DEFA consultation Document.

[Big Al]

He should get his arse out on the Barrule and see for himself, we will see how unduly concerned he is then 😡

[Roger Mexico]

Horses and stable doors come to mind.

 

There's a little more information in the Press Release, but it would be nice to know if the catch information is based on what is landed on the Island or in total. It's also worth pointing out that the catch quoted is just for the first six days of November, so they've waited a further week, with presumably a similar level of plunder going on, before reacting (the limit only come in today).

[Non-Believer]

From being not unduly bothered only a week ago to being bothered enough now to finally impose some restrictions. A week is a long time in politics. It might take the scallop beds a bit longer though?

[Big Al]

You certainly can't catch them twice.

Big shame when that fishery could of lasted well for the Scallop fishermen on a reasonable daily limit for all. Let's see how it's enforced!

[notwell]

Horses and stable doors come to mind.

 

There's a little more information in the Press Release, but it would be nice to know if the catch information is based on what is landed on the Island or in total. It's also worth pointing out that the catch quoted is just for the first six days of November, so they've waited a further week, with presumably a similar level of plunder going on, before reacting (the limit only come in today).

Should have been in from the start. It's hardly like the people fishing them only became greedy since November.

[GreyWolf]

Peels been hoovered good and proper, seems most of the big boys are at the chickens ground now.

They've been there for the last few days, generally the two most productive fishing areas around the island so it's a bit late but credit where credits due to Defa at least they've brought in some sensible new measures after being found asleep on watch. Lobbying from local fishermen radio and local newspapers plus a little TV coverage has helped make up there minds and even good old Manx forums am sure helped the cause.

Proper enforcement is key and if done right we can show the UK in general a lesson in sustainable fisheries so it's time for Defa to step up to the plate and earn there salaries no sound bites or mutual back patting road shows or blatant copying of what some of us where asking for years ago when no one was listening and now claiming credit for, which has happened as soon as some have seen they can make a career out of it, just get on with the job to create more income generation for our islands fishery total protectism is not needed just a fair playing field for all.

[Uhtred]

I think I'll create a spreadsheet recording the performance of each of our new Ministers against the various issues that arise to challenge them. Boot's first entry will read "abject mess".

[notwell]

I find it quite extraordinary that more controls are not in place on a permanent basis. Some of these larger commercial trawlers don't work in any other manner than to fish at huge commercial levels which can only end up with the sort of raping and pillaging we have seen so far.

[Big Al]

Problem also lies with the fact our fishing vessels being less capable than the majority of other visiting vessels, we have no bigger fishing vessels anymore to handle the weather, I believe the Manx fishermen went to smaller boats with the understanding that's what the future needs to basically fish inside the three mile limit most of the time and i.e less fuel & expenses ect thus the majority of our vessels being under 15m, yes the bigger boats aren't allowed to have anymore fishing gear but from what Ive been told they make our vessels look ancient (old hat) for the fishery.

It's Gonna end up like the herring fishery if the DEFA aren't careful here, last man standing and all that. These conservation measures are all well and good, but if not proper implemented the wolves will come back every year to get their feed and remember it's most of the feed too, the DEFA is spending a fortune on fishing enforcement and scientific work ALL for the 75% of boats that are visiting vessels and who don't land on the Isle of Man anyway, there's something massively wrong somewhere !!!

[notwell]

I assume those vessels needs a licence to fish the IOM waters?

 

Is the licensing that lucrative that DEFA cannot either stop issuing them to none manx registered trawlers?

[Big Al]

Assuming they are fully licenced which I'm sure they are, the DEFA has reduced down the amount of vessels allowed to an acceptable level for keeping the scallop fishery sustainable, however apparently they are not issuing anymore licenses to maintain the fishery.

Its not how many boats fish here that's the problem it's the fact they allowed them to catch as much as they like from day dot. Stupidity.

I said (many posts ago) the DEFA needed to enforce a daily catch limit and 'low and behold' 10 days later they managed to bring it in.

Too late.

[homarus]

So what's the average weight of a bag of Scallops pre-shelling ?

[Beelzebub3]

35 kilo per bag average although some of the "larger Boats" I believe land around 50 kilos.

[Tarne]

Well I doubt there will be scallop fishing next year at this rate, they'll need time to recover again...

[Beelzebub3]

There will be a Scallop season somewhere, but I doubt if the "targets" will recover from the battering it took this year for several years to come. I must admit I do not blame the boats for catching them I blame an inept Government Department for letting it happen under our very nose's.