Ireland Spearing, 2011

[climbingperch]

I agree too with bob's post some very small lobbies I can't seem to find the video with the scallops though??, evaluating an area first is very important, I will hold up my hand and say yes I did take 3 wrasse home with me on Sunday. They were for my brother in law he grew up eating them and likes the taste, two were the biggest we could find and the other was a medium sized fish. Personally I took one ever before and didn't like it. The area there was teeming with them as Bob said, the highest numbers I have ever seen. I will not be taking anymore this year just merely doing a favour for someone who has given me mussels and scallops on many occassions.
I am neither proud or ashamed of my actions as they were not very difficult to shoot but my impact on the population will be negligible. Just wanted to be honest as there is alot of discusssion regarding wrasse at the moment.

 

[johnnybuoy]

Just looked for it Neil so I could paste the web address but it's mysteriously disappeared...... Strange how that happened eh? The haul was made in Galway somewhere. About 2-4m of water and getting 2-5 per dive!! Impressive amount of scallops but not impressed by the end of the video where half his lawn is paved in scallops!

 

[climbingperch]

Just looked for it Neil so I could paste the web address but it's mysteriously disappeared...... Strange how that happened eh? The haul was made in Galway somewhere. About 2-4m of water and getting 2-5 per dive!! Impressive amount of scallops but not impressed by the end of the video where half his lawn is paved in scallops!

That sounds like my scallop spot :rcard Could you see any of the landscape around where he was diving ?

 

[bobdonny]

Would it not be taken down if you flagged it? For review?
I saw the video a few months back.... quite a lot of scallops all right...

 

[johnnybuoy]

Rocky area where u park, leads to sand, slight bay area and very coarse sand mixed wit a lot of sea lettuce and light seaweed.

 

[johnnybuoy]

Probably. Oops.

 

[plbenza]

Some of you back in Mullaghmore asked about my jacket... There's a link if you would like just tyo take a quick view about the brand, I had the pleasure to meet Michelle, one of the front guys of Teknodiver and they work really really well and fast!

TEKNODIVER - MUTE

Baldy/ Bob How's is the water in south, any visibility after the rain?

 

[ChokerBkL]

Thank you all lads for your reply. Those videos about undersized lobsters and pots I absolutely agree with you. It was time when we just got our gear and had no clue how to dive and hunt, nobody to ask. It was december of last year no fish at all, water very cold. We found a few damaged pots on the shore and fixed them in garage. Tried to set them up couple times. Each time small little lobsters and we got rid of this idea. Anyway it was an experience for us how don't to do next time. Additionally I read an info about legal sizes of fish and lobsters on this forum. What about scallops. It was a practice to dive. Maybe it looks like a very big haul, but for 6 persons in the house where I live it's not too much. Surplus of scallops was frozen for later consuming and a reason don't go collect them for the next year.I don't see in it anything wrong. Anyone can make mistake when is newbie. What about fish. Wrasse don't take at all don't like it, additionally innocent fish very easy target. Pollacks and mullets now are our targets sizes over 1 kilo. Lobsters and crabs we take now searching on the seafloor using torches. And take proper sizes. This way is more interesting instead setting up pots. In conclusion thank you very much for all of your comments. I will continue to read the posts on this forum and ask questions to avoid to make mistakes in further.

 

[bobdonny]

Good reply Choker!

Maybe you think that many scallops for 6 people is not a lot? But it is devasting to a local environment.... Scallops in your freezer do not breed and produce baby scallops.... leave them in the water so we may all have more next year! For a special occasion I will drive 4 hours for 12 scallops

If I had to get that many scallops for a big feast I would try to take them from 3 or 4 sites / locations... if I did not know 3 or 4 locations then I would not take them from one but rather find other fish... I'd maybe only take 12 and slice them in half so each of the 6 had 4 portions of scallops each. Next year you might only find a handfull... but what is more... you took many, and if other divers use that spot and see there are so little left maybe they will get worried they are disappearing and make more stockpiles in their freezer... and so on... till the place is empty... and I have seen empty scallop grounds with HUGE empty shells and a rare few tiny scallops.

What you suggest reminds me of what mitsubishi is doing to Tuna stocks... Putting the produce in the freezer until the natural product dies...
Mitsubishi Hoards Frozen Bluefin Tuna As Fishing Stock Declines | TakePart - Inspiration to Action

 

[foxfish]

Two good post in a row... Choker, I understand about beginners making mistakes & it sound like you have got a better outlook now
Bob that is also a good post as conservation is paramount in this day & age.

 

[AegeanSeaHunter]

Relax,Relax.........
very good posts lads!! Choker was very honest
Baldy and Bob right too!!!

3 weeks ago me and the baby in the pic

 

[ChokerBkL]

Good reply Choker!

Maybe you think that many scallops for 6 people is not a lot? But it is devasting to a local environment.... Scallops in your freezer do not breed and produce baby scallops.... leave them in the water so we may all have more next year! For a special occasion I will drive 4 hours for 12 scallops

If I had to get that many scallops for a big feast I would try to take them from 3 or 4 sites / locations... if I did not know 3 or 4 locations then I would not take them from one but rather find other fish... I'd maybe only take 12 and slice them in half so each of the 6 had 4 portions of scallops each. Next year you might only find a handfull... but what is more... you took many, and if other divers use that spot and see there are so little left maybe they will get worried they are disappearing and make more stockpiles in their freezer... and so on... till the place is empty... and I have seen empty scallop grounds with HUGE empty shells and a rare few tiny scallops.

What you suggest reminds me of what mitsubishi is doing to Tuna stocks... Putting the produce in the freezer until the natural product dies...
Mitsubishi Hoards Frozen Bluefin Tuna As Fishing Stock Declines | TakePart - Inspiration to Action

I understand what you are talking about. By the way. I made the scallops video as private. Didn't expect such much attention to this place don't want this spot to be devastated. We have some other spots too, not worst than previous on video. And I try to say that don't think we are some kind of barbarians who kill anything alive around us to get more and more. For us more interesting to get big fish or exotic fish instead of picking scallops like the mushrooms in the wood.

 

[ChokerBkL]

Good reply Choker!

Maybe you think that many scallops for 6 people is not a lot? But it is devasting to a local environment.... Scallops in your freezer do not breed and produce baby scallops.... leave them in the water so we may all have more next year! For a special occasion I will drive 4 hours for 12 scallops

If I had to get that many scallops for a big feast I would try to take them from 3 or 4 sites / locations... if I did not know 3 or 4 locations then I would not take them from one but rather find other fish... I'd maybe only take 12 and slice them in half so each of the 6 had 4 portions of scallops each. Next year you might only find a handfull... but what is more... you took many, and if other divers use that spot and see there are so little left maybe they will get worried they are disappearing and make more stockpiles in their freezer... and so on... till the place is empty... and I have seen empty scallop grounds with HUGE empty shells and a rare few tiny scallops.

What you suggest reminds me of what mitsubishi is doing to Tuna stocks... Putting the produce in the freezer until the natural product dies...
Mitsubishi Hoards Frozen Bluefin Tuna As Fishing Stock Declines | TakePart - Inspiration to Action

I went back at the beginnig of the forum for this year to read some posts about scallops and I found this pictures and comments : Fitzy_1982 ...After a 2 hour dive we came out with over 70 scallops. Great finish to the year! climbingperch ... Fair play to Reagan who at one stage dragged a bag with 20kilos of scallops 100m back to shore to empty it I was out of breath just looking at him:t fcallagy ...Nice stuff guys well done. Happy new year to all on here bobdonny... Super stuff boys, what a haul.
Not sure if it sounds like a good spot but it sure looks like one... looks perfect!
Well done all!
Any comments ?

 

[bobdonny]

Any comments ?

Nice find

Why don't you make your video public and we can do a direct comparison?
No? Thought not...

 

[ChokerBkL]

As I said above the video was made private to prevent reveal the spot of devastating. What exactly do you want to compare ? Quantity ? We caught on video about a 100 scallops. About 15 were empty with sand in shell. I'm not home now. But if you need comparison I can make a screenshot and post here later.

 

[bobdonny]

I dont need a comparison at all, its you that requested our comments by recalling a post made last Jan, I think?

You did ask for comments right? If so then yes post the video and then people may comment freely. The lads made their post publically (I guess they feel they have nothing to hide!) and I suppose in the interest of fairness you should also make you video public... Its you that brought it up But you have made it private also which tells a different story.

Though to be fair I doubt it will go well for you in a comparison...espcially since you also have shown video's of you illegally taking undersize and female lobsters and spearing spider crabs... we'll see.

And the guys took 70 scallops which works out at about 23 each... you admit to taking over 100 by two of you...

Frankly I'm amazed you even brought it up inviting even more comments... I thought the matter with you was closed, and we'd moved on....

Anyway, I wont say anymore till I see the vid again!
I'm sure the others are waiting patiently for it also.

 

[bobdonny]

Some of you back in Mullaghmore asked about my jacket... There's a link if you would like just tyo take a quick view about the brand, I had the pleasure to meet Michelle, one of the front guys of Teknodiver and they work really really well and fast!

TEKNODIVER - MUTE

Baldy/ Bob How's is the water in south, any visibility after the rain?

No viz at all

Did you get your jacket custom made? Can't see them in the store at all...

Its a very cool jacket

 

[plbenza]

No viz at all

Did you get your jacket custom made? Can't see them in the store at all...

Its a very cool jacket

No custom at all! Standard size... Try to put all together, without spaces and let me know if you are able to open it...!

w w w . teknodiver . c o m/ acessori_apnea. html

 

[bobdonny]

cant open.... I'll try again later

 

[NZRegan]

I went back at the beginnig of the forum for this year to read some posts about scallops and I found this pictures and comments : Fitzy_1982 ...After a 2 hour dive we came out with over 70 scallops. Great finish to the year! climbingperch ... Fair play to Reagan who at one stage dragged a bag with 20kilos of scallops 100m back to shore to empty it I was out of breath just looking at him:t fcallagy ...Nice stuff guys well done. Happy new year to all on here bobdonny... Super stuff boys, what a haul.
Not sure if it sounds like a good spot but it sure looks like one... looks perfect!
Well done all!
Any comments ?

Yep, I'll bite.

Yes, 70 scallops were taken. So yes, we each took about 2 dozen. I had them for two nights in a row, 6 scallops each for me and my wife. That's it. 2 dozen. Gone. A large chicken from Lidl lasts that long, and only costs me €5. From an economics point of view, I must be mad - driving 3 1/2 hrs each way to only get 2 doz scallops... :blackeye