Recreational fishermen 'reeling' over proposed bag limits on island tradition

Monday 22 January 2018

Recreational fishermen are preparing to take action about potential new catch restrictions, which they describe as unfair.

Islanders have been catching dinner for their families and friends, and making a bit of extra cash from the natural food source in the sea for centuries. But they say that tradition could come to an end as bigger steps are proposed by authorities to try and preserve fish stocks and sustain the commercial fishing industry.

Anglers and boaters have been prevented from catching Bass for the past 12 months after the States agreed measures to protect and conserve the fish stock in 2016. When they approved the Draft Fisheries regulations, they also gave the Environment Minister the power to impose further restrictions on recreational fishing in future.

Now, due to declining numbers of key stocks - including brown crab, bass, whelks and lobster in commercial catches - bag limits for a number of species and restrictions on fishing methods for non-commercial fishermen could be introduced.

Pictured: Bag limits proposed for recreational fishing to help stimulate fish stocks and commercial fishing.

The Marine Section of the Environment Department claims that it will "prevent recreational fishers from taking home catches of a size that will impact commercially fished stocks or, in the case of shore operators, be sold so as to undermine the markets and prices of the commercial fishing sector. Doing this will create a clear divide between the recreational and commercial fishing sectors in Jersey.”

The marine management document goes on to say: “These measures should ensure that the impact of the recreational sector (both on stocks and the viability of the commercial sector) is kept low and yet will still permit a sufficient catch for the table and for the public to enjoy the sport of fishing.”

But these new proposed fishing limits and restrictions on equipment and methods – including an outright ban on dredging or trawling - has been described as “against one person’s right to a natural food source” by the Jersey Recreational Fishing Association.

In a statement, the association said: “It is acceptable to restrict all these rights in order to conserve a species under threat and to protect the wider environment. It is not acceptable to strip basic human rights from one person to benefit another. Some of the proposed bag limit figures and other measures sound very reasonable, however they are linked to commercial benefit. (…) “We have right to enjoy our recreational time without constantly worrying about breaking the law.”

Pictured: New restrictions to recreational fishing have been suggested following fishing ban on Bass last year.

Steve Mullins, who has been fishing Jersey’s waters for over 30 years, labelled the move as “unfair.” He told Express that recreational fishers are: “Restricted on time to start off with, as well as tides, weather and how much you can carry from the beach."

“You may only get to go out on a low tide once or twice a year... you may not catch anything for seven or eight times you go out and then one day you get a load. You want to be able to fill your freezer for the rest of the year and give some to your family,” he added.

Mr Mullins doesn’t think the restrictions will help commercial fishing, saying: "Recreational fishing is a grain of sand in comparison to the commercial landings.” He suggested the department consider ‘no go areas’ to increase nursery grounds, as he believes the island’s rocky landscape and tidal flow are already “the best conservation.”

A petition by the Jersey Recreational Fishing Association calling for a halt to the move has already attracted over 1,500 signatures, and they have scheduled meetings with members to discuss their next action.

Pictured: Deputy Luce wants to hear people's views before he implements tighter fishing controls to help commercial fishing industry. 

Jersey’s Environment Minister, Deputy Steve Luce, is seeking people’s views before he makes a decision on whether to implement the tighter controls. He commented: “At a time when many stocks are under pressure, it’s important that all fisherman play a part in protecting species, including the recreational sector. We need to find a solution that safeguards species for the future while minimising the impact on the traditional practice of catching or gathering sufficient seafood for the family table.”

He added: “The idea of recreational bag limits isn’t new – they are already in place for some species in Jersey and almost all European countries, including France, have bag limits in place for recreational fishers. However, I’m conscious of the importance of fishing to Islanders so I want to hear what people think before we make any decisions on any management to protect the sustainably of our fish stocks.”

On hearing the news of the petition that has been shared on social media, Deputy Luce told Express: "This is just a discussion document, the limits are just a number to get the discussion going. I'm very disappointed to think that people feel it's very much 'done and dusted' - this is not the case. We are a number of stages away from implementing any changes."