|
Conservation Policy
There are few anglers left who need to be convinced of the need for a conservation policy. Each of has seen in their own fishing time span how the stocks have been affected by overfishing and other environmental causes.
The shark is much more vulnerable than other fish due to there reproductive system and the longer gestation time. Additionally statistics show that 98% of the shark caught off the Irish coast are Blue shark and of them 95% approx. are female. The average weight of fish tagged and released for research purposes in Irish waters is between 47-50lb indicating that these are immature females.
As it stands many shark are killed as a result of getting caught in drift nets or by other commercial fishing methods. This so called by catch is not properly documented and until drift netting is banned in 2001 it will continue to effect stocks appreciably.
We as a Club make it clear
that the one rule here
is no shark on the pier
The Shark Angling Club of Ireland wish to see a system of measurement brought in and adopted by all anglers and clubs engaged in shark angling. We are anxious to promote the formula system which is recommended by the International Game Fish Association and more recently accepted by the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain in awarding prizes.
The formula is applied by measuring the girth of the fish at its greatest width in inches and this number is then squared.
This figure is multiplied by the length of the shark from the tip of its nose to the crotch of its tail again in inches. The resulting figure is then divided by 800 to give the fishes weight in pounds (lbs.)
Example Girth = 32" and Length 82"
32 X 32 X 82 83968
800 800
= 104.96 lbs
"Catch & Release"
|
