The slaughter must stop[!!!!
These fish are worth thousands more to be saved as a sport fish!!!
I have visted guernsey a few times to go fishing not anymore :0(
Very sad :0(
As a dedicated bass sport fisherman, who uses a catch and release practice to help sustain bass stocks, I find it appalling that Guernsey, with its well known bass fishing resource, should allow such activities to take place. Have they not seen what is happening off our coastline with stocks being depleted and dolphin deaths soaring ? I will not be visiting Guernsey until they have a suitable management plan that ensures maintenance of bass stocks and prevents the capture of spawning fish !
I have been following the Bass debate with great intrest. As an Island Guernsey has the perfect opportunity to stand alone and set an example to the rest of the British Isles...I thought NZ was most famous for it's sheep, however it would appear that the Guernsey Fisheries management and politicians are a flock of followers unable to make decisions based on good sense and solid leadership.I fear for the future of your fishery.
Why do the British Isles consistently manage to decimate our own fish stocks, with no thought of sustainability? It's absolutely ridiculous that all sea fish spawning grounds are not protected anyway.
Such short sighted utter greed cannot be justified at all by anyone who has an ounce or gram of common sence. How long can this slaughter of the breeding stock carry on before the species just collapses. It is utter madness and must be stopped now. The Channel Islands were on the list of possible summer fishing destinations. I am not prepared to go now unless action is taken to stop this destruction.
the commercial fishing for any species during their spawning season is just wrong and unsustainable, even my six year old neighbour realises this!!!!!!!!!!
Make the effort to put a stop to this BEFORE its too late. These fish are fantastic and killing them during spwaning time is completely senseless.
Let them breed and develop so they arent lost forever as other species are likely to be.
ACT NOW.
To be blessed with such a wonderful natural resource as the fishing off your Islands shores most definetly provide.Certainly deserves a fishery management policy befitting it.
Modern rod and line ''anglers'' are fortunatly appreiciating the sporting side of angling.Borne out by more light line sport and an increased willingness to return alive a good part of there catches.
A point worth considering is the cost involved to the angler on a fishing break to your shores,it does n't come cheap.Contributing a fair sum to the local guest houses,hotels,restaurants ,bakers,newagents,tackle shops etc.Quite a spread of revenue in fact.
How much ''value'' I wonder is derived from the commercial fleet to the island.Who seem to deplete your fish stocks with scant regard to conservation of any sort.
You can't put back what 'aint there !
Take a leaf out of the USA's boo and their management of the east cost fisheries. The benefit from fishing related tourisn to the Island's economy far outweighs the commercial fisheries benefit enjoyed by the few.
Just look what happenned to the bass stocks off the Eddystone. The fishing around Guernesy is 'special' and that's why we mainlanders come over for a bit of it. The longer it stays the better, for the fishermen and the island tourism.
This disgusting practice should be stopped. Who puts more into Guernseys economy. Oh and don't forget the damage they do to marine eco-systems. What of the dolphins and porpoises that are being slaughtered by this method of fishing. An industry could be set up to encourage people to watch these beautiful creatures.
In seems unbeleievable to me that an island that relies heavily on tourism to support the economy could let a resource such as the Bass stocks be decimated on an annual basis. The long term implications are enormous for both the fish and for the Guernsey tourist trade. Anglers are becoming more high spending and numerous, but if there are no fish to catch - no anglers - a very simple equation. The environmental reasons for protecting these fish stocks are extraordinarily clear and the State of Guernsey has a moral duty to do soemthing about commercial slaughter which benefits no-one except the trawler owners.
Come on - do your bit to make things better. Any other course of action is cowardly.
It is my belief that allowing killing to take place on any spawning ground should be abolished. Have we learn't nothing from the animals that have gone into extinction in the past. We as anglers are better than this!
One sweep of a net, can destroy the future of Guernsey, as a centre of excellence for bass fishing, for years to come. Let commonsense prevail, whilst there is still a chance.
Do not continue to murder these fisg in their spawining grounds, they take years to grow to maturity to breed. Look after them now and there will be enough for everyone in the future.
Have Been interested in travelling to the island for the Bass Fishing - now see that this soon could be pointless -unless the bass are protected and soon.!
I will not re-visit until this is stopped. I want to be able to take my grandson Bass fishing in Guernsey, when he is old enough, (hopefully, there will be some fish there)
The future of all fish stocks is under threat from over fishing. It is sheer madness to trawl for Bass over their spawning grounds. I for one win not visit or holiday in the Channel Islands while this murderous activity is allowed to happen. I will also discourage my friends and their family’s form taking holidays in the islands until this madness stops.
Anglers travel from all over the world to fish for Striped Bass in the U.S. Just think what could happen if the European Bass wasn't being slaughtered whilst spawning. This shortsightedness is costing Guernsey And the other Channel Islands £millions in lost tourism revenue.
The targetting and killing of such large numbers of mature bass,which represent the future of the species,in the interest of short term gain for a few is incredibly short-sighted.With good management of this resource (i.e. a closed season)a long-term valuable sport-fishing and commercial fishery could be created.
I am a freshwater angler who has holidayed in alderney on several occasions and have planned to visit guernsey in the future this will not be the case if the bass stocks are depleted
My Family name is Brehaute and I can ramember my great Grandmother speaking and trying to teach me patois. I fish Guernsey every time I visit and this is one of the prime reasons that I visit. Without the fishing I would probably not not come over again.
Good bass fishing would attract me to Guernsey - in addition to charter fees I would of course be purchasing local meals and accomodation.
...and of course the antithesis applies.
Do not allow a greedy few to jeopardise one of your island's prime assets
Ireland is the place to go on holiday if you want to sea-fish. They may not be doing enough to save ever-decreasing stocks, but at least they are trying. Come on Guernsey, you can't advertise yourselves as a fishing paradise, with competitions solely for non-residents, if you are turning a blind eye to the pillaging of one of your best assets.
As an occasional angling visitor to the channel islands, I find it very disturbing that the proposed sensible measures of protection aren't being taken to secure the longevity of the resident Bass stocks.
Ireland has moved forward in this area and now reaps the benefits in increased tourism as well as being able to hold their hands up when asked in the future when the seas are bare 'who did anything about it?'
Its a great shame that the people concerned cannot or will not reconize the revenue visiting anglers bring in . The fishing around the C.I.'s is great and should be viewed as an asset , and managed properly there will be enough for all concerned.
Never seen a Bass living up in Orkney but I do understand the fragility of island's when it come to fish, during the 70's Skate, Halibut and many other fish were almost wiped out in Orkey waters by commercail fishing and are only now returning so Orkney has lost out on nearly 40 years of good angling tourism that is only now being considered.
Bob
Targetting spawning Bass demonstrates that the commercials motivation is purely greed, with no regard for this most precious of resources. If this continues I will now go to Ireland for my fishing trips, where Bass are protected.
I have, in the past, visited the C.I for a variety of fishing trips. I also take along a couple of friends and we used to do this on a regular basis. However with the recent fiasco, wherby a kind of bass fever took hold and the slaughter began, I have had a change of plans and am boycotting the Island totally. Also by word of mouth I am doing my upmost to deter any other angler visiting as well. Time for concern... I think so!
The current large catches of breeding stocks of bass will certainly negatively affect my decision to fish the Channel Islands. These fish must be protected so future sustainable fishing can be secured.
I cannot believe that any right thinking environmentalist cannot fail to be appalled by the continued commercial targetting of Bass in the vicinity of spawning grounds at a time when all species face such intense pressure from overfishing, climate change and the continued effects of global pollution.
I will certainly never again holiday in such a location. Furthermore, I will do everything that I possibly can, to deter all others from spending their hard earned income in supporting a tourism dependent economy that is run by any administration which exhibits such cavalier indifference.
angler pay a lot of money to catch photoegraff and release sea bass. The money is not only spent on tackle and bait but also on flights, hotels, car hire, resterants boat charters. This brings anglers to your area as turist anglers, all hopping to catch big sea bass. At present the word is that your sea bass are being decimated by commercial fisherman, lots in which are not licenced.This sort of thing will stop anglers comming to your area and result in lost revenue to yourv local econermy.
Please sort this out.
Sam Cox
Yet again we see the bass being exploited for short term commercial profit. As a traveling angler why would I want to spend hard earned cash visiting jersey when it's become aparrent that jersey offers little or no protection to its fish stocks.
I am a sea angling photo journalist with a regular monthly double page feature in a prominent UK sport angling newspaper. I have visited Guernsey many times to enjoy the superb local sea angling. I came across three times in 2003 and again in 2004. Your rod & line sport fishing for quality bass & black bream is the major attraction. If these and other important species are damaged or effectively wiped out by heavy commercial pressure and related over fishing I would have no reason to holiday in the CI in the future. Do not squander such a valuable asset. You can only catch a fish once if you kill it.
I would not contemplate the expense of visiting Guernsey in the knowledge that local adult bass shoals are exploited during the spawning season.
Wholescale removal of vulnerable spawning shoals by industrial methods is bound to impact the local availability threshold of large bass, effectively removing or substantially reducing the purpose of a visit to Guernsey.
I am a Bass angler. I spend a lot of money each year on my Bass fishing. I will not even consider visiting Guernsey while the despicable act of pair trawling for spawning Bass is allowed to continue off off the Guernsey coastline.
The slaughter goes on at sea and unseen by the majority of the public; if they slaughtered wild land based animals at the same rate there would be a public outcry. Guernsey would benefit immensely from a reputation for sea fish conservation, I have fished in many parts of the world and practice catch and release; this method is gaining momentum among anglers worldwide and any state not heeding the trend will undoubtedly fail to benefit fully from the revenue generated by visiting anglers; I urge the state of Guernsey to consider protection for spawning Bass. Potentially these fish are worth far more alive than dead; I am not advocating a total ban on commercial activity just a sensible approach that allows the Bass the opportunity to spawn and so ensure a future for the species.
To give the Guernsey tourist board an idea
of what fisher folk are prepared to spend.
I have been to florida the last 5 years soley for fishing. If i knew
the Bass fishing was protected and catching Bass was guarenteed, i would be over in a flash.
By the way i only catch & release.
Regards Sean
This has a massive effect on the Bass stocks esspecially at breeding time, there must be period at which the fish can be aloud to spawn undisturbed if stocks are to remain at acceptible levels both for the breed and the tourism brought to the islands through fishing.
Prowler
