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Post by OAA on May 24, 2007 19:55:42 GMT
Ask any Association/fishing related question you want. Another forum member or Council member will do thier best to answer.
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walley
Junior Member
Posts: 65
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Post by walley on May 30, 2007 7:20:28 GMT
hi can anyone tell me if the spinning season starts on the 1st 0r 16th of june this year?i have had some people telling me the 1st and some the 16th,just wanted it clarified before i get my spinning rod out.thanks
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Post by sewinangler on May 30, 2007 22:16:18 GMT
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Post by tuniwes on May 31, 2007 15:06:26 GMT
Ahead of the questionaire and debate on stocking policy I would like to know:
What is the current stocking policy?(We must have one)
How is the number of fish stocked determined?
How is the size of fish stocked determined?
Have the Association taken any scientific/professional advice on our stocking policy?
It seems to me we have paid extraordinary sums of money to lawyers, solicitors, barristers etc over the past 10 years and yet the descisions about some of the most important aspects of river mangement are left to well meaning amateurs( I sincerely mean that , I'm not having a pop here!! Non of us are biologists or experts)
Is it not time to spend some money get expert advice, wild trout trust and other organisations etc, that can help us make these important decisions that affect all of us and the good of our future fishing.
Ian
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Post by oggy876 on May 31, 2007 16:26:32 GMT
Is it not time to spend some money get expert advice, wild trout trust and other organisations etc, that can help us make these important decisions that affect all of us and the good of our future fishing. Ian A very positive and sensible idea Ian. If there were to be an interest in this then I know who to contact, as they've been using this approach that you suggest for a number of years with excellent results. Royn
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Post by OAA on May 31, 2007 23:26:37 GMT
Ian,
Dave Lewis our stocking coordinator outlined our stocking details in a previous post. (I think it was on the stocking policy thread)
With regards to scientific evidence, well where do i start. I recently attended an evening arranged by the Institute of Fisheries Management where the 'scientists' largely disagreed with brood stocking. Yet in West Wales a few months there was another evening where Mr Peter Grey largely said the opposite.
I guess that the point I am making is that where fisheries are concerned not even the scientists agree with one another.
With regards to the questionnaire. I have rushed this to enable us to attach to the half year newsletter. I have given members the opportunity to provide comments with regards to these issues. I'm sure you like me will appeal to members to return these questionnaires and to attend the half year meeting on 28th of June to debate these issues.
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Post by tuniwes on Jun 1, 2007 14:51:36 GMT
Wynne Thanks for your reply. Sorry, but it raises a lot more questions. I am aware from Dave's previous post the details of numbers and sizes of fish stocked etc. What I am not clear about is how/on what basis these figures are arrived at: Is it a decision taken by the committee? Does the stocking officer make the decision? Is it a financially based decision? To what extent does the natural biodiversity of the river influence the stocking policy? What percentage of fish are stocked outside of the fly only water? The conflicting advice on broodstock programs you refer to are concerned with the introduction of migratory fish so surely are not relevant to this debate. In an earlier post I stated that trickle stocking was an improvement on the mass stockings of the past. Having given these issues a great deal of thought recently I now have some doubts. For many years the Association stocked "en masse" at the start of the season with 10"/11" fish. In those days the daily bag limit was 6 fish and catch and release was not practiced to the same degree it is today. This resulted in "stockie fortnight bonanza" and a considerable number of stock fish were taken. Through April and into May the river seemed to gradually settle in to equilibrium with a fair distribution of resident and stocked fish and sometimes a very occasional lunker of 12=13" max. The period May-July provided the best fly fishing of the year and I recall many happy nights targeting free rising but far from foolish fish. The dog days of August are always difficult but I don't ever recall any lack of fish except through the serious pollution problems circa 1977. My point is that the introduction of stock fish is known to create stress and competition with resident fish. By introducing up to 30 strong, fit, well fed stock fish per pool every month for 5 months it seems to me the river is in a constant state of turmoil with new stock fish competing with previously stocked fish and an ever dwindling number of indigenous fish just that can't cope! Dave Lewis stated at one of the meetings that the Ogmore is now a "put and take " fishery. This statement saddens and appalls me. We have managed to survive 100 years through chronic industrial pollution, DNA, Paper mills pollutions and yet the river is probably cleaner now than it has been throughout all that time. To see it being systematically raped of it's natural resources and turned into a barren patch of water that is full of starving alien fish upsets me beyond belief. The term "put and take" has no place on a game fish river. If fishing for pelet pigs in a hole in the ground floats your boat then fair enough. our rivers are special, lets keep them that way! Our river is a natural resource, I fully accept that some complimentary stocking is neccessary but we need to think very carefully about the way forward and the mistakes that have been made over the past 5 years Ian
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Post by OAA on Jun 1, 2007 18:33:36 GMT
Ian,
Thanks for the reply.
I realise that my recent post regarding recent talks given by scientists relate to migratory fish and not introduced fish. I was using this as an example that scientific evidence can be contradictory irrespective of whether fish are migratory or not.
With regards to who makes the decisions regarding stocking, this is always made by majority decision during council meetings.
Regarding Dave Lewis stating at a meeting that we are a put and take fishery - I cant recall him saying that although i do not refute that he did. However i would personally take it to mean in the context that we trickle stock and replenish stocks regularly rather than throw a load of fish in on mass.
I would welcome that you bring these issues up at the half year meeting as this subject is currently high on the agenda with the Council.
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Post by waddington on Jun 1, 2007 21:41:29 GMT
At the risk of being unpopular I don't understand what the club is trying to achieve with its stocking policy. It is quite obvious that stocking trout in their current densities does at best nothing to enhance our wild fish stocks. At worst it is actually damaging. Surely the money the club spend on stocking could be put to better use in enhancing the river for wild fish eg habitat improvement etc. Without wanting to offend anyone, I would suggest that anglers only interested in catching large numbers of stockies are more than well catered for on the small still water scene. I also cannot understand how the EA reconcile allowing stocking with such large numbers of trout with their opposition to migratory fish hatcheries. This might actually do some good! Please accept that I am not criticizing any individuals who work d**n hard for the club and the river. It is the policy I disagree with. Tight Lines All Phil
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Post by tuniwes on Jun 2, 2007 7:36:25 GMT
At the risk of being unpopular I don't understand what the club is trying to achieve with its stocking policy. It is quite obvious that stocking trout in their current densities does at best nothing to enhance our wild fish stocks. At worst it is actually damaging. Surely the money the club spend on stocking could be put to better use in enhancing the river for wild fish eg habitat improvement etc. Without wanting to offend anyone, I would suggest that anglers only interested in catching large numbers of stockies are more than well catered for on the small still water scene. I also cannot understand how the EA reconcile allowing stocking with such large numbers of trout with their opposition to migratory fish hatcheries. This might actually do some good! Please accept that I am not criticizing any individuals who work d**n hard for the club and the river. It is the policy I disagree with. Tight Lines All Phil Agree 100% Waddington, I would also like to make it clear that I too have the utmost respect for the stoic work that the comittee carry out on our behalf and that my stance on this is most certainly not personal. I simply care passionately about this river and firmly believe that the current stocking policy is fundamentally flawed. I see it as a road to disaster from which we may never recover. Ian
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Post by OAA on Jun 2, 2007 20:20:04 GMT
Waddington and Tuniwes.
Thank you for your comments. The stocking policy amongst other issues always causes much disagreement at Council meetings. So not even the Council agree wholeheartedly all the time.
We would like more feedback from members. Attendance at meetings is poor and there seems to be a general apathy. That is why we decided to issue a questionnaire regarding these issues.
I am optimistic that the attandance at this year's half year meeting will be the biggest yet.
I sincerely hope that you both attend to put your views across
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Post by waddington on Jun 6, 2007 21:10:59 GMT
Thanks for your nice reply to my moan regarding stocking OAA1. I will definitely try to attend the meeting. On a different point I was wondering what the situation is regarding the removal of the tree stuck in the weir at Merthyr Mawr. I have to admit to selfish motives as at the moment the tree obstructs one of my favourite high water casts! Again please see this as a honest question and not a moan. I am well aware that I am one of the lazy majority who have not offered their support to recent clean up days. I do hope to put this right soon though! If an extra pair of hands was useful in getting rid of this obstruction I would be more than happy to help. Thanks Phil
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Post by OAA on Jun 7, 2007 22:14:20 GMT
Thank you phil,
it is funny you mentioned the tree stuck in the weir at the A48 as i met with EAW today and raised fallen trees as one of the subjects!
There is also a sizeable tree down above the pipe at newbridge fields not to mention a branch down below the weir.
It is a sad reality that with current EAW resources, things are taking longer to get done.
Any members with chainsaws can contact me at anytime!
I hope to speak to you at the Half Year Meeting.
All the best.
OAA1
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Post by waddington on Jun 7, 2007 22:42:35 GMT
Thanks for the reply OAA1. Unfortunately I am no chain saw operator but if an extra pair of hands would help in shifting the obstructions, once they are cut up, I would be more than willing to help. Lets hope the EA show more appetite in removing unwanted obstructions from the river than they have done so far with the even more undesirable poachers Thanks and appreciation of your hard work. Phil
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Post by rogerthefish on Feb 8, 2008 18:41:23 GMT
Re ask a question. I have lost my catch return form (but have all the details). Would some kind person kindly e mail me a copy or can I send the details on a note to the membership sec? Thanks Roger
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