TEIGNMOUTH anglers have had a mixed reaction to new rules that will up the landing size of sea bass. Fisheries minister Ben Bradshaw MP has announced that the size will increase from 36 cm (14 ins) to 40 cm (16ins) to protect fish stocks. It comes into force from April. The Teign estuary mouth is a popular fishing spot. Anglers set up at the Point and Shaldon beach to fish for sea bass. Some claim that anglers are unlikely to land a sea bass of legal size in these waters, but catches are common. Two anglers fishing from The Point said that it amounts to the UK penalising itself. 'It is very annoying that we are penalising ourselves, particularly when they do not adhere to the same rules elsewhere. 'You go to any market in France or Spain and they are selling fish that are ridiculously small,' he said. Another said: 'It annoys me because they call this estuary a nursery but what that means is that the fish cannot be caught here but are instead left to go out to sea and are caught by pair trawler fisherman that don't care about undersized fish,' he said. But regular angler at Shaldon, Mick Lynch, 30, said that stocks have to be maintained. 'I think it's a good idea. This is a nursery area and stocks have to be protected otherwise you'll end up wiping them all out. 'It is true that other Europeans may not care about fish size, but we should here, otherwise there will be nothing left for future generations,' he said. Fisherman with the Girl Rona, a fishing vessel that moors at The Fish Quay, Teignmouth, said the ruling would not affect their catch of mainly sprats and scallops. But it will have an impact on beach anglers. Humphrey Vince said: 'I know of some anglers coming down to the estuary and catching immature fish, which of course has an impact on the stocks. 'The problem will be of enforcement. It will have to be policed to protect the nursery area,' he said. Fellow fisherman Will Burton said that it is unlikely that foreign pair trawlers get the benefit of the sea bass. 'It's true that trawlers will catch bass in their nets but I think that pair trawlers pick up a different cycle of fish. You'll find them about 30 miles offshore and I do not believe that the sea bass that swim in this channel get out that far,' he said. The increase to 40cm will bring the minimum landing size closer to the average spawning size for bass of 42cm. The aim is to protect juvenile fish with an increase in the spawning stock. The increase in the minimum landing size is the first in a wider package of measures being considered by Defra in relation to sea angling. Work is currently underway with anglers, commercial fishermen and other interested parties on the drafting of a recreational sea angling strategy for England, and provisions are being considered for the Marine Bill in relation to sea angling. Further measures in relation to bass are also being considered, including 'bag limit' restrictions that would limit the number of fish individual sea anglers can take. Mr Bradshaw has also announced an increase in the mesh size for fixed gear for targeted bass fisheries from the current 90mm to 100mm to reduce potential discards. Mr Bradshaw said: 'I have listened very carefully to the representations made and have not taken this decision lightly. I have accepted the arguments for a bigger minimum landing size to help increase the quantity and size of bass. This will also give better protection for the stocks. There may be short-term costs from this measure before we see future gains but it is vital that fisheries management takes a long-term view. 'The recreational fishing sector makes a major contribution to our economy and it is important that their voice, as well as those of commercial fishermen, is taken into account in fisheries management. 'In the future, I intend to increase the landing size further to 45cm, but that is subject to the results of a review, in 2010, of the effectiveness of the measures I have announced today,' said Mr Bradshaw.
