[FAQ] UK Sea Fishing FAQ - 4 UK Sea Fish
Colin Albert
U.K. Sea Fishing FAQ
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Compiled by : Colin Albert (c...@wales.bbc.co.uk)
See section 2 for copyright details and disclaimer.
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4. U.K. Sea Fish
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4.1 Species
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4.1.1 What is a mini species?
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A mini species is a species with a maximum potential weight of less
than a pound. British records for mini species do not differentiate
between boat and shore caught fish.
4.1.2 Are there any poisonous fish British waters?
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There are three common poisonous fish around Britain and Ireland. The
largest is the Sting Ray, which has a serrated poison spine about half
way down its tail.
The other two are both Weevers. The Greater Weever is most frequently
caught by boat anglers, and can grow over two pounds in weight. It has
venomous spines on the gill cover and first dorsal fin. The Lesser
Weever is similar to its larger cousin, but is found inshore, and
has a more potent venom. Weevers are a sandy colour with a white
belly, and vertically slanted mouths. The first dorsal is black in
colour. The Greater Weever has a blue and gold diagonal pattern on its
back. Both weevers lie virtually buried in sandy bottoms with just
their mouth and dorsal fin exposed. Anglers wading on sandy beaches
should be wary of Lesser Weevers. If stung by a Weever, the result
though not fatal is extremely painful. The best treatment is to
immerse the wound in hot water, as hot as is possible to bear, for 30
minutes. The poison is protein based and this heat treatment virtually
cooks the poison and reduces its effect. Around some parts of the
coast Weevers are extremly common. Cardigan Bay in Wales is one such
area.
4.2 Record Lists & Specimen Weights
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These have now been moved to section 4a.
4.3 How do I claim a Record Fish?
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4.3.1 How To Claim a British Record
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All claims for a British record are judged by the British Record
(rod-caught) Fish Committee, (BRFC), an independant committee whose
membership consists of representatives of the three disciplines of
angling - game, coarse ans sea - along with a scientific adviser,
which adjudicates claims for British fish caught by fair angling
means.
Claims for a potential British record should be made to the relevand
discipline -
For SEA fish claims should be made to the NFSA. (Address is in the
organisations section.) There is a 24 hour answerphone facility.
The following procedures have to be complied with -
CAPTURE - The catch must have been by fair angling with rod and line,
AND THE FISH MUST TAKE THE HOOK OR LURE INTO ITS MOUTH.
A reliable witness must be prepared to support the claim
(if there is no witness to capture, the claimant must
formally verify his statement by affidavit).
WEIGHING - The fish must be weighed accurately on appropriate scales
which need to have a current Weights & Measures
Certificate. There must be two independent witnesses.
IDENTIFICATION - Claims are scrutinised for identification of the
species. Clear photographs (with some kind of scale) are
required, for some species the body may have to be
produced.
CLAIMS - All details of the claim must be registered on the BRFC
Claim Form, available from the NFSA. These are then
presented to the BRFC by the NFSA for consideration for a
record.
Only the BRFC can award the record and far from being a
rubber-stamping operation, each claim is critically examined and if it
falls short on verification, or any other procedure, it can be
rejected.
4.3.2 How To Claim an Irish Record
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Irish records are claimed by submitting an Irish Specimen Claim Form.
It should be noted that particular attention is given to the rules
regarding weighing and identification as many claims are rejected for
not following the correct procedure.
RULE 3 - WEIGHING
Fish must be weighed in the presence of independent witnesses on a
properly certified scales e.g. a shop scales or official club scales
which is covered by a certificate from the local Weights and Measures
Officer. Claims cannot be accepted in respect of fish weighed on
uncertified scales, e.g. anglers spring balances or in respect of fish
weighed on scales inappropriate to the size of fish, e.g. fish in the
2 to 5lb range weighed on balances weighing up to 100lbs or over and
graduated in large divisions. Claims cannot be accepted in the case of
fish which has been weighed on board a boat.
RULE 4 - IDENTIFICATION
The actual identification of a fish must be fully documented where
there is a possibility of its confusion with any other (and
particularly larger) species. For this reason, the Committee in
respect of some species insists on scales from the fish; close up
photographs or the actual body as proof of identification before it
will consider claims.
SCALES must be submitted in respect of claims for SALMON, SEA
TROUT, BROWN TROUT (including SLOB TROUT). Any brown trout taken in
tidal waters will be regarded for claim purposes as a slob trout.
About 50 scales scraped from each shoulder should be sent with the
claim.
THE ACTUAL BODY must be forwarded for identification in the case of the
following species :- DACE, RUDD, ROACH, RUDD/BREAM HYBRID, ROACH/BREAM
HYBRID, MACKEREL, SCAD, HERRING, SHAD, FLOUNDER, DAB, BRILL, MEGRIM,
GURNARDS, GREY MULLET, ANGLER FISH, LESSER SPOTTED DOGFISH, THREE
BEARDED ROCKLING, SMOOTH HOUND, RAYS BREAM, CUCKOO WRASSE, TORSK,
"RIVER" EELS taken in tidal waters, and GARFISH (head and gills only).
CLEAR, SHARP, CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHS, showing the entire fish with its
fins and other features easily seen, and not fore-shortened or
obscured must be provided in the case of TOPE, SHARKS, SKATE, RAYS,
MONKFISH, POLLACK, TRIGGERFISH, COALFISH, BALLAN WRASSE. If necessary
the fish should be hung. In the case of skates and rays, photographs
of both back and belly surfaces should be provided and particulars of
colouration given. Samples of teeth should be furnished in the case of
Porbeagle and Mako sharks. In addition there should be a clear photo
showing the jaws and teeth exposed.
4.3.3 How To Claim a Scottish Record
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Scottish record claims are dealt with by the Scottish Federation of Sea
Anglers. If the fish is also a potential British record the SFSA will
forward the claim onwards.
4.3.4 How To Claim a Welsh Record
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The Welsh Record Fish Committee handle all claims for Welsh records.
Claims should be submitted through the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers.
4.3.5 How To Claim a World Record
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World records for both marine and freshwater fishes are the concern of
the International Game Fish Association. World record claims for sharks
should be made through the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain, who
maintain line class records for British sharks.
4.4 Minimum Sizes
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4.4.1 NFSA Minimum Sizes
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Fish below these sizes MUST be returned to the sea.
Bringing undersize fish to the scales during a competition may
disqualify you.
BOAT SHORE
cm ins cm ins
BASS 41 16 41 16
RED BREAM 25.5 10 25.5 10
BLACK BREAM 24 9.5 24 9.5
BRILL 35.5 14 35.5 14
BULL HUSS 58.5 23 58.5 23
COALFISH 35.5 14 35.5 14
COD 35.5 14 35.5 14
CONGER EEL 91.5 36 91.5 36
DAB ++++ 24 9.5 24 9.5
L. S. DOGFISH 46 18 38 15
FLOUNDER + 25.5 10 25.5 10
GARFISH 38 15 38 15
TUB GURNARD 28 11 28 11
HADDOCK 35.5 14 30.5 12
HAKE 30.5 12 30.5 12
JOHN DORY 33 13 25.5 10
LING 72 28 72 28
MACKEREL 30.5 12 30.5 12
MEGRIM 25.5 10 25.5 10
MULLET 33 13 33 13
PLAICE 28 11 28 11
POLLACK 30.5 12 30.5 12
POUTING 25.5 10 20.5 8
3. B. ROCKLING 20.5 8 20.5 8
SILVER EEL 38 15 38 15
SPURDOG 58.5 23 58.5 23
ALL SKATES & RAYS = 41 16 41 16
SMOOTHHOUND ++ 51 20 51 20
SOLE 25.5 10 25.5 10
SOLE, LEMON 25.5 10 25.5 10
SCAD 25.5 10 25.5 10
TRIGGER FISH 30.5 12 25.5 10
TURBOT 41 16 35.5 14
WEEVERS 20.5 8 20.5 8
WHITING 28 11 28 11
WITCH 28 11 28 11
WRASSE, BALLAN 23 9 23 9
UNCLASSIFIED +++ 20.5 8 20.5 8
kg lbs kg lbs
HALIBUT 9.07 20 2.13 5
MONKFISH 6.80 15 6.80 15
ALL SHARKS 18.14 40 18.14 40
TOPE 9.07 20 9.07 20
+ 9 or 10 inches where so directed by Local Fisheries Board
++ 30 inches in NFSA sea areas D & E
+++ except when retaining fish to claim a British Mini Record
++++ IOW & WESSEX DIVISION 8 inches boat & shore.
++++ SOUTHERN DIVISION 8 inches shore only.
= Measured across the wings.
4.5 Unusual Catches & Sightings
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A database which is run by provides a focal point for records of rare
fish in UK waters, and a source of datae on changing distribution
patterns.
Dr Geoff Potts and Silwa Swaby
Marine Biological Association
Citadel Hill
Plymouth
PL12BR Tel 01752 222772
CONGER - A 210lb conger was landed by a commercial boat at Falmouth,
Cornwall in 1990
FLOUNDER - A 7lb 2oz flounder was caught in a gill net at Aberdovey,
Gwynedd in 1983.
HAMMERHEAD - A hammerhead shark 13.5 feet long was caught commercially
at lfracombe, Devon in 1865.
PLAICE - Dave Stevens (D.St...@east-anglia.ac.uk) reports - a 20lb
plaice was landed by a commercial boat off Hastings in 1994.
SAILFISH - A 7.5 foot sailfish was stranded at Yealm Estuary, Devon in
1928. This the the only recorded sailfish in North European
waters.
SIX-GILLED SHARK - A 26 foot six-gill landed in Polperro, Cornwall in
1846.
SWORDFISH - A 130lb swordfish was caught in a salmon net in Bantry Bay
in 1950. The fish was 8.5 feet long.
- A Broadbill was sighted jumping off Clovelly, N. Devon by a
yactsman in April 1995.
THRESHER - A 500lb thresher was caught by a Yarmouth boat in summer
1869. The fish was 14 feet long.
Matthew Lear (k94...@kingston.ac.uk) writes -
I was fishing at Hopes Nose in Torbay, South Devon during the
summer of '91 for mullet . A fisherman came over the rocks
and started lobbing out a six ounce weight with a string of
feathers using a beachcaster. He was pulling in mackeral for
half an hour, which had spooked any mullet that I hoped to
catch. On one of his casts he complained of catching in some
rocks, which wasn't possible as the spot he was fishing was
shale and sand. Then about sixty yards out a young thresher
Shark leapt from the water with a string of feathers
dangeling from his mouth. The line promptly broke as the fish
entered the water and the man was left there with a rather
shocked face, I would have estimated the fish at between
sixty and eighty pounds.
4.6 Conservation
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4.6.1 Are There Any Tagging Schemes for UK Sea Fish?
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The Central Fisheries Board in Ireland are tagging many species,
including all species of skate, rays, sharks and tope.
The Natural History Department of Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum have
been involved in tagging Common Skate and Tope since1974. Currently
this scheme is looking for more sponsors to enable the project to
expand.
If you feel you can help, contact Richard Sutcliffe, Curator,
Department of Science, Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove, Glasgow G3
8AG.
These tagging programmes have shown some interesting results.
90% of all recaptured Common Skate were retaken within 35 miles of
the original release site, even after periods at liberty of up to 12
years.
One Common Skate tagged in 1985 to the west of the Isle of Mull, was
recaptured in 1990 900km away off the south west coast of Norway.
Tope tagged off the west coast of Scotland have been recaptured as
far away as Lisbon (1800 km, 62 days later), Canary Islands (3000km,
268 days later), and off Algeria (3200km, 9 years later).
This information is from the paper "Common Skate & Tope - First
Results of a tagging study carried out off the west coast of Scotland"
by William Little - 1993.
A tagging project on Thornback rays started in 1995 and continuing
this year is in operation in the Irish Sea. Thornback rays of all
sizes were tagged and released at two sites in each of the following
areas: Liverpool Bay, Cardigan Bay, the Bristol Channel and on the
East Irish Coast. Pertersen Disc Tags and Data Storage Tags supplied
by MAFF were used for these experiments. The tags are returned by
fishermen to MAFF offices or local fishery officers for data
collection. Information on this project can be obtained from Nick
Dulvy at University of East Anglia, MAFF Lowestoft, Natasha Bunn at
Aberystwyth University or Bill Cook at North Western and North Wales
Sea Fisheries Committee.
Many thanks to Leasa Whone at the North Western and North Wales Sea
Fisheries Committee for this information.
Other tagging programmes for species such as Bass and Turbot have also
been conducted.
4.6.2 What Do Tags Look Like?
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Several different types of tags have been used over the years.
Most tags are plastic and in a bright colour to be obvious to the eye,
although weed and barnacles may disguise old tags.
Cattle tags have been used to tag tope (dorsal fin) and skate (on the
wings), but their use is declining due to their inability to expand as
the fish grows, and they can become heavily encrusted.
Petersen tags (two red/yellow coloured disks about 2cm in diameter
joined by a stainless steel wire) are used by the C.F.B. in Ireland
for tagging skate.
Dart tags (a plastic tube, with a barb at one end to hold it in the
fish) are now being used to tag fish like tope and common skate. The
tag is usually inserted near the base of the dorsal fin.
Fish like bass may be tagged with a small tube tag attached to the
dorsal fin by thin wire.
4.6.3 What Should I Do If I Catch a Tagged Fish?
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If possible DO NOT KILL THE FISH, DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG.
Measure the length and weight of the fish, record the tag number, date
and place of capture. The tag should state the body who are collating
the research data, most probally a university or fisheries office.
Then RETURN THE FISH. If you cannot record all of this data, then any
information you can provide is better than none.
SEND THE DATA ON THE CAPTURE TO THE RELEVANT ORGANISATION - they
should be identified on the tag.
Some tags on commercial species require that the actual tag is
returned, as it is assumed that the fish will be caught commercially
and then sold at market. A small reward may be given for the return of
the tag.
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The U.K. Sea Fishing FAQ
www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/saltfaq.htm
Any opinions expressed above are those of the author
and not necessarily those of the BBC.