keeping your bag limits?

[murrayscod]

Hi guys sounds like there are certainly some that know where and how to catch huge amounts of whiting as seen in reports. my only problem is the amount kept. Im not sure of fish numbers in that area but i know most other estuaries seem to be fished out or struggling. surely even though its legal to take 50 home is it really necessary to be keeping such a big bag limit?

By all means keep fishing but what about releasing a few after you catch a feed?
I just feel that its not really teaching people to be thinking about being sustainable when fishing

I suppose i just think bag limits are there, but i don't thinkwe should be aiming to reach them everytime. And yes if they are eaten and not thrown out that's great.

Personally i think i'd probably be teaching my kids to keep a feed plus a few extras and then catch and release. It stems back from me thinking about the fish around when i was a kid compared to now just seems a lot harder.

I certainly can't see why they have such a high bag limit. I don't mean to knock anyone or what they do its your right to keep the limit. I apologise if i offend anyone it was only a point i felt should be mentioned.

Luke

[Lapras]

even though its legal to take 50 home is it really necessary to be keeping such a big bag limit?

I'm sure others would put it differently, but if the fish are eaten and not wasted I don't see a problem. Whiting freeze very well and I am sure Rosco's parents (and probably a few others) will enjoy them.

I just feel that its not really teaching people/kids to be thinking about being sustainable when fishing

It's exactly what we need to be teaching our kids, know the rules and then respect them.

If you don't personally agree with the bag limit (and I also agree it is high) then I am sure there is lots of chances to discuss in these forums, but it is probably not fair to do it in someone's report.

Luke,

Often I see posts and have the same thoughts as you, but in the end I think it's their right so why shouldn't they. If I was on my own then 50 whiting is two feeds for my family of four with a couple of fillets left over for a lunch.

Like you I believe we need to limit fish catches, but the politician and greenies seem to be focussing on zoning restrictions when to me bag and size limits seem to be better options.

I'd like to see boat limits as the bag limit is not very effective when you have multiple people fishing. Sometimes the passangers only appear to be there to increase the catch limit - particularly when it comes to prawns.

The "slot" size they use for flathead seems to be working well based on reports on this site so hopefully they will research into the use for other species.

Glad to see you moved you post, because it is a valid topic to discuss.

Dave

[hooknpull]

luke, i have been thinking exactly the same thing the past few days but bit my tongue as i didn wanna cop it from every1. Yes its the limit but i still think 50 is alot for one person to catch. Its my opinion only but thats wat i think.

[lethal098]

Luke,

are you talking about whiting catches in QLD, if so they are based on winter whiting which come in here in plague proportions, they are seasonal and the sustainability of the fishery is definately not at risk. Up until last year there was no bag limit on these fish and the amount some were taking was very over the top.
If fisheries thought that the bag limit would destroy the fishery it would not be in place and it would be reduced, they spend a lot of time researching this and we would hope they have the best interest in mind(but they dont get everyting right).

Cheers Lee

[murrayscod]

Luke,

are you talking about whiting catches in QLD, if so they are based on winter whiting which come in here in plague proportions, they are seasonal and the sustainability of the fishery is definately not at risk. Up until last year there was no bag limit on these fish and the amount some were taking was very over the top.
If fisheries thought that the bag limit would destroy the fishery it would not be in place and it would be reduced, they spend a lot of time researching this and we would hope they have the best interest in mind(but they dont get everyting right).

Cheers Lee

Hi Lee,

yeah i was talking about whiting in the Bris area but for that matter it could be any species really. As i said i don't really know the amount of fish in that particular area, just more thinking about other places where fish numbers seem down. Its interesting to ask what they are doing there at seasonal times spawning? does anyone know this?

Good to see they did bring in limits this year. Again as i said each to their own its only my opinion. I mainly fish in freshwater dams and hardly ever keep more than a feed. Because i know sometimes they get lost in the freezer and they certainly never taste as good as fresh. I can understand that whiting are a lot smaller than a bass or yellowbelly so you would need more for a feed.

I see the same in rivers etc out here many people who will take big cod from a system not thinking about its potential to breed.

And Dave i agree boat limits should be in place because having an extra bum in the boat who may not even be fishing or want to be there should not count.

Luke

[mowerman]

Hi Luke.

My report about catching a bucket full of whiting out of the mates Bertie is probably one of the posts you are talking about.

Usually I fish alone in my old Haines and my whiting spot is near Harries.
On these trips I limit my catch to 20. Enough to feed my lot and some for the folks.
Very,very rarely do I freeze any. None so far this year.
Spend the rest of the trip at Harries.

The bucket full caught last saturday fed 8 adults and 3 kids on sunday.
I got RSI from filleting the buggers.
The missus whipped up some corn chip crumbs(try it) and the deep fryer got a solid workout.

Also, I never buy fish. Except pillies for bait.


Rod.


.

[PinHead]

a question MC...let's take 2 fishermen.

fisherman 1 goes out and catches 20 winter whiting and comes home..he goes out again the next day and does the same. then the following week he goes out three days and catches and keeps 20 per day.

fisherman 2 goes out once a month or even less depending in his circumstances..and catches his bag limit and brings them home to eat.

should fisherman be applauded because he has a personal bag limit of 20 (but fishes 5 times more often than No 2.)

should No 2 be castigated because he catches his bag limit???

I have no problem at all with anyone catching and eating fish as long as they abide by the relevant size and bag limits applicable to the species.

[murrayscod]

a question MC...let's take 2 fishermen.

fisherman 1 goes out and catches 20 winter whiting and comes home..he goes out again the next day and does the same. then the following week he goes out three days and catches and keeps 20 per day.

fisherman 2 goes out once a month or even less depending in his circumstances..and catches his bag limit and brings them home to eat.

should fisherman be applauded because he has a personal bag limit of 20 (but fishes 5 times more often than No 2.)

should No 2 be castigated because he catches his bag limit???

I have no problem at all with anyone catching and eating fish as long as they abide by the relevant size and bag limits applicable to the species.

I know your point exactly i was thinking the same thing. I guess what started me thinking down this line as it seemed that some people were not only taking the limit but also going fairly often and aiming for it. So of course thats going to have an impact. if they went twice a week and bagged out.

By all means i can't see a prob with someone who goes once a month and keeps a limit. i wouldn't but that's me.

As i say you can go on and on about it, the rules could be adhered to but twisted to suit. It comes down to individual choice.

Like others have said the rules are there each to their own, but i know i would feel a bit greedy about taking such large numbers..


corn chips crumbs sounds great!

Luke

[charleville]

I have to say right up front that I get annoyed when I read comments which seek to imbue guilt feelings on someone who is fishing within the law.


For the people who want to encourage people to take less than the bag limits, do you personally also:-

1. limit your driving to the absolute minimum so as to limit the effect that your inefficient gas guzzling, poisonous gas exhaling vehicle has on the environment and the world's oil resources, or do you drive as much as you like, consistent with the laws of the land?

2. Do you regularly go around your house turning off every unused light and appliance and refuse to get airconditioning because of the effects that such excessive energy use has on global warming and the general well-being of the future generations? Or do you use whatever you want to, consistent with the laws of the land.

3. When you drive, even though the speed limit may be 60 KPH, do you drive at 20 KPH, knowing that by driving slower, you will use less fuel and burn less tyre rubber, thus preserving energy and natural resources for future generations and helping to reduce global warming? Or do you drive at at the speed limit or thereabouts, consistent with the laws of the land?

4. Do you always buy locally produced foods so as to reduce the number of "food miles" that your home consumes, thus reducing the impact of your family's consumption patterns on global warming and the earth's scarce oil resources? Or do you just buy whatever you want from wherever you want consistent with what the laws of the land allow you to do?

5. Do you still have the old efficient CRT TVs in your house and shun the higher energy consuming LCD or plasma TVs and by so doing are thus doing your part towards conserving the earth's limited finite resources? Or does you home have at least one LCD or Plasma TV because you can because that is what the laws of the land allow you to do?

6. Have you always refused to buy bottled water because of the waste of the earth's resources and pollution of the seas that plastic bottled water causes? Or have you bought whatever products you want to and were encouraged to by advertising and peer pressure and because that is what the law of the land allows you to do?

7. Have you ever bought any new clothes simply to follow fashion even though your old clothes were perfectly serviceable and by continuing to wear the old ones, you would not be contributing to unnecessary consumption and squandering of the earth's scarce resources? Or have you bought whatever you like at any time that you like because that is what the law of the land allows you to do?


Gee, I reckon that I could easily put hundreds of conservationalist guilt clarifying questions like these in this post to ask anyone who is pointing fingers at anyone else about their practices in fishing or any other human endeavour.


What I would rather do is assume that the laws of the land are set in place according to well thought out principles and that by obeying those laws, people are doing all that they need to do until such time as those laws are altered in some way.

If 50 is the limit on whiting then good luck to anyone who is lucky enough to bag 50.

The reality is that most people will not catch 50 very often so when they do, I am happy to congratulate them.


.

[rosco1974]

i am 1 of those who bagged out...thursday gave my sis 20 oldman 12 for a feed kept the rest for myself had 2 feed out of those fish myself wife and son so would be lucky to have 30 fish out of my bag in the freezer by the way this was my 1st ting trip in 6 months...then sunday went out got bag again 150 give sis 50 oldman and oldlady kept there bag of 100,sis family had 25 tings for dinner that nite and the oldman man had 15 doesn't take long to eat 100 whiting...prob wont go ting fishing for another month or so....
cheers rosco

[Dezzer]

50 winteries isn't over the top. I haven't felt guilty pre-limit to catching a bucket, having a feed and freezing a couple of feeds. I won't feel guilty from now on catching 50, having a feed and freezing another. They're good chewing and are thick when in season.

[Daintreeboy]

Firstly if it's within the law then nobody should be made to feel guilty about this. We see these posts more and more these days. I'm all for sustainability and want my kids and their kids etc to continue on the fishing torch so want to make sure as much as most of us there is a fishery for them to enjoy.

I was going to add more but Pinhead has pretty much hit the nail on the head.

[sandbankmagnet]

I like Charleville's line of questioning, but I hate seeing people relate human CO2 emission to global warming. There's just no proof. But that's for another topic....

Personally when I was a kid 30 years ago, we'd catch em by the hessian bag full up at Hervey Bay. It's got to be better than it was.

[mitchdemeanor]

Lol i can put a whole different twist on charlevilles arguement:

1. Limit my driving so i dont spend so much on fuel so i have more cash left to spend on tackle, boat gear etc

2. Turn off every light and appliance because my missus whinges about it and dont get air con because i would rather spend my money on tackle, boat gear etc

3. Maybe not but i do pop the clutch in down hills

4. Hmmm maybe should think about that one!

5. Have an old crt tv because it works and would rather spend my money on tackle, boat gear etc

6. Water??? is that a liquid like beer?

7. Dont know what new clothes are, too busy buying tackle, boat gear etc

And all this buying tackle and boat gear still dont get me more than 1 or 2 tings!!!

[therapy]

The second line of your post in important. "YOU HAVE A PROBLEM " with people taking there bag of whiting. I think the problem is more so that you are commenting on a fishery you have no experience of and do not understand. These are diver whiting and are generally 20 - 25 cm's, a good one 28-30. Before the bag linit was introduced, catches of 150-250 were not uncommon. The bag limit of 50 is reasonable and time will show I'm sure, sustainable.
I personally wouldn't eat fresh water fish, I reckon they taste like crap, but tasty little wintery's are top chewing so if I can get 50, I will. ( Does not happen often though!!)

Cheers......Terry.......