Whale of a tale...Not
In todays Sunday Times Paper ( page 23 news section ) there is an article about one of the unwanted side effects of changing the cray fishing process of the pro's to a quota system.
The article describes how the entanglement of whales in cray pot ropes etc. has increased significantly due to the pro's fishing over a 12 month period instead of a specified period.
This was something raised by the previous federal government some 8 - 12 months ago if my memory serves me correctly, and I believe that the then government issued veiled threats to the industry that it will have to come up with a solution from the stake holders or one will come from government sources, and we all can guess what sort of solution they will come up with. My guess is that what ever the solution is that is the pros come up with may be forced onto amateurs as well.
Now in my view considering the number of pots placed in the water by the pros as compared to the number used by armatures such a move would be way out of order, also as the Fisheries or whoever undertake the task of releasing the whales it would be easy for them to record if they have or are being ensnared by pro pots or armatures'.
Any comments from anyone about what could become an expensive thorn in the side for amateur cray fishermen
Belly88
Posts: 380
Date Joined: 08/02/12
Pros
Can only comment on the pro side but changes are already in effect.. It's not a big deal a pretty much some lead on the rope or a section of lead rope to keep the slack off the surface.. Something quite a few amatures I know already do to avoid cut offs by others..
Belly
Rob H
Posts: 5818
Date Joined: 18/01/12
as Belly said
as Belly said,
going from memory when I saw a copy of the new regulations for commercial it is only for deeper than 10 fathoms and there wouldnt be that many amateur pots in that depth (20 meters).
Its a couple of sinkers clipped on the line to hold rope off the surface.
It does shit me though when people, amateurs or commercial set pots with way too much rope on the surface.
Sometimes 30 meters on the surface in 10 meters of water-just lazy for the 60 seconds it takes to tie off the coil.
Funny thing with these stats though, is that Id guess there is WAY less pot/days than before the quota came in.
Where we used to pull ALL our gear everyday of the season except January and maybe 2 or 3 days for weather, now the quota is half the catch before and the people I know would be lucky to pull pots on half as many days a year as before.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Reduction
Not entirely sure but think the pros now have a 50% reduction on their pots compared to the 18% about 5-6 years back !
Belly88
Posts: 380
Date Joined: 08/02/12
Spot On
Spot on Carnarvonite has been that way for a few years now..
Rob H
Posts: 5818
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Its 50% of TAC not pots isnt
Its 50% of TAC not pots isnt it? (Total allowable catch)
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Belly88
Posts: 380
Date Joined: 08/02/12
Possible
That may also be the case Rob not 100% sure how the TAC is calculated but we had around 300pot licence and could only fish around 150pots..