Post by tuniwes on Oct 7, 2008 6:36:42 GMT
As has been mentioned on the brood stocking thread there have been rumours of some members taking coloured fish that should have been returned. I myself drove past a young member yesterday who was carrying a grilse that was clearly past it's best.
Its sad to see and completely unnaceptable that these magnificent fish are treated with such disrespect.
Sometimes people take colured fish through ignorance or inexperience so so here is why it should NEVER be done.
Salmon and sea trout do not feed in fresh water, they stop feeding when still out to sea as part of the metamorhphis that they go through on their migration run.
Once a fish enters the river it has to live on the fats and proteins stored in it's flesh until it spawns.
This can be many weeks and even months. During this time the fish looses it's silvery appearance and gradually takes on a darker hue. the quality of it's flesh degrades over time from firm well defined pink/red muscle to a grey/white almost jelly like condition.
Fish in this condition have no value for the table whatsoever, they taste absolutely awful and should always be returned. There is an old wives tale that they can be sent for smoking. This is absolute rubbish, all you get is a smoked awful taste.
Here are a couple of examples of coloured fish from the Towy broodstocking program
A nice hen
A c0ck (note the well defined kype)
This is a completly seperate issue from the catch and release debate. There are no ifs or buts these fish should ALWAYS be returned.
Please think about the consequences of your actions and release these fish so that they can go on to spawn in a few weeks time and help restore the migratory stocks for future generations.
Ian
Its sad to see and completely unnaceptable that these magnificent fish are treated with such disrespect.
Sometimes people take colured fish through ignorance or inexperience so so here is why it should NEVER be done.
Salmon and sea trout do not feed in fresh water, they stop feeding when still out to sea as part of the metamorhphis that they go through on their migration run.
Once a fish enters the river it has to live on the fats and proteins stored in it's flesh until it spawns.
This can be many weeks and even months. During this time the fish looses it's silvery appearance and gradually takes on a darker hue. the quality of it's flesh degrades over time from firm well defined pink/red muscle to a grey/white almost jelly like condition.
Fish in this condition have no value for the table whatsoever, they taste absolutely awful and should always be returned. There is an old wives tale that they can be sent for smoking. This is absolute rubbish, all you get is a smoked awful taste.
Here are a couple of examples of coloured fish from the Towy broodstocking program
A nice hen
A c0ck (note the well defined kype)
This is a completly seperate issue from the catch and release debate. There are no ifs or buts these fish should ALWAYS be returned.
Please think about the consequences of your actions and release these fish so that they can go on to spawn in a few weeks time and help restore the migratory stocks for future generations.
Ian