinds disregard for the natural world that many species of fish have swum into the history books. As we witness the dramatic decline in salmon and sea trout stocks I worry that future generations will reflect upon the treasures that we have allowed to dwindle and die during our watch.
UPPER TAMAR PERCH – The Most Handsome of fish
Dan Spearman fished Upper Tamar Lake to bank this fine specimen perch scaling 3lb.
Spurdog
Combe Martin SAC member Kody Chugg tempted this 11lb 9oz specimen spurdog on a recent trip to the North Devon shoreline.
Tuna -The case for a UK Recreational Live Release fishery.
Back in the Autumn I fished off Penzance for blue shark and one of the highlights of the trip was to glimpse a huge bluefin tuna leap from the water a common sight in recent seasons. It is wonderful that these beautiful fish have returned to British waters and as an angler I would relish the opportunity to target these powerful fish. I have read several accounts regarding these fish and of the epic encounters had in the past when anglers fished for these fish in the North Sea off Scarborough and other ports. In those far off days conservation was not considered and many of these fine fish were slaughtered for the glory. Todays anglers are far more enlightened and take every care to ensure that the fish are carefully released at the side of the boat after tagging to provide valuable data for scientific research.
I fear that the overexploitation of the tunas primary food fish will see these fine fish once again leave our shores. The sport fishing community that could be supported by angling would be a huge boost to the West Country economy. I would urge anglers to read the case for recreational live release below and send a letter to your MP as suggested.
Introduction.
The case for a UK Recreational Live Release
fishery.
Since 2015, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna have appeared late each summer in substantial numbers all across the UK’s Western waters, from Dorset to the Shetlands.
A significant change in the spatial distribution of the species is underway with fish now regularly appearing in UK, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Irish waters each autumn.
It seems likely a combination of long term (20-40 year) climatic cycles, climate change, and the substantial recovery of the species since 2010 are factors in this change.
The most recent stock assessment from ICCATi, SCRS Advice 2020ii (9/2020) stated:
‘….important changes in the spatial dynamics of bluefin tuna may also have resulted from interactions between biological factors, environmental variations and a reduction in fishing effort.’
‘the available data do clearly indicate that the biomass…… has increased since the late 2000s, is high at present, and that there are no concerns that overfishing may be occurring under the current TAC…..’
‘The combination of size limits and the reduction of catch has certainly contributed to a rapid increase in the abundance of the stock’.
The Opportunity.
With the UK now outside of the EU, we have joined ICCAT as a sovereign member, and are able to chart our own path re the management of Atlantic Bluefin in UK waters.
Dozens of other ICCAT members operate recreational Bluefin fisheries, including our non quota holding neighbours such as Ireland, Denmark and Sweden, who have for several years operated large scale angler led CatcH And Release Tagging (‘CHART’) programs. But not the UK.
We believe there are strong arguments to establish a large-scale, Recreational Live Release fishery in UK waters from 2021. Such a fishery would be tightly regulated and licensed as per ICCAT requirements.
It would allow both valuable scientific research through associated data recording and tagging, and bring great socio-economic benefits to UK Coastal Communities.
By engaging anglers and local communities in the management of this species it will help secure the future of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in UK waters.
Scientific Value.
Worldwide, recreational fisheries for Atlantic Bluefin are the source of much of the data and scientific study that informs crucial management decisions.
The Irish and Scandinavian ‘CHART’ programs have tagged and released over a thousand Bluefin in the last two years, providing valuable data to fisheries managers. A combination of hi tech ‘Satellite tags’ and large scale ‘spaghetti tagging’ have been favoured and supported by ICCAT and conservation bodies such as the WWF.
The UK has limited itself to a Satellite Tag program applying c55 tags at a cost of £1,000,000, providing no socio economic benefits to coastal communities.
A larger scale recreational fishery would be able to supplement the information they have obtained with much additional data via a parallel research program.
Socio-Economic Benefits.
Recreational Bluefin Tuna fisheries have been shown to generate significant economic benefits for the coastal communities hosting the fishing fleets.
Live release fisheries in particular have been shown to be the optimal use of Bluefin resource, generating multiples of revenue per tonne that of commercial harvesting.
The ‘Giant’ Atlantic Bluefin Tuna seasonally inhabiting UK waters present a particularly attractive angling challenge. Anglers will travel great distances (globally) and spend significant sums to catch, photograph and release ‘the catch of a lifetime’.
Here are two examples that we can highlight to illustrate the potential economic benefits of such recreational fisheries .
Canada.
A substantial Bluefin Tuna recreational live-release fishery was established in the waters off Nova Scotia from 2009. It was allocated a portion of Canada’s Quota for Bluefin as ‘mortality quota’ for an exclusively Live Release recreational fishery.
An independent study of this fishery in 2012 ‘Reeling in Revenue’iii concluded:
‘live release bluefin have the potential to generate up to six times more revenue on a per tonne basis than a commercially caught bluefin’.
The study estimated that recreational charter revenues generated Can$100,000/tonne versus the dockside value from commercial fishermen of Can$17,000/tonne.
This was before additional revenue generation related to the fishery was assessed, i.e. visiting angler expenditure on hotels, restaurants, fuel, bait, tackle etc.
In 2014 in a CBC news interview Bluefin charter boat captain Robert Boyd stated:
‘With the charter industry, right now we’re employed for six to seven weeks every fall, instead of just one or two days (harvesting their commercial quota).
The economic spin offs to that are just as valuable to the surrounding community as much as they are to us…It’s different from commercial fishing. It’s more of a tourism business than a fishing business…’
Live release fisheries do this via leveraging quota that must be set against possible mortalities, (that are fraction of, by definition, a 100% rate commercial fishery).
Multiple studies (Stokesbury et 2011 for example iv) show that this can be kept to around 3-5%. Canada incorporates a 3.6% mortality assumption in its fishery.
Applying a 5% mortality rate leverages quota into 20 ‘catch and release events’ for every one estimated post release mortality. Assuming one ‘hookup’ per day, that is 20 Charter Vessel bookings generating circa £15,000 even before the ‘tourism dividend’ from visiting anglers is factored in. In contrast, that one Bluefin dead on the dockside commercially is worth around £2-3,000v. The substantial revenue benefit is very clear.
United States.
Another illustration of the value of recreational Bluefin fisheries comes from the US, the town of Hatteras, North Carolina.
A winter Bluefin fishery was discovered in 1994 as changes in the Gulf Stream brought the Tuna closer inshore. (Comparable to the 2016 event in UK waters?)
The US Fisheries authorities moved to support this fishery via transferring quota and licensing opportunities to Hatteras. Anglers flocked to this new fishery and to this day Hatteras’ winter Bluefin Tuna fishery is a mecca for anglers from all over the world.
Just three years later in 1997 a comprehensive study by the University of Texasvi concluded that this fishery was generating in the order of $5million per year for the community of Hatteras. The report detailed how widespread these benefits were. Numerous businesses and hundreds of employees in the hospitality and tourism sector were direct beneficiaries of this new fishery.
Securing their future.
Engaging local communities in such science has been shown to raise awareness and support for conservation minded policies towards valuable yet vulnerable species. ‘Community science’ bears real dividends in shifting attitudes.
There is evidence worldwide of the economic benefits recreational angling can bring to coastal communities. The leveraging of small amounts of quota in live release fisheries for species such as Bluefin is a very effective use of valuable and often limited quota.
When they also deliver real, measurable socio-economic benefits to communities the support for sustainable long-term management strategies is boosted significantly.
In delivering both valuable scientific and significant socio-economic benefits for stakeholders such fisheries help ensure the future health of these species.
The UK has an opportunity to join the dozens of ICCAT members operating recreational fisheries of a stock that has recovered significantly in the last ten years. Significantly, in establishing an exclusively Live release, well regulated fishery with an important parallel research program, it can set a new world leading benchmark in the optimal, sustainable management of an iconic, valuable species.
i The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, the Global management body for the species.
ii https://www.iccat.int/Documents/SCRS/SCRS_2020_Advice_ENG.pdf
iii https://ecologyaction.ca/issue-area/reeling-revenue
iv https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320711002928
v Based upon data from Pew Charitable Trust, Norwegian Pisheries authority, and Canada’s Dept of Fisheries and Oceans vi https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1577/1548-8675(2002)022%3C0165:TEIOTR%3E2.0.CO;2
Please lobby your MP by sending him this letter and report to increase the scope of tuna fishing in the UK helping skippers and local communities
Today’s date
Re: Recreational Sea Angler Live Release Bluefin Fishery
Dear your local MP
I am recreational sea angler who fishes regularly with several skippers out of Looe
My skipper has been keeping me up to date with the progress of the CHART2021 discussions which I understand have been very positive apart from the scale being proposed.
The small scale being suggested concerns me as if we don’t help charter boats then not all of them will survive which will then impact the pubs, cafes, restaurants and accommodation which we all enjoy when we go fishing.
I have also learned that the UK now have Bluefin quota which means that a Recreational Sea Angling Live Release Fishery for Bluefin is now an option.
A RSA Live Release Fishery is the core objective of Bluefin Tuna UK and the Angling Trust and as a recreational sea angler, it is something which I fully support. For this to happen the UK Government need to advise ICCAT that they intend to introduce this fishery before 15th February this year.
I consider the charter skippers and the owners of the pubs, cafes etc. which I use when I go fishing as friends and during lockdown I have remained in contact with them. All of them are struggling financially due to Covid 19 and are in desperate need of new opportunities for their businesses.
If CHART were scaled up that would help but the better solution by far is to introduce a Recreational Sea Angling Live Release Fishery which would deliver a huge economic boost to those coastal economies. Once international travel is allowed again a fishery like this would attract anglers from other countries as well.
I am aware that many MP’s have been approached by a wide group of people and I would like to add my voice to theirs and ask that you lobby the Fisheries Minister to at the very least significantly increase the sale of CHART 2021. However, if the Government are truly committed to coastal communities and the levelling up agenda we hear so often, then they should take the actions necessary to introduce a Recreational Sea Angling Live Release Fishery and begin by advising ICCAT before the 15th February 2021 that they wish to pursue this objective and I would ask that you lobby the Minister for this outcome.
Thank you in anticipation of your support
Your name and address
Please lobby your MP by sending him this letter and report to increase the scope of tuna fishing in the UK helping skippers and local communities
Today’s date
Re: Recreational Sea Angler Live Release Bluefin Fishery
Dear your local MP
I am recreational sea angler who fishes regularly with several skippers out of Looe
My skipper has been keeping me up to date with the progress of the CHART2021 discussions which I understand have been very positive apart from the scale being proposed.
The small scale being suggested concerns me as if we don’t help charter boats then not all of them will survive which will then impact the pubs, cafes, restaurants and accommodation which we all enjoy when we go fishing.
I have also learned that the UK now have Bluefin quota which means that a Recreational Sea Angling Live Release Fishery for Bluefin is now an option.
A RSA Live Release Fishery is the core objective of Bluefin Tuna UK and the Angling Trust and as a recreational sea angler, it is something which I fully support. For this to happen the UK Government need to advise ICCAT that they intend to introduce this fishery before 15th February this year.
I consider the charter skippers and the owners of the pubs, cafes etc. which I use when I go fishing as friends and during lockdown I have remained in contact with them. All of them are struggling financially due to Covid 19 and are in desperate need of new opportunities for their businesses.
If CHART were scaled up that would help but the better solution by far is to introduce a Recreational Sea Angling Live Release Fishery which would deliver a huge economic boost to those coastal economies. Once international travel is allowed again a fishery like this would attract anglers from other countries as well.
I am aware that many MP’s have been approached by a wide group of people and I would like to add my voice to theirs and ask that you lobby the Fisheries Minister to at the very least significantly increase the sale of CHART 2021. However, if the Government are truly committed to coastal communities and the levelling up agenda we hear so often, then they should take the actions necessary to introduce a Recreational Sea Angling Live Release Fishery and begin by advising ICCAT before the 15th February 2021 that they wish to pursue this objective and I would ask that you lobby the Minister for this outcome.
Thank you in anticipation of your support
Your name and address
Watersmeet Publications – An Opportunity for budding authors
Well known angling book publisher and conservatists River Reads, received very welcome news going into 2021.
Owners Keith & Sandy Armishaw of Great Torrington, responsible for high quality publications of works by authors such as Fred J Taylor, Chris Yates, Fred Buller, Charles Inniss, Des Taylor and River Monsters own Jeremy Wade (to name a few), announced that son Lee will be pursuing his life-long passion for all things fishing, by joining forces with the Devon based company.
In his fledgling company ‘Watersmeet Publications’, Lee will be working with River Reads and Angling Heritage to continue with more quality book productions that will help to preserve the contributions of some of anglings best known names.
With work already underway on further books, ‘Watersmeet Publications’ will combine the experience of the renowned publishing firm, with Lee’s passion for angling and knowledge of digital tools to develop the business, securing the long term future of the company and providing an excellent platform to produce more quality works.
If you haven’t already, then following River Reads & Watermeet Publicatons on facebook and Instagram is well worth doing to check for news, upcoming (and existing productions) and angling exploits.
The quote ‘’There is a book in everybody’’ rings true and whether you are a budding or established author, if you are considering publishing your book, then get in touch and explore what options are available to you.
Winter Spurdog
Jon Patten fished a local rock mark to tempt this fine double figure spurdog.
