East Europeans

[Steve64]

Has anyone noticed the increase of East European types on the waters?
I have fished a few ponds recently and at weekends it seems as if a bus trip is there with about 20-30 men and children making a lot of noise and being cruel to the fish .Local anglers have chalenged them and they have no rod licences. I have observed them keeping decent sized fish in very small nets and killing them obviously for eating when it gets quiet or starts to get dark When they leave the place is littered with empty bottles and cans and food wrappers.
Have mailed the EA over 2 weeks ago and apart from a computerised reply have heard nothing. What experiences or views do you have on this subject?
Steve

[tjnorton]

I know what you mean,

A friend of mine was fishing one night when he saw a group of people keeping fish carp as well!! When he went over to question them they were rude and stated that they where taking photos and putting the fish back.
Because he was night fishing there was no baylif. so there is little one person can do against 3 men. this is not right but then again its one rule for us and another for them.

tj

[Steve64]

It does seem that way to me too . Gonna try the EA hotline number if they there at the weekend and see what happens
Steve

[aku94]

I know the same problem that you are talking about, though in my (highly Polish) area, the Eastern Europeans generally are not the problem. (Though one did recently take a fish from another angler, gut the thing, and then throw the entrails at someother bloke [one of his friends?] for the fun of it.) The problem where I am is people that don't want to follow the posted regulations, such as swimming whwre it is posted not to. It is believed that a good fishing trip for me and quite a few others was ruined by this. They make so much comotion by what they do it is disturbing. Alot of people fish without a lisence, and I generally don't see it as a big problem, as long as they don't do anything too stupid. In my area lisences are $20 for CT Resident Fishing ($28 for combo Firearms hunting and fishing) and it is a lot. I am especially angered when they bug me to see my lisence when they don't have one themselves (of course they aren't DEP Conservation Police, or any other cop for that matter so my compliance is in hopes that maybe they will leave me ALONE.)

[Portland Pirate]

It would appear the Eastern Europeans will eat almost any fish including Garfish. The sight of me returning a dogfish one night was almost too much for one guy last year. He was begging me to let him buy everythig I caught.

I am not condoning the action of eating Carp and other course fish, but is it actually illegal? I think that you will find that it is not. It is illegal to move fish from one water to another but I think that is about it unless it is a private or managed fishery where the rules state that no fish may be taken.

[mikey-1001]

It seems to me that anglers all over Britain and especially Ireland are having bother with these eastern europeans. In Ireland they are devastating fish stocks primaraly for food as they see it as a cheap way to feed the family ! We dont get much bother with them up here in Scotland but i know how they would be dealt with if we did !! All they are doing is diliberatly ruining anglers sport with no afterthought other than "what a good meal Olga ", well its not on and something needs to be done asap !! I dont know if permanent policing is the answer but if the rod licence issue was heavily enforced perhaps we could get them off our waters for good ....... i dont mind anyone fishing anywere for sport and enjoyment but to take fish indiscriminatley is wrong no matter what side of the fence you sit on eh ?

[surface#iain#]

It makes me sick boys and we just dont need it some people need to be a bit more respectful to are wildlife in general!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because if we did'nt have that we wouldnt be here

[Debs]

Originally Posted by Steve64

Has anyone noticed the increase of East European types on the waters?
I have fished a few ponds recently and at weekends it seems as if a bus trip is there with about 20-30 men and children making a lot of noise and being cruel to the fish .Local anglers have chalenged them and they have no rod licences. I have observed them keeping decent sized fish in very small nets and killing them obviously for eating when it gets quiet or starts to get dark When they leave the place is littered with empty bottles and cans and food wrappers.
Have mailed the EA over 2 weeks ago and apart from a computerised reply have heard nothing. What experiences or views do you have on this subject?
Steve

Hi Steve

I belong to a local fishing club and one of the lakes belonging to the club has been totally emptied of specimen fish by Portugese immigrants. Having caught the fish they then kill them for consumption. It is diabolical when the bailiff rang the police and the environment agency to be told there is nothing they can do. They were seen with wheelie bins full of fish!! To make matters worse some of these people have now joined the fishing club (the club tried to prevent them joining but had no rights to to so) and it seems it is only a matter of time before the rest of our lovely waters will be emptied of fish. Needless to say next season membership of the club will be almost non-existant.

[Steve64]

Hi Debs,
It does seem that this problem is everywhere doesn't it.
I have contacted the EA and they have passed the problem to the area office.Extra bailiffs have been posted but as yet I haven't seen anyone.
I have now started fishing a day ticket(£5) water not far from the ponds I used to fish free of charge because of the problems. Some locals( not me ) have taken matters into their own hands and vandalised and burnt out the vehicles of these Immigrants. I don't condone their actions but can see why other anglers have been so annoyed at nothing been done and done something.
Lets hope the EA sits up and takes notice of us soon
Regards
Steve

[aks19]

I can see where you're coming from, at my local a 12lb common was taken for the table but there was nothing they could do about it as they were caught a few weeks later thus no evidence, they were however advised to put up signs saying that akll fish must be returned (except on the trout lake) and that would mean that they had grounds to prosicute so long as they were caught in the action. The thing is, is that in tehir countries it is perfectly acceptable to take fish for the table especially carp, in america it is done, along with most other species of fish, we are of the minority of countries that condone the taking of fish for the table, I dont mean to turn this into another catch and kill/catch and release thread twas just a thought