North Wales, The Llyn and Anglesey 2016

[octopus]

Or can you commercially sell speared fish?

I might be wrong here, but this is my understanding.
In some Meds countries, selling speared fish is illegal.
In the UK, selling speared fish is not illegal, as long as one pays all dues?

 

[mattbarlow]

In that case I need to get myself one of those licences to get a head start on the season!

 

[mattbarlow]

Can we just go and shoot fish in the head.

Let us know how you go and keep an eye out for Spullet (Spikey Mullet) apparently they are around, taste like bass but there is no ban on them.

 

[Johndory Hunter]

Do you mean that you are a licensed commercial fisherman and also a spearfisherman? Or can you commercially sell speared fish?

I have a commercial licence which you need to legally sell fish. I also pay tax and work within the law. It's probably going to be my last year as it's a hard way to scratch a living.
I also think I should leave this forum and you good people to yourselves. it's very difficult for me to understand attitudes of people like Brosnidon - he's happy when his friend catches lots of fish but is downright rude and offensive when I talk about one great day I had.
Oh, I'm writing a book about my spearfishing experiences - thank you for your last paragraph Brosidon, it will make a lovely quote to my final chapter.

 

[manalive!]

Personally, I'd prefer it if you sticky around Johndory Hunter, someone who can catch that amount of bass in one day with a speargun has a lot to offer. That said, I don't think I'm comfortable with a haul that large, though I have no beef with you personally, after all it's insignificant compared to the trawlers.
I'm interested to know more about how you achieved said catch: do you operate from a boat, do you dive on off offshore etc etc?

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[Broseidon]

I also think I should leave this forum and you good people to yourselves. it's very difficult for me to understand attitudes of people like Brosnidon - he's happy when his friend catches lots of fish but is downright rude and offensive when I talk about one great day I had.
Oh, I'm writing a book about my spearfishing experiences - thank you for your last paragraph Brosidon, it will make a lovely quote to my final chapter.

I'm not sure what's hard to understand - taking a few fish for yourself is great - I congratulate anyone who does so - that's why we're on this forum but 31 fish? That's just too many. That is just pure greed. The fact you are doing it for money, to my mind makes it even worse. To me, spearfishing is a lifestyle and hobby that is rooted in an ecological mind-set. I find the "kill as many as you can" approach a little nasty really. I think most spearos and indeed most fishermen would agree.

I'd be very interested to see when and where I have ever condoned taking fish in such massive numbers - can you please post a link?

Very happy that I have provided a good ending quote - I am more than happy to provide more

 

[Johndory Hunter]

Broseidon
You have a very narrow minded middleclass privilidged viewpoint. I could use a boat and shoot nets and at a push I genuinely could catch more bass in 1 week than I've caught in several decades spearfishing. It is incomprehensible how much fish can be hauled in one shot.
It's all relative and I dont go ranting aggressively at commercial fishermen like you are with me just because what they are doing is worse than what I do in my mind.
I don't really care what you think spearfishing is about or the cool lifestyle image you think it gives you.
So, we ban all commercial fishing and you can then hunt in your morally superior wonderland. Then what? No fish, no animal feed for your fillet steaks, no cat biscuits to feed your cat which I imagine is called tabby and wears a little diamanté collar, no chicken, no farmed fishetc etc.
So yes, I'm a commercial fisherman but a very very low impact one relatively. It's an industry that's going to destroy our seas. It has. My approach is damned damned hard work and it's a crazy way to try and live. It's a real lifestyle, not some imagined middleclass lifestyle/ hobby.
If you've got an axe to grind take it somewhere else because you haven't a clue about fisheries or what spearfishing is really all about.
Better still come out with me and my crew when we come to Wales- you might learn a thing or two ;-) ?

 

[Will Read]

I didn't realise you had a commercial liscense obviously when I commented. If you operate within the law then I have absolutely no quams. Someone fishing for their livelihood is very different to someone out to catch a lot of fish for some macho bravado reason, which I think seems more common in European spearos such as dario, it's all about the string of fish around your neck in that world.

 

[Broseidon]

You hadn't mentioned you were actually a commercial fisherman when I had my initial e-rage. You just seemed like a knob boasting about taking more than 10 times the legal limit of bass in a day. You can see why I bit.

You can ridicule my opinions and background all you want, it doesn't bother me. Yes my approach to spearfishing it's a bit soft and eco but does that really matter? It's pretty much the same as most guys on here. It's a hobby. We go to the sea, get something eat, enjoy the scenery and don't take more than we need.

Your opinions though are actually rather unique. You want to make a living out of catching fish yet want to have as minimal impact as possible... That's possibly the most namby-pamby, middle class attitude imaginable. You want to be a commercial fisherman yet have decided to utilise possibly the least efficient means of catching fish imaginable. It's absolutely fascinating but either you're not that bright, which I highly doubt, or you're harbouring some rather unique, "save the planet" views of your own.

Regardless, I'm sure you're a very interesting guy with a wealth of experience and stories to tell. Hard to believe but I'm sure if we'd met in real life we'd have got on. I look forward to your book, I'll buy a copy.

 

[foxfish]

John, I did not realise you could get a commercial licence as an individual?
I live in the CI so our laws can be different to the UK mainland, our licenses are based on boat ownership & the licence is issued to the boat not the owner.
In fact we don't need a licences to catch and sell fish if the fish is not caught from a boat.
I find this interesting as I don't think we have had a professional, licensed, spear fisherman on the forum before?
My brothers boat was licenced & did he sell brill & turbot during the hay days of the 70s - 80s & early 90s but that was aqualung diving.
So you are saying you make a full time living free diving with a spear gun?

 

[manalive!]

Any plans to get in this weekend? I'm hoping to at some point.

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[Foxy]

Lordy, turn your back for one minute and look what heppens! get in the water and it will all be fine again!
Thanks for the boat comments! yes does have a tender, 3.1 and 9.9 if you know what I mean, so plan is to park the mothership and use tender to get to the good spots. . Ill plan some weekend trips this summer and anyone on here is more than welcome to join - no cost, just have a good time. - its not a quick way to travel but the getting there should be fun. ill post when sorted. i should be down on sunday and monday working on her in pwllheli marina - prob hop in for a dip too!
Pat

 

[Joejoe352]

been in today viz was 3-4m but patchy. Also the water was weird some areas were really cold then some very warm. Saw Gar fish and Mullet including a very large spiney mullet. Got nothing as they were too quick for me. Could have shot Gar but wouldn't know what to do with them. (any good to eat)
Question if Mullet come throu will they come back to same spots on a beat? Is it worth hanging around for them to come back.

 

[Foxy]

Hi Joe

Were you near a river or spring? river water still v cold at this time of year and they take a while to mix. Yeah they can come back - more often than the spiney ones. in fact if you have decided that you arent out to get one, they will often swim along with you for a bit. Also mullet tend to dart to the left or right giving you more time to shoot, whereas bass tend to turn tail and scarper before you get the chance! obviously its a bit of a generalisation, but tends to be true. Broceidon has a good mullet recipe if you choose to get any . they are good enough when cauht out at sea but the ones near harbour entrances can be....... STINKY

 

[mattbarlow]

Lordy, turn your back for one minute and look what heppens! get in the water and it will all be fine again!
Thanks for the boat comments! yes does have a tender, 3.1 and 9.9 if you know what I mean, so plan is to park the mothership and use tender to get to the good spots. . Ill plan some weekend trips this summer and anyone on here is more than welcome to join - no cost, just have a good time. - its not a quick way to travel but the getting there should be fun. ill post when sorted. i should be down on sunday and monday working on her in pwllheli marina - prob hop in for a dip too!
Pat

Sounds good shipmate!

 

[mattbarlow]

been in today viz was 3-4m but patchy. Also the water was weird some areas were really cold then some very warm. Saw Gar fish and Mullet including a very large spiney mullet. Got nothing as they were too quick for me. Could have shot Gar but wouldn't know what to do with them. (any good to eat)
Question if Mullet come throu will they come back to same spots on a beat? Is it worth hanging around for them to come back.

Hi Mate good on you getting in again; if it stays flat I will defo get in soon!

I have noticed that if you disturb a mullet in weed and it scarpers then that's it, its gone. But if one swims past you quite often it'll be doing a loop and eventually will come past again.

 

[mirror]

John, I did not realise you could get a commercial licence as an individual?
I live in the CI so our laws can be different to the UK mainland, our licenses are based on boat ownership & the licence is issued to the boat not the owner.
In fact we don't need a licences to catch and sell fish if the fish is not caught from a boat.
I find this interesting as I don't think we have had a professional, licensed, spear fisherman on the forum before?
My brothers boat was licenced & did he sell brill & turbot during the hay days of the 70s - 80s & early 90s but that was aqualung diving.
So you are saying you make a full time living free diving with a spear gun?

Just found this thread ( I am in the S Devon forum ) and found it most interesting ( apart from the insults etc )... Foxfish ... I am pretty sure you are correct in regards to the licence to fish is based upon the boat , however if the boat is under 10 metres in length and has NO motor ie sail or row boat , or kayak then you do not need a licence and you are allowed to sell fish as long as you declare the income ( tax etc ) - costs , I have always understood that speared fish are not eligible for sale , also you can catch from shore with a rod and line , and legally sell them, but what if you claim to be a commercial fisherman but only catch very few that you then sell , can you keep and eat some yourself which would appear to be a loophole in the law ( not trying to be a smart arse here !) but I cannot see this being the case really ..Done a bit of research in to this recently with regards to razor clams ( many complications with shellfish so a non starter ), but hard to get the MMO and IFCA to state yes or no with regards to fish .....

 

[foxfish]

Do you remember SpearoDave? He was an active and poinant member.. Brithish spearfishing team, shop owner etc.. anyway he repeatedly quoted that it was illegal to sell any speared fish in the UK.
As I remember the key word was 'harpooned' something to do with some bygone law relating to poaching Salmon but nevertheless a law. Of course I have no idea if he was (is) right and that is one reason I an interested in johns comments.

 

[mirror]

I think that "Spearodave " is now a commercial fisherman ( as is Shiny 1) and am sure they would know, but sadly are no longer on this forum I believe . I hope Johndory hunter informs us of this matter ...I would imagine "speared fish presented at market would be classified as "damaged " but perhaps it is possible to sell fillets to other sources ( restaurants etc ) but most businesses buying seafood will want trace-ability I would think .....

 

[foxfish]

Pretty much standard practice where I live, all the top restaurants will buy fresh shore caught fish from unlicensed people!
A 7lb bass will get you £40 at the back door if is straight from the sea regardless if it has a big hole in the middle.