Burwell Farm Animal / Commercial Report Friday

Rex

Rex

Well-Known Member
I have not witnessed a lot of reports lately so thought I would post my own.
General report is gorgeous water, 20+ fish all farm animals and two silver dollars. (4 hours)

Word around is that the commercial guys are fishing different areas (aka not their typical spots) and that can change up the patterns. Take a bunch of fish from an area, fishing slows down, who would have thought?

I also heard more then one very disturbing complaint about the practices discussed on this board in the past about witnessing the sinking of lesser market fish in favor of the right size. More then one complaint to the ministry resulted in them waiting over week to even call back about the issue.

All those $ we put into licenses, I personally expect more, ESPECIALLY when you're talking literally TONS of fish being harvested vs the minimal harvest by ourselves. Random inspections, waiting for the com boats to return to port, inspect on site. Something clearly is eating away at some people, when it's many people saying the same thing, typically there is at least some truth to the matter.
 
Try beating a dead horse. However many small voices can make a big noise. I was told by a retired commercial guy they don't cull fish. A few pennies a pound is better than throwing fish over the side. Anything not within their customer specs. can be sold locally to restaurants and locals. That sounds logical.
 
WhatsthePoint said:
Try beating a dead horse. However many small voices can make a big noise. I was told by a retired commercial guy they don't cull fish. A few pennies a pound is better than throwing fish over the side. Anything not within their customer specs. can be sold locally to restaurants and locals. That sounds logical.
Click to expand...
ur so right
 
WhatsthePoint said:
Try beating a dead horse. However many small voices can make a big noise. I was told by a retired commercial guy they don't cull fish. A few pennies a pound is better than throwing fish over the side. Anything not within their customer specs. can be sold locally to restaurants and locals. That sounds logical.
Click to expand...
Isn't this about a quota based on weight which is defined by government specs? Heavier fish are worth less and fill a quota faster. The argument about selling to restaurants and locals sounds illegal and as illogical as tying oneself to a car bumper before doing some roofing. But then again, I'm not a commercial fisherman (or a roofer).

There is a good article http://environment.probeinternation...ercial-fishing-rights-within-the-great-lakes/ ....search for high-grading.
 
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It's not illegal to sell their own catch after the catch has been reported they can sell the whoever they chose .There isn't any high grading going on as most of the catch is larger and the price difference isn't much different so it's not worth throwing the fish out as they don't get enough smaller fish to high grade
 
Ok
Quota, illegal or legal to sell to people or restaurants
it doesn't explain things for those of us that have seen them toss fish.......
I watched a boat do this more than once in the late 80s, they were cutting them and tossing them, I guessed so they'd sink.
They try to hide the practice, and not do it in front of people (sport fisherman)
It may not bother me so much....but they sure spank anyone that comes in with one perch or walleye over limit.
Don't make sense.
 
soobybucker said:
Ok
Quota, illegal or legal to sell to people or restaurants
it doesn't explain things for those of us that have seen them toss fish.......
I watched a boat do this more than once in the late 80s, they were cutting them and tossing them, I guessed so they'd sink.
They try to hide the practice, and not do it in front of people (sport fisherman)
It may not bother me so much....but they sure spank anyone that comes in with one perch or walleye over limit.
Don't make sense.
Click to expand...

Legal or not I have never seen anyone culling fish on a commercial vessel. I won't begrudge a working man making a buck or 2. You would have to be very close to the boat to see it done, very close. I haven't heard of 1 charge being laid for over the limit fish here this year. Up north yes but not here. Any quatative examples charged guys @soobybucker?
 
Hey Stompmeister, for anyone to be either of those 2 professions you mention you would have to leave your HVAC office to do it, no?
 
There have been a few threads about the same subject now this summer, and all in the same pattern. Someone finds out about walleye off Burwell. ( which have been there for 4000 years, in millions if you go by Darwin). They make a post asking how the weather will be in a few days from now. Then with all their best internet knowledge make the trip. End up skunked like the rest of the internet masses at the launch. Next day find out fish moved to Nanicoke. Plans are made for a big day there. Again nothing close in numbers like the guy in the post on the Internet fishing board. Back to Burwell and again nothing but sheephead. At this point it must be the commercial guys that just beat them to the lake and emptied it. No walleye left. Nets everywhere. Dead fish all over the bottom of the lake. All our fish going overseas. No fish for the local market. Better post this, with all the hear says and myths. A few weeks ago a few marketing experts had a great plan where and how the commercial guys should sell their catch. lol

On the other side. There are people doing well, getting out, getting a few fish, and not complaining.

Btw. I'm not a commercial fisher, just a fisher like the rest of us. Just find it humorous how it is always the commercial guys fault.

When fishing a new to you area, make a few trips to get used and learn the area. Then reap the rewards. Commercial guys where there before any of us where born.
 
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To think that the cull of commercial fish does not happen is naïve. Simply put, commercial fishers are not allowed to bring certain species to port for government mandated quota purposes. (wrong species).The second reason is due to operator income. Specifically for gain on higher income slot sizes fish vs. lower. (Illegal). Lets face it, in a drag net do the overly small and large fish all live after being hauled out? Even if they are measured??I am sure you have seen many a fish burp it's guts out coming up from 40+ feet!! Doubtful it will live eh??

In the end. All the fish are income producing products. Why throw them back to the sea gulls.....?

Perhaps this issue is best laid in the hands of the MNR and Provincial governments. Better systems, control, and inspection of species could create good products with lower waste. Perhaps with higher quota's for the commercial folks if they use everything that is taken.

Only my two cents... I'll put my hard hat on now....Cheers all....
 
My 2 cent question is do they toss back the walleyes that are full of tumours ? Or just cut them off and add to there count I know i do not want them.
 
bosc said:
There have been a few threads about the same subject now this summer, and all in the same pattern. Someone finds out about walleye off Burwell. ( which have been there for 4000 years, in millions if you go by Darwin). They make a post asking how the weather will be in a few days from now. Then with all their best internet knowledge make the trip. End up skunked like the rest of the internet masses at the launch. Next day find out fish moved to Nanicoke. Plans are made for a big day there. Again nothing close in numbers like the guy in the post on the Internet fishing board. Back to Burwell and again nothing but sheephead. At this point it must be the commercial guys that just beat them to the lake and emptied it. No walleye left. Nets everywhere. Dead fish all over the bottom of the lake. All our fish going overseas. No fish for the local market. Better post this, with all the hear says and myths. A few weeks ago a few marketing experts had a great plan where and how the commercial guys should sell their catch. lol

On the other side. There are people doing well, getting out, getting a few fish, and not complaining.

Btw. I'm not a commercial fisher, just a fisher like the rest of us. Just find it humorous how it is always the commercial guys fault.

When fishing a new to you area, make a few trips to get used and learn the area. Then reap the rewards. Commercial guys where there before any of us where born.
Click to expand...

I feel I need to respond to this, I posted my experience and what I heard around the docks to contribute to a conversation. Plus add a report about what we caught for others to read.

I did not say I thought my lack of catching Walleye was the commercial fisher's fault, all I said was based on what I heard (about a week for the MNR to respond), I would expect our $ to go further.
If we saw the MNR out doing inspections, or they listed how often they were done, it would make uninformed people like me and others (giving the benefit of the doubt to the MNR) an assurance that there really isn't anything going on. On the flip side, they need to tells us "hey we need more resources" and outline a plan.

I'm not saying the above comments were directed at my posting, but ....

Laughing at or mocking the inexperienced or an idea (even in general) helps no-one. Either help say something positive, or be constructive. Otherwise keep your thoughts to yourself.

I would love to catch a fish I can eat, but I just love to fish and catch fish, I don't care if it's a cow fish, horse fish, sheep fish, silver fish I just like to fish.
 
I seen it done once about 25 years ago, several big fish had there bellies slit and thrown overboard. They weren't perch, back then pickerel was supper abundant . Maybe the fish was salmon or trout, and they couldn't have them, but they were "culled". Seemed a shame to see good meat go to waste, but then I don't understand why individuals throw back smaller perch that are inflated knowing that they will die.
I've a had a great year fishing for perch this year with my wife and boys, something I hope to do once more yet this year, and a lot more of next year.
 
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