#Mackerel fishing north Wales

[pastedpast]

Something I've witnessed loads of time in my life, but never knew it had a quirky name until today: the term 'mackerel sky'. It is used to describe the rippled effect of rows of cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds, causing them to resemble the scales of a fish such as the mackerel.

Acc. to Wikipedia, it is sometimes known as a 'buttermilk sky', particularly when in the early cirrocumulus stage, in reference to the clouds' "curdled" appearance. In France it is sometimes called a 'ciel moutonné' ('fleecy sky'); and in Spain a 'cielo empedrado' ('cobbled sky'); in Germany it is known as 'Schäfchenwolken' ('sheep clouds'), and in Italy the clouds are described as 'a pecorelle' ('like little sheep'). Irish uses the same image as the English, calling the phenomenon 'spéir ronnach'.

This photograph is from the weather pages of the BBC website and was taken over Colwyn Bay, North Wales.

[whatson-northwales]

Top tips for Bass fishing on Anglesey

Top tips for Bass fishing on Anglesey

Bass fishing is one of the most elusive and exciting parts of the fishing game, the thrill you get when a bass goes for a lure and then runs with it, is something rather special. Bass are a very tough species with very strong predatorily instincts, and are a prize catch for an sea fishing angler. Anglesey is one of the best spots in Europe for bass fishing and you can land yourself a double…

[lailoken]

“Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), also known as fairy thimble in Ireland.

It is generally accepted that the name foxglove is a corruption of folk's [i.e. fairies'] glove. According to James Britten:

The name Foxglove has, in all probability, nothing to do with Reynard, but is rather connected with the fairies or little folk. This derivation is fully borne out by other of its names; e.g. the North Country name, 'Witches' Thimbles'; the Irish name 'Fairy-cap'; the Welsh, 'Maneg Ellylln' (Fairies' Glove); the Cheshire, 'Fairies Petticoat'; and the East Anglian 'Fairy-thimble'. [Science Gossip, 1 February 1870: 43]

However, a belief collected from County Leitrim implies that foxgloves, rather than being fairy plants, are dangerous to fairies.

If you have a cross or peevish child, or one that from being in good health becomes sickly, and you have reason to believe it is a fairy child, following plan may be tried in order to ascertain whether this is the case. Take lusmore (foxglove) and squeeze the juice out. Give the child three drops on the tongue, and three in each ear. Then place it at the door of the house on a shovel (on which it should be held by some one), and swing it out of the door on the shovel three times, saying: 'If you're a fairy away with you!’ If it is a fairy child, it will die; but if not, it will surely begin to mend. [Duncan, 1896: 163]

There are occasional records of foxgloves being considered to be either 'unlucky' or an omen of war.

[Around Tutbury, Staffordshire, in the 1950s] picking foxgloves was un- lucky and they were absolutely forbidden inside a house as this gave WITCHES/the DEVIL access to the house. [Stevenage, Hertfordshire, May 1982]

The summer of 1914 was a record one for foxgloves, regarding which an old [Staffordshire] man remarked, 'I don't like them, missus; they mean war. Them foxgloves is soldiers.' [Hodson, 1917: 452]

Children inflate foxglove flowers and pop them.

[In Cornwall foxglove is known as pop dock:] Dock from its large coarse leaves; pop, from the habit of children to inflate and burst the flower. [Britten and Holland, 1886: 153]

[Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean, 1920s:] amusing ourselves lazily popping 'snompers'. We picked spikes of beautiful pink foxgloves ... then took off each flower, trapping the air with thumb and forefinger, and pushed the ends together till they'd explode with a pleasant little [Foley, 1974: 18]

Similarly, in the same area:

[From my grandparents, b. 1856 and 1860:] Snomper, or snowper (rhyme with cow) = foxglove. A favourite admonition to a noisy child: "Shut thee chops; thee bist like a bumble bee in a snowper.' A favourite occupation in summer was to trap a bee in a foxglove bell to hear it buzz angrily! [Cinderford, Gloucestershire, November 1993]

On Guernsey the foxglove was known as claquet, 'derived from the children's amusement of popping or bursting (claquer) the flowers on the palm of the hand,' and its flowering provided guidance as to when mackerel-fishing should start: Quand tu vé epani l'claquet, Met tes leines dans ten baté, En t'en vâs au macré. (When you see the foxglove blossoming, put your fishing-tackle into your boat, and go off for mackerel). [Marquand, 1906: 39]

At Hartland in north Devon foxgloves are associated with the osbcure St Nectan, to whom the parish church is dedicated. According to what appears to be a comparatively recent tradition, St Nectan and his sister arrived in Cornwall from Wales, and made their way towards Hartland. At Stoke they were attacked by robbers, and the Saint was decapitated. However, their journey was not delayed, for the Saint picked up his head and continued. Wherever a drop of BLOOD fell from his wound a foxglove sprang up [Dunsford, 1981: 176]. Today a Foxglove Procession is observed 'with great gusto' before the morning Sung Eucharist on the Sunday nearest the patronal feast, 17 June. Although parish magazines survive from 1909, the Procession is not mentioned until 1927, when the then incumbent arranged a proces- sion after 3 p.m. Evensong on St Nectan's Day [The Revd Louis Coulson, Vicar of Hartland, January 1982].

In folk medicine:

Foxglove leaves were placed in children's shoes and worn thus for a year, as a cure for scarlet fever-in Shropshire. [Haynes, Bedfordshire, August 1984]

The lus mor—or soft leaves in the heart of the plant out of which the fairy thimbles grow—is good for healing a CUT. The little hard hard thread on the back of the leaf should be pulled out and the leaf heated at the fire and applied to the CUT. [IFCSS MSS I128: 26, Co. Cork]

The foxglove provides the major British example of how traditional remedies might prove worthy of investigation. In 1775 William Withering was asked for an opinion on a traditional Shropshire reme- dy for DROPSY. Of the twẹnty or so herbs the remedy contained, Withering quickly concluded that the important active ingredient was foxglove leaves. Thus, as patients for whom all other remedies had failed became available, he began to experiment by administering differing dosages of foxglove leaves in a variety of forms. After ten years he published his results, listing 163 of his own patients and a number treated by other physicians, and, although foxglove leaves had originally been used to stimulate the production of urine, he was also able to report that they had 'a power over the motion of the heart to a degree not yet observed in any other medicine' [Withering, 1822: 103]. Several of his contemporaries also considered foxglove leaves to be useful in the treatment of TUBERCULOSIS, but this was never proved, and it is as a drug for the treatment of heart ailments that an extract of foxglove-now usually the Mediterranean woolly foxglove (Digitalis lanata)—continues to be used.”

—

Oxford Dictionary of Plant-Lore

by Roy Vickery

[the-caveman-hunter]

mackerel fishing UK North Wales Anglesey please take your rubbish back home with you 👍👌💯🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (at North Wales) https://www.instagram.com/p/CB2cX8wlkDu/?igshid=1ir6bo7d1o0no

[exploredestinations]

Top Fast food Outlets in London

Top Fast food Outlets in London - Taste London's delicious Eatables

For those who are in love with fast foods, listed below are the great places to check out for incredible dining experiences while in London.

Leon

Owned by John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby, Leon is a great deal for fast foods in London. Their menu includes saucy beans, a poached egg pot, a meatball burger with a pot of veggies, lunch boxes that contain tasty meals like lentil salad, ruby mackerel and pork chilli with apple.

Poppies

For those who are interested in fish and chips, Poppies is a great place for you. It has two locations including Camden Town in North London and Spitalfields in East London. The menu includes fresh fish cooked in a crunchy batter and served with homemade mushy peas and golden chips. Other things to order here are seasonal salads, Heinz beans, bread and butter or a pickled egg.

West Cornwall Pasty Company

Located at the Victorian station, this Pasty shop is a good stop for fast foods in London. This property has many shops throughout the United Kingdom with ten spots in London. Its menu includes pies that are filled with an assortment of ingredients, pork and apple, lamb and minted peas, chicken and bacon, the steak and stilton.

Chicken Shop

The Chicken shop has four locations in London (found in Kentish town, tooting, Holborn and White chapel). You can order for a whole, half or quarter chicken and it is served with coleslaw, crinkle-cut fries or corn on the cob.

Pret A Manger

This great outlet serves hot macaroni, cheese, salads and sandwiches. There are over 300 Pret A manger outlets throughout the United Kingdom. You can find them in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Scotland, Wales, Cardiff and Birmingham. All dishes served are fresh and prepared every day. You can sit down and have a quick bite or take it home.

Yo! Sushi

Out of the 100 Yo Sushi stores, sixty-five are found in London. Its menu is composed over 80 dishes including salads, soups, hand rolls, noodles, rice and sashimi. For those who are eating food at the restaurant, it is usually served to you by a conveyer belt. Takeaways are served in containers. You can even order online and it will be delivered at your door.

Square Pie

This property has four shops in London scattered in different corners such as Westfield Stratford City, Westfield White City, and Old Spitalfield Market. Their menu includes square-shaped pies, sweet potato, lamb and rosemary to name but a few.

Wimpy

Opened in 1955, Wimpy has over ninety restaurants throughout the United Kingdom. They serve a traditional English breakfast but most people go there for the hamburgers. It was the first fast-food hamburger joint to open in Britain.

Tortilla

Tortilla has twelve locations on Central London and shops in Brighton, Leeds, Kent and England. It serves fresh burritos that are being made in house daily. Other dishes served are pinto beans, sour cream, salsa guacamole, pulled pork and Mexican rice. You can even order online, it will be delivered right to you.

The Kati Roll Company

This great property is located at 24 Poland Street in London. It tempts Londoners with its curry and sandwiches. What you should not miss is the grilled beef, minced lamb, chicken tikka and curried meat wrapped in a flatbread. Read the full article

[colourupuniforms]

Top 8 Fishing Destinations in Australia.

Australia has over 5000 described species of fish, a quarter of which are endemic. Fishing Australia travels around Australia, fishing for different species of fish in unique locations.

Freshwater fishing in Australia takes anglers to pristine lakes, mighty rivers, and mountain streams. You can fly fish for trout in the Snowy Mountains or fish outback billabongs brimming with barramundi.

You can even fish in the cities. Fishing in Sydney, Australia is an unforgettable experience, with a wide variety of species in the harbor, bays, beaches, and rivers.

Wherever you cast your line, make sure you fish sustainably—take only what you need and be sure to respect seasonal closures, as well as local size and bag limits. Fishing licenses are required for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Once you land at your favorite fishing destination, it's a good idea to pop into a tackle shop to chat with the locals about recent catches and conditions.

Find the best spot to catch the "big one" with our list of the top fishing destinations in Australia.

Cairns, Queensland.

If it's your dream to catch a huge black marlin, as well as just about any other Australian gamefish species you can name, this is the place to come. North Queensland, in particular the area from Cairns northwards along the Great Barrier Reef, is known as the black marlin capital of the world.

Cairns fishing can be exhilarating. According to International Game Fishing Association records, up to 70 percent of all "granders" (black marlin exceeding 1,000 pounds) are caught in these waters each year. The season runs from September through late December, and nowadays, most of the marlin are tagged and released.

The tropical waters adjacent to the reef and along the continental shelf are incredibly rich in bait fish and plankton and also attract species such as yellowfin tuna, Spanish mackerel, mahi mahi (dorado), barracuda, trevally, wahoo, and sailfish. You can also cast a line from the shore or cruise the mangrove-fringed rivers for barramundi. Trolling and spearfishing are also popular.

A range of charters are available out of Cairns, from estuary fishing and inshore and offshore light tackle sports fishing to reef fishing, fly fishing, and liveaboard trips. Another bonus is that Cairns has an international airport, making it easy to access for anglers arriving from outside Australia.

The Top End, Northern Territory

Encompassing Darwin and Kakadu National Park, the tropical northernmost tip of the Northern Territory or "Top End," as it's called, is famous for some of the best barramundi fishing in Australia.

The best times to fish here are during the barra build-up, from October through December, when the fish school in the local billabongs and saltwater estuaries before monsoonal rains inundate the region, and the barra run-off, from February through May, when the barramundi tend to congregate at the river mouths.

The best fishing spots in the Top End include the Daly River, the Mary River at Shady Camp, and the Adelaide River. In World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, the South and East Alligator River are top spots to fish by boat. Corroboree and Yellow Water Billabong are also promising.

But the Top End is not all about barramundi. During the dry season, from May through November, reef fishing is popular, and deep sea fishing is a possibility at any time of year when the seas are calm. You can book a guided trip, stay at a fishing lodge, or hire a boat and fish the areas independently (but beware of saltwater crocodiles). Heli-fishing is also available on some of the rivers.

Cape York, Queensland

Cape York offers anglers the ultimate Aussie fishing adventure. Accessible only by 4WD, the remote far north tip of Australia is famous for its pristine beaches; uninhabited islands; and fish-rich tidal estuaries, lagoons, and rivers.

During the wet season, the roads here become impassable, but from May through December, a stream of thrill-seeking travelers venture north into this wild and remote region, where indigenous people have lived off the land for thousands of years.

Barramundi, cobia, mangrove jack, trevally, queenfish, mackerel, king salmon, cod, giant trevally, and tuna are all top catches here. You can cast along inshore reefs for coral trout, fish for baby barramundi in the billabongs, or try your luck off a rocky headland. Top off your angling adventure by cooking your catch of the day on an open fire under a glittering night sky.

To avoid the rough multi-day drive, you can fly into Bamaga or Weipa in less than two hours from Cairns and stay in a remote fishing lodge, or book a liveaboard boat trip. However, for many anglers, the 4WD journey is part of the adventure. Always check local conditions before heading out and beware of saltwater crocodiles.

Exmouth, Western Australia

Bordering World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, the world's largest fringing reef, Exmouth is one of the most diverse fishing destinations on the planet. The crystal-clear waters surrounding this remote town, near the tip of Western Australia's North West Cape, are famous for the hundreds of whale sharks that swim here from March through October, but they are also home to a dazzling diversity of other fish.

You can cast a line here for species such as milkfish, bonefish, blue bone, queenfish, cobia, permit, trevally, mahi mahi, wahoo, and tuna. The continental shelf lies only a few kilometers away from the edge of the reef, offering excellent deep sea fishing.

Gamefish found in these waters include all six of the Australian billfish species: sailfish; black, blue, and striped marlin; broadbill swordfish; and shortbill spearfish.

Other fishing options include sight casting across crystalline flats for giant trevally or prowling the flats of Ningaloo lagoon for bonefish. Fly fishing, trolling, bait fishing, and lure fishing are all possible here, and guides should be booked well in advance.

Exmouth is a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Perth. Note that the Ningaloo Marine Park encompasses sanctuary zones where fishing is prohibited. Check before you head out.

Central Highlands, Tasmania

Laced with more than 3,000 lakes, the Central Highland of Tasmania is one of the top spots for trout fishing in Australia. Hooking one of these fish can be rewarding, as the wild brown trout and rainbow trout here are known to be a tough match, even for experienced anglers.

Arthurs Lake, about an hour from Launceston, is one of the most popular lakes for brown trout when it's open, from August until May. Great Lake is also a favorite. During spring, highland waters are great for wet fly fishing.

Some lakes can only be reached by foot, but this is part of their magic. The prime time for fishing is in the early Southern Hemisphere summer through mid-fall.

Tasmania also has excellent ocean fishing, especially along the east coast near towns such as St. Helens. The rivers around Launceston such as Macquarie, the South Esk, and Brumbys Creek are also favorites, and the Tyenna River, with both rainbow and brown trout, is a popular fly fishing spot.

Check to make sure the river or lake is open before you head out, and dress in layers, as the weather here can change quickly.

Broome, Western Australia

The remote pearling town of Broome in Western Australia offers a little bit of everything for avid anglers. You can snag a barramundi in the creeks, bays, and rivers, and fish for other species like black-spotted croaker, cod, jacks, and threadfin salmon.

Beach anglers should head to Cable Beach. Here, you can cast along the gutters or from the craggy headlands to catch dart and blue-spotted trevally. Threadfin salmon and Northern bluefin tuna can be found close to shore, too. To the left of Gantheaume Point is another great fishing spot, where you have the chance to catch queenfish and trevally.

Offshore offers even more excitement. Anglers can catch sailfish, Spanish mackerel, black marlin, cobia, mahimahi, and northern bluefin tuna in these nutrient-rich waters. Broome's harbor lacks facilities for charter boats, so the best place to launch a boat is Gantheaume Beach, south of Cable Beach, or from one of the boat ramps around town.

Broome is also the gateway to the rugged and remote Kimberley region, with some of the best fishing in Australia for a variety of species. It's difficult to access this rugged region, but that's a big reason why fishing here is so rewarding.

Hervey Bay, Queensland

About 300 kilometers north of Brisbane in Queensland, Hervey (pronounced "Harvey") Bay is famous for its fantastic fishing with crystal-clear subtropical waters and diverse species of Australian gamefish.

Sheltered by neighboring Fraser Island, the planet's largest sand island, the nutrient-rich waters off the coast usually offer calm nooks to fish, even on windy days. In particular, the area is famous for its beautiful golden trevally, which cruise the crystalline flats, but you can also cast for different kinds of tuna, giant trevally, cobia, sailfish, and marlin (striped, blue, and black).

For those seeking to catch a meal, tuna, whiting, tailor, flathead, and snapper are found in these waters, and beach fishing for bream is also popular.

Thanks to the protection of nearby islands, humpback whales often calve in these waters during winter. Charter options from Hervey Bay include sports fishing trips, guided saltwater fly fishing, and multi-day liveaboard excursions. You can also cast off the two-kilometer-long pier into deep waters during high tide to catch flathead, tuna, and kingfish.

Port Stephens, New South Wales

The resort area of Port Stephens, about two-and-a-half-hours' drive north of Sydney, is a fishing hot spot and is known in particular for its fantastic game fishing. In February and March, the region hosts the Southern Hemisphere's largest game fishing tournament, the NSW Interclub Tournament, with record catches of Australian billfish species. Local guides also offer big game fly fishing.

Besides chasing Australian game fish, anglers can also fish the brackish waters of the extensive Myall Lakes system; cast in the Karuah River; or fish the flats along Nelson Bay, where you can wade, kayak, or explore by boat. The best times to fish these weed-strewn shallows is during the rising or falling tide.

Frequently-caught species in the region include bream, dusky flathead, sand whiting, snapper, luderick, tailor, mulloway, and kingfish. Lure fishing in this region is especially rewarding. Note that some areas of the Great Lakes Marine Park are designated sanctuary zones, so be sure to check before heading out.

Catching fish includes hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.

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Reference:

https://www.planetware.com/australia/top-rated-fishing-destinations-in-australia-aus-1-7.htm

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Mackerel fishing in North Wales

[diveplanit]

Australia’s Best Local Dive Getaways

As the pandemic lock down continues, many of us around Australia are just itching for a dive getaway – so for those states allowed to move around, here are our Best Dive Getaways for each.

And for all our Victorian subscribers, we are all thinking of you and can’t wait to help get you diving again – locally or internationally!

New South Wales Divers

Lord Howe Island

Imagine you had to design the perfect place for an adventurous scuba diver to escape to for a week’s diving holiday. You’d probably go for an island, maybe where tropical, sub-tropical and temperate ocean currents converge, a nice long reef around a lagoon, so you could dive and snorkel inside the lagoon, and explore more adventurous stuff outside in the gullies and arches. Then you’d probably give the island some sharp drop-offs, and maybe add a few small islands around to create a variety of dive sites. You could not design a more magnificent setting if you tried. The island has limited capacity, so is booked up quickly (especially now) with many divers returning annually. We have some great packages with Pro Dive Lord Howe Island.

Julian Rocks

Among the regular species found year-round at Julian Rocks, a 10-15 minute boat rude from Byron Bay, are wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, cuttlefish, king fish, trevally, mulloway, and three different species of sea turtle – Loggerhead, Green and Hawksbill. There is an abundance of hard and soft coral. You can also see Manta Rays, Grey Nurse Sharks, and Leopard (also called Zebra) Sharks at various times throughout the year.

Nelson Bay

Whether you’re interested in the big stuff, or teeny tiny macro delights, you’ll find it here in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens, which has long been a popular NSW seaside retreat. Some locals will tell you that if you haven’t dived North Rock or Looking Glass (think large schools of grey nurse sharks), you don’t deserve to call yourself a real diver. Conversely, others might say: ‘If you haven’t done Fly Point or Pipeline then likewise!’ (nudibranchs, seahorses and all sorts of macro wonders).

Jervis Bay

Weedies, whales and the world’s whitest sand. Jervis Bay is 3 hours’ drive south of Sydney – it’s already Insta-famous for having the world’s whitest sand at Hyams Beach and the underwater world in the bay itself is pretty special as well. With over 60 dive sites, divers can expect to see weedy sea dragons, wobbegongs, grey nurse sharks, Port Jackson sharks, beautiful sponge gardens and… right now is a great time to swim with humpback whales.



Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour diving opportunities includes the marine reserves of the Solitary Islands, and South Solitary Island in particular. There amongst boulders, walls and gutters you will see anything from Mantas to Handfish, and everything in between, and at the nearby Split Solitary amongst coral and kelp you will see many species of resident fish, as well as eels, turtles and grey nurse sharks. In season (May to September) you can also swim with migrating humpback whales.

Queenslanders

Cairns by liveaboard

Pro Dive Cairns is running 3-Day/2-Night liveaboard trips to the Outer Reef each week every Wednesday and Friday. The trips include up to 11 dives, including two-night dives, on a variety of 19 dive sites over four reefs: Flynn, Thetford, Milln and Pellowe Reefs. You will encounter a wide diversity of marine life including giant clams, turtles, stingrays, reef sharks, an incredible variety of tropical fish, spectacular coral formations and consistent underwater visibility.

Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea

There’s never been a better time to dive the pristine, rarely-visited dive sites of the Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea – you’ll be sharing them with a very small group of divers. Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has just announced four brand new Great Barrier Reef itineraries to the Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole, and in the Coral Sea, Osprey (shark city) and Bougainville Reefs. Choose a from 4 or 5-night trips to the Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and the Coral Sea, or explore the Far North Coral Sea on a 7-night Exploratory dive trip.

Townsville and Magnetic Island

In recent years the stunning Central Great Barrier Reef has played second fiddle to the reefs out from Cairns and Port Douglas, but there are two great reasons to rediscover beautiful reefs such as John Brewer and Lodestone reefs. The 100-year old wreck of the Yongala and a new underwater installation by world-famous sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor; Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA). Dive it by liveaboard with Adrenalin Dive, based in Ayr with Yongala Dive or base yourself on beautiful Magnetic Island.

Bundaberg & Lady Musgrave Island

Three great reasons to dive the Capricorn Coast: Lady Musgrave Island, fantastic shore diving in Bundaberg and the wreck of the ex-HMAS Tobruk. Lady Musgrave, like Lady Elliot Island, sits close to the continental shelf, so attracts impressive pelagic action including leopard sharks, reef sharks, turtles, all sorts of rays including mantas and the occasional migrating humpback whale. The HMAS Tobruk was only scuttled a couple of years ago but has already attracted large schools of Jacks, barracuda, bat fish, a couple of resident turtles and Queensland gropers.

Lady Elliot Island

Lady Elliot Island is one of those rare gems that exist through the serendipitous combination of location, location and human intervention. Location is important as the island is just 10 km from the edge of the continental shelf and the East Australian Current. This means frequent pelagic action such as manta rays, migrating whales and nesting grounds for green and loggerhead turtles. And human intervention? Lady Elliot Island sits within the Green (no take) Zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is why the corals are in perfect condition and over 1,000 marine species can be found in the waters around the island.

West Australians

Whale Sharks and Whales at Ningaloo Reef

Swim with whale sharks and humpback whales and dive Ningaloo Reef with Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks. The Coral Coast’s Ningaloo Reef is a pristine aquatic wonderland that is home to an abundance of marine life including dolphins, manta rays, turtles, humpback whales and of course the whale sharks. Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks are whale shark tour pioneers, with the experience, knowledge and reputation that will ensure that your day will be an ‘experience of a lifetime���.

Exmouth Navy Pier

Also based at Exmouth, Dive Ningaloo is the only dive centre with access to world-famous dive site Exmouth Navy Pier voted as one of the top 10 dive sites in Australia, and one of the top shore dives in the world. Dive Ningaloo specialises in small groups, personal service and adventure diving in the best, remote and beautiful places, travelling to remote Muiron Islands and untouched reef.

Rowley Shoals

The Rowley Shoals is a chain of three spectacular pristine coral atolls which rise up from the ocean floor 400 m below on the very edge of Australia’s continental shelf, hence one of the most remote dive locations in Australia and diving Rowley Shoals is seasonal with trips only available around October each year. Dive amongst the giant clams, shellfish, giant potato cod and Maori Wrasse. Trevally, mackerel and tuna hover in large schools around you, and you can discover over 200 species of coral and over 650 species of fish. Visibility in excess of 60 metres is common.

Christmas Island

Dive Christmas Island, Australia’s own Galapagos in the Indian Ocean, with pristine coral reefs and plenty of pelagic action including schools of silky sharks, mantas, eagle rays and whale sharks. Being so remote, you’ll be diving with small groups, with pristine reefs, forests of enormous gorgonian fans and plenty of sea caverns to explore. Plus, during surface intervals, swim with spinner dolphins.

Cocos Keeling Island

Dive Cocos Keeling Island – Australia’s own little jewel in the Indian Ocean, with pristine coral reefs and mantas, eagle rays, schooling reef sharks, pods of dolphins, a resident friendly dugong called Kat – and (officially) Australia’s most beautiful beach at Direction Island – also home to one of the world’s best drift snorkels.

South Australians

Neptune Islands

To see a Great White Shark in the wild is absolutely grand and rare, but to come face to face with one underwater is one of the most exciting experiences available to divers today! Come and ‘hunt with cameras’ the world’s best known and most feared shark with the world’s best: Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions. On a 4-day liveaboard trip you will also encounter New Zealand fur seals and an abundance of bird life, dolphins and other unique fish and wildlife.

Fleurieu Peninsula

The beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula is home to one of the world’s most unique species of marine life, the leafy seadragon. These stunning creatures are found nowhere else in the world except the Great Southern Reef of Australia.

Credit: Jayne Jenkins

Whyalla

Each winter, tens of thousands of Australian Giant Cuttlefish gather to mate and spawn. This mass event happens nowhere else in the world. These cuttlefish are endemic to South Australia and have a very short life cycle of two years, which means the need to mate in such large numbers ensures the success of generations to come. A great way to see both leafy sea dragons and giant cuttlefish, and learn how to photograph them, is on a tour with award-winning photographer Scott Portelli.

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is a nature lovers dream. With large, resident pods of bottlenose dolphins, it is the ideal location to immerse yourself with these playful mammals. According to underwater photographer Rosie Leany; “Getting buzzed by a pod of highly intelligent mammals who are just as curious about you, is an amazing feeling.” Shore diving at Kingscote Jetty will also reveal a wide array of macro wonders, from blennies and angler fish to the odd leafy sea dragon. Scott is also running photography tours here early next year.

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[robertmcangusgroup]

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Wednesday 25th October 2017

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. “Hump” day.. half way through the working week.. but no matter what the day, or the weather Bella and I step out of the house in to the sodium lights of the streets in the early morning and go for a walk together, we explore Estepona Spain a small town on the southern coast of Spain, where the waves of the Mediterranean Ocean spill their energy on the golden sands… I am not the first foreigner to settle in Estepona, Romans, Moors, Jews, Phoenician’s all made this their home and in more modern times one of every country in the EU calls this home along with a smattering of Russians.. Thank God! English is the common language…

BEAR'S GIANT TONGUE IS REMOVED BY VETS…. An Edinburgh vet has helped remove the giant tongue of a bear in Myanmar. Heather Bacon, of the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, worked in the team which carried out the operation. The bear - called Nyan htoo, meaning "bright" - had a tongue so large that it dragged on the ground as he walked. Nyan htoo had been suffering from a mystery illness since he was a cub. He is said to be "recovering well" after his four-hour operation.

US LIFE SCIENCES FIRM BIOCLAVIS SETS UP BASE IN GLASGOW…. A US-owned cancer diagnostics specialist is setting up a new base in Glasgow, creating more than 40 jobs. BioClavis, which is a spin-out from Californian molecular profiling company BioSpyder, will be located at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The move is part of a £10.5m investment supported by Scottish Enterprise. The announcement came during a visit by Economy Secretary Keith Brown to the US and Canada, where he is promoting Scotland to business leaders. Scottish Enterprise is providing a research and development grant of £4.5m towards the new business, which will work in close collaboration with the NHS and university researchers. Mr Brown said: "This is an exciting time for life science businesses in Scotland. The sector is strong and continuing to grow - providing employment for over 37,000 people."

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES 'KEY' TO SUCCESS OF SCOTTISH ISLANDS…. Business leaders on Scotland's islands have called for more to be done to improve the infrastructure and encourage young people to stay. A survey of 275 island firms by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found 88% said they faced challenges that mainland businesses do not. The report identifies transport and affordable housing as priorities. The Scottish government said it was investing millions in digital connectivity, transport and housing. In June, ministers introduced a "historic bill" to create a sustainable future for the islands. The proposed legislation aims to offer greater powers to island local authorities, in the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland. The FSB has passed its survey results to Holyrood's Rural Economy Committee in a call for action. David Richardson, the FSB's development manager for the Highlands and Islands, said prosperity was "intertwined" with the success of its local business community. "While this rings true across the country, it is particularly the case for Scotland's island communities," he said. "Our survey work shows, perhaps unsurprisingly, that addressing shortfalls in digital and transport infrastructure is a top priority for island firms. But - ahead of these problems - local businesses want to play a role in developing sustainable island communities."

FISH 'WORTH £1M A DAY' LANDED FROM WATERS AROUND SHETLAND…. Fish and shellfish worth an average of £1m a day were landed from the waters around Shetland in 2016, figures have revealed. An estimated 420,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish, said to be worth £365m, were landed by British and EU fishing boats. Dr Ian Napier, of the NAFC Marine Centre UHI, said more than half of the landings were by EU boats. He said Shetland fishing boats caught 15% of the fish and shellfish in the figures. The results have been published in Shetland Fisheries Statistics 2016. Last year it was revealed more fish were landed in Shetland in 2015 than in all of England, Wales and Northern Ireland put together.

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST SCOT ACCUSED OF PUBLIC INDECENCY IN DUBAI…. A Scottish man accused of public indecency in Dubai has had the charges against him dropped after the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai intervened. Jamie Harron, 27, from Stirling, had been sentenced to three months in jail for touching a man's hip in a bar. Detained in Dubai, the group representing Mr Harron, said he had been exonerated by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. It said Mr Harron had his passport returned and is free to leave Dubai. Mr Harron's mother Patricia declined to be interviewed, but told BBC Scotland that the family were "ecstatic" at the news. Mr Harron had also been accused of drinking alcohol and making a rude gesture towards the businessman who made the complaint. Detained in Dubai spokeswoman Radha Stirling said: "The cases against him have been dismissed, and the sentence imposed by the court yesterday has been nullified. "We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for his personal intervention in this case, and for exonerating Jamie at long last. "It has now been established that the allegations against Jamie were entirely unwarranted, defamatory, and meritless."

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of the fishing boat Harvester in the North Sea catching Cod and mackerel …

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 25th October 2017 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus

[crinaboros]

Investigation: Big Fish quota barons squeeze out small scale fishermen

Published: Greenpeace - EnergyDesk (15 May 2016) & UK nationals, with Maeve McClenaghan NOMINATED FOR THE PAUL FOOT AWARD 2017 - http://www.private-eye.co.uk/paul-foot-award

Small scale fishermen in England are struggling to retain their livelihood, while multi-million pound companies buy up the majority of fishing right, according to a new investigation by Greenpeace. 

The investigation revealed that just three companies own nearly two-thirds of England’s fishing quota while some fishermen hoard quota on vessels which never cast a net.

Nearly half of the England and Wales’ quota is held by companies based outside the those countries, despite reforms to the EU’s fisheries policy, which encourage national governments to allocate fishing quota on social and environmental grounds.

The ownership of quota by large-scale fishing firms also poses greater risk to the environment and fish stocks if more destructive fishing practices are deployed.

The right to fish different species is regulated by the government, which doles out quotas to groups of companies and fishermen known as producer organisations.

While these organisations are intended to work like co-operatives, the investigation has revealed that instead a handful of people control huge swathes of the UK coast.

Who owns the England and Wales’ quota

We tracked back the ultimate owners for nearly 900 fishing vessels with quota, using national and international company registries and databases to get the first true picture of who owns the British fishing industry.

But the data only tells part of the picture.

To understand how the quota was being held we interviewed fishermen and even examined the size of fishing boats holding the quota to see if it was feasible for that boat to catch that amount of fish.

The four month long investigation found:

Just three companies hold 61% of all the fishing rights in England

44% of England and Wales fish is owned by foreign companies

Some fishermen are hoarding up fishing rights on vessels that never cast a net

The findings are raising concerns amongst experts that traditional small-scale fishing is being choked out, leaving coastal communities struggling.

Jerry Percy is founder of the New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association which represents small scale fishermen and Executive Director of Low Impact Fishers of Europe. He told EnergyDesk:

“The fish in our seas are a public resource, it’s yours and mine, managed by Government on our behalf. They should therefore never be treated as just another commodity, to be bought and sold to the highest bidder”.

EU rules on fishing quota allocation also suggest that it should be distributed according to social, economic and environmental criteria.

“How anyone, including our own Government can ever claim to meet these criteria when they allow unhindered trading in FQA’s to foreign interests is beyond me,” said Percy

The hoarding of quota risks creating a distorted market in which the price of fish stocks – and access to them – is controlled by just a few companies.

“Despite the FQA Register [which lists who owns the right to stock], there is clearly still a lack of transparency regarding the actual ownership of the UK’s FQA’s.

Not only is this unsettling, especially with regard to fish stocks but because so much is held by so few, they are able to sell these ‘rights’ to whoever and whenever they choose.”

Who gets the fish?

We tracked back chains of subsidiary companies to compile the first ever true picture of who owns the fishing rights in England and Wales. Three key players stood out.

Plymouth based Johannes Jacob Colam owns 26% of all English FQA through company Interfish Ltd and four of its subsidiaries.

The company has had issues with its health and safety record in the past. A worker died at an Interfish factory in 2013 and at the inquest two years later employees complained about health and safety standards.

A spokesperson for Interfish told us: “Interfish Producer Organisation manages the fishing activities of more than 11 British vessels with the majority of these being inshore vessels operated by local fishermen – these vessels are primarily based in the Southwest, regularly landing to Plymouth and other UK ports supporting markets like Plymouth Trawler Agents and processing businesses located in Plymouth and Scotland (Peterhead and Lerwick).

“Our Skippers and crew has a long history of supporting CEFAS/ICES fisheries scientists and developing innovative projects to push the promotion and certification of Responsible and Sustainable fisheries.”

The Dutch owned company Cornelis Vrolijk Holding BV own 23% of English quota. In 2014 the Vrolijk’s super-trawler the Frank Bonefaas was found carrying 632,000 kilos of mackerel while travelling through restricted and prohibited waters. The company was fined £97,000 with £5,000 costs but was allowed to sell off the catch, reaping an estimated £437,000 in the deal. But to this day the company is allowed to hold quota on other boats.

Matthew Cox is CEO of one of the Vrolijk’s susidiaries, North Atlantic Holdings Ltd. He told Energydesk: “The quota referred to is owned by North Atlantic Fishing Company Limited which is a UK registered company, pays taxes to the UK treasury, is based in the UK with offices in Caterham and Hull. We employ around 52 English Crew that are resident in the UK”.

He went on to add: “North Atlantic Fishing Company purely catches pelagic fish, meaning we use Pelagic (midwater) trawls that never come into contact with the seabed and therefore do not have a destructive effect on bottom habitat.”

IMAGE: GREENPEACE UK

Another company, Andrew Marr International Limited controls 12% of all the English fishing quota. Using a complex series of six subsidiary companies.

Though based near Hull, Marr’s (no relation to the BBC journalist) company controls 61% of the quota in Cornwall, and 49% of all quota in the East of England.

We reached out to Andrew Marr International but received no comment by the time of publication.

All of that is making the company money. Their latest accounts show that turnover and operating profits rose for the company last year. According to 2016 Sunday Times Rich List, Andrew Marr and his family are the worth £122m, a rise of £20m on the previous year, and are now the 825th richest family in the UK

SCREENSHOT: Andrw Marr International network of subsidieries as seen on DueDill

Indeed for some fish is big business. Academic Thomas Appleby from University of the West of England has recently published a paper estimating the worth of the UK fishing industry at around £1 billion.

Appleby told EnergyDesk: “The UK’s fishery is a billion pounds public asset. The free allocation of quota to commercial businesses on the basis of [historical] track record is a similar process to permitting that public asset to be squatted.

The complex and badly drafted regulation which underpins this process has permitted a climate where the concentration of this quota ownership in the hands of a very few rich fishing businesses is almost inevitable.”

“It’s enough to slowly die”- Small scale fishermen squeezed out

But for those outside the big three companies, fishing is becoming a less and less profitable pursuit.

Small scale fishermen, those who fish on boats under 10 metres in length, are allocated a certain quota at the start of the month.

However, according to several fishermen interviewed by Greenpeace, it can be hard to limit your catch to fit that fixed quota. And in some cases it is impossible for business to survive on such a small allowance.

In desperation many small scale fishermen resort to contacting larger outfits, or those they know have FQA that they do not fish.

Those owners can set their own prices and lease out quota, allowing the fisherman to catch more. However, with unregulated prices, a dysfunctional market and an unbalanced playing field, many find themselves paying so much they barely make a profit from those fish they do catch.

Graham Doswell is a fisherman with an under 10m boat who has been fishing all his working life. He told EnergyDesk: “I think it’s a disgrace really, when small boat fishermen are trying to make a living, and we’re talking about just making a living not making huge profits and fortunes.”

“I’ve never leased fish on principle, and I hope I never have to. But some of the boats have had to to keep their businesses running. It costs quite a lot of money which has to come off the top value of your market price of the fish. I know some people that hold quota that lease fish, some of them hang on til later in the year when people get desperate, trying to get a better price,” he added.

The prices set for leasing out FQA can vary by hundreds of pounds. To lease a tonne of cod for example, could cost from £300 to £800. The resulting catch might bring just £1100 at market, leaving a profit margin of £300 before staff and equipment costs.

The situation has left some fishermen going out on boats alone because they cannot afford to pay a crew. Others have found that after boat costs they are still losing money, and have stopped fishing altogether.

Fisherman Michael Newton-Smith has had to lease quota in the past to keep his three-man crew going.

“Your options are limited. That brings with it a headache that we haven’t had to encounter before – work becomes stressful because of paperwork. Now it’s not the inability to catch fish but the inability to land it. So that’s massively frustrating, it’s quite depressing.

“The small amount of fish we did have is minuscule, as opposed to being enough to survive, it’s enough to slowly die,” he added.

Landed in the Netherlands

Last month Conservative MP Peter Aldous brought a debate to the House of Commons about whether enough was being done to allocate quota fairly.

Aldous, who is MP for Lowestoft, complained that 68% of the quota fished in Lowestoft is actually landed in the Netherlands while 32% goes to Scotland. “Those boats… bring very little, if any economic and social benefit to Lowestoft.”

He called for the government to heed their responsibilities under Article 17 of the Common Fisheries policy which calls on allocation of quota on environmental, social and economic grounds.

The Marine Management Organisation told Energydesk:

“The MMO works to achieve the difficult balance of ensuring the sustainability of fish stocks, the needs of the fishing industry and the prevention of over-fishing. We regularly meet with the industry to evaluate how we manage quota and to understand real-time needs, responding by opening up more stocks wherever possible.”

Update: This article has been updated to include a response from Interfish (16/5/16)

Original link: http://energydesk.greenpeace.org/2016/05/15/investigation-big-fish-quota-barons-squeeze-out-small-scale-fishermen/

[boatgoldcoast-blog]

Summer Road Trip: Amity to Tweed

This summer, planning a perfect road trip is in everyone’s must-do list. For fishers, the perfect road trip always entails the goal of catching fish at every stop. Paul Burt guides us with his summer road trip itinerary, from north to south of the Seaway, for a great Gold Coast fishing voyage. So pack the car, load up your boat, and head away!

    AMITY POINT – North Stradbroke Island

  This once small fishing village is now a thriving tourist destination for people wanting to get away for the day or the weekend. Situated on the northwestern tip of North Stradbroke Island and only an hour to the ferry terminal, the community can be reached by car and boat. A simple but enjoyable one-hour ferry trip across (the sometimes notorious) Moreton Bay from Cleveland to Dunwich, the main town on the island, is all it takes to get to this fisherman’s paradise. From Dunwich, a 30-minute drive will put you in the heart of the Amity Point.

  The rock wall that lies along the front of the town were put there back in the mid 1900’s to prevent any erosion caused by strong tidal currents and the prevailing westerly winds the coastline gets in the cooler months. This rock wall houses a variety of marine life, from squid to the general bread-and-butter fish such as bream, whiting and flathead, through to the tasty grassy sweetlip and furious tackle-busting kingfish. The wall is easily accessible for bank anglers, but caution should be taken when stepping on the rocks as they do have a tendency to move a little.

  SLIPPING SANDS – Jumpinpin

  This area is situated along the southern end of North Stradbroke Island in the pristine waterway of Canaipa Passage. It is home to a variety of fish life and is only accessible by boat. Sand dunes stretch up to 40 meters into the hillside and provide non-stop entertainment for the kids armed with a piece of cardboard. This area can be the home base for anglers wanting to fish the Pin region. Most spots are found all within a few kilometres of this area.

  In the months leading up to winter, bream school up in there thousands along the many mangrove-lined banks that surround these waterways. Kalinga Bank, Tiger Mullet Channel, the southern tip of Short Island, and Whalley’s Gutter are just a few spots that anglers regularly target. Fishing with light tackle on the last of the tides generally produces a catch for the dinner table. Using local baits like yabbies and flesh baits such as strips of mullet fillet always work well.

  Although Slipping Sands is sheltered from the blistering winds, most other open fishing spots in the Pin region are exposed to southeasterlies.

  Tailor, whiting, mulloway, flathead, trevally, sharks and mangrove jacks are just a few other species regularly targeted in this region.

  SOUTHPORT SEAWAY – Southport Broadwater

  The Seaway is the main entrance for anglers and commercial vessels operating out of the Gold Coast. The Seaway consists of two break walls stretching more than a kilometre in length from the Southport Broadwater east to the Pacific Ocean. These rock walls are home to a huge variety of marine life, and regularly attract hundreds of anglers on a daily basis.

  Anglers and boaties alike take shelter on nearby Wave Break Island for the night where a safe mooring can be found. Further north, the South Currigee Campground is available for long-term or overnight stays. (South Stradbroke Camping, story on P__.) Fishing around this neck of the woods is great for all aspects of fishing. One can walk for five minutes across the lower section of South Stradbroke Island from Currigee to the surf where the beaches are pretty well untouched with animal life roaming freely along the white dunes. Fishing the gutters produces a vast variety of fish from large green back tailor, sand whiting, large mulloway, sea bream, dart and flathead.

  One can also walk a few kilometres south to the northern break wall of the Southport Seaway. This area often rises to the occasion with quality fish caught. Land-based anglers regularly target large trevally, mulloway, tailor, sea bream, mangrove jacks and tuna, just to name a few. Spinning with metal lures such as Raiders on the run-in tide has produced some of the most memorable catches with large tuna and trevally climbing over each other in the hope of eating your lure. During the summer months, when the bait fish school up along the coastline, this area is one that should be considered as a handy spot, just five minutes from most boat ramps or a quick walk from the water taxi drop off point.

    OFFSHORE FISHING – Gold Coast

  Venturing out to the ocean through one of the five major entrances along the coastline will see you on a reef within no time at all. The first key to successful offshore angling is with live baits. Plenty of local shallow reefs are easily found simply by noticing all the charter boats backing up on the grounds just after you have exited the seaway.

  Spots to consider are the local bait reefs and wrecks such as the Aquarius wreck north east of the Seaway, the 12fathom bait ground off the sand pumping jetty, the Scottish Prince wreck, and the Mermaid, Palm Beach and Kirra reefs just to name a few. Bait jigs are a necessity to catch these fish, which generally comprise of yakkas or yellowtail, and slimy mackerel. Keep them alive in a plumbed bait tank.

  The offshore grounds are not hard to find, especially if you have a GPS unit. Most of the local tackle shops are more than happy to help you out with a few spots to get you under way. Reefs off the coast run in a north to south direction, and stretch all the way from Point Lookout off North Stradbroke Island south to the border. The waters off Surfers Paradise house a variety of reefs in depths of 12, 18, 24, 27, 36, 42 and 50 fathoms, known as the continental shelf. Other reefs and bombies can be found in different depths, but they are not as massive. A variety of dead baits should also be taken out such as W.A. pilchards, squid, mullet fillets and fresh octopus. Renting fishing charter vessels is one way of fulfilling the dream of heading offshore.

    THE SOUTHERN END OF THE GOLD COAST

  Fishing throughout the creeks and rivers of Tallebudgera, Currumbin and the mighty Tweed offers a vast diversity of fishing for anglers. Fishing the back lakes of these regions produces its fair share of action, especially on light tackle. These myriads of lakes offer a great range of fish life from trevally though to giant herring. These fish are top fighters and put on a show that comes close to that of their distant relatives in the tropics.

  The sand flats around the entrances also house plenty of whiting, which are regularly caught during the warmer months and the start of autumn. Whiting are a schooling fish that inhabits the estuaries, and as the cooler months approach, they head out to the beach gutters where they can be caught in good numbers. Utilising our local baits that are found in the area in which you are fishing is the best way of getting a few bites. In this case, beach worms or pippies would be the best to use.

  Further south in the Tweed, certain parts along Fingal Wall allow anglers to fish right beside their car, therefore allowing them to set up a picnic and shaded area to sit under. Boats are not a necessity when fishing this river, though it is recommended to hire one just to take in what the mighty Tweed has to offer. Once you get a few kilometres upstream, untouched waterways stretch and wind their way past old townships such as Tumbulgum, a place where time has stopped. This area is so beautiful and full of fish that one can only think back to what the fishing was like in the early 1900’s. Mangrove jacks, school jew, elbow slapping whiting, bream and the tasty flathead are all caught in the holes and channels that lie along this stretch of the river.

  The volcanic grounds east of Cook Island and out to the Nine Mile house plenty of action for those anglers after some top action on wahoo (one of the world’s fastest fish), yellowfin tuna and other tuna species, sharks, snapper, mackerel, marlin, amberjacks, kingfish, and many other different species. Live baiting makes a huge difference when fishing the ledges along these reefs. Trolling skirted lures around with a wire trace attached to them, such as Hex Heads, also pay off especially when you are hooked up to a 25-kilo wahoo.

  The best time to fish the reefs off Tweed is from January through to May. Different fish regulations and fishing licences apply once you head over the border into New South Wales. These should be adhered to and checked prior to heading out.

      BUDGET PLANNING

  Short-term trip: For a quick and easy two-day getaway, the cost of getting there is minimal, camping is cheap and food can be taken with you.

  Long-term trip: For extended stays, renting a cabin or house should be considered. This will be your biggest cost, but being comfortable on a long-term getaway is essential. Food can be taken with you or daily meals can be bought from the local pub keeping the cost down. Keep a few pennies aside for anything else you require to suit your own personal needs as this will cost a bit more than it would on a standard two-day getaway.

  To start with, two to three days in one of the above locations are enough to let your hair down and escape the bustle of everyday life. Let us just say it is enough to kick start the engine again on a small budget that will not break your bank. Choose two or more (or all) locations if you have more time (and bigger budget!) for more exciting escapades!

  Summer Road Trip: Amity to Tweed was originally published on Boat Gold Coast

[whatson-northwales]

15 Tips for catching Mackerel in (2020)

15 Tips for catching Mackerel in (2020)

The volume of questions I get on the blog regarding Mackerel fishing on Anglesey seems to suggest there is a increasing number of people coming into the sport to learn. There also seems an increasing need for eduction both in a tactical way and in an environmental one. Mackerel fishing is actually the easiest fishing of all, you just need to get a few basics right to start with to get you on your…

[colourupuniforms]

Fish Species found in Western Australia.

Australia’s fish population has had tens of millions of years to evolve and adapt to the unique aquatic environments of this massive, isolated island continent, so it’s hardly surprising that many species are found nowhere else on Earth. However, even those species you might be familiar with, such as black marlin and some types of tuna, tend to be more abundant and grow larger here than almost anywhere else. 

Firstly you have to know what sort of fish you have caught. If you are not familiar with the different species of fish then the informations below will help you identify many of the more common fish caught in W.A. It is always a good idea to buy a good identification guide to fish so that you can find out what you have caught and if it is edible.

There are some fish, like toad fish (known locally as blowies), that are highly toxic and can kill people if they eat them. Other fish have venomous spines that can inflict severe pain. In some areas of Australia certain species of fish may contain ciguatera poison. This is caused by the things they eat and builds up to dangerous levels in larger fish. The Chinaman fish, for example, is not eaten in Queensland because of the risk of this poison. In W.A. some people do eat these fish with no ill effects so the danger may be regional.

As a general rule of thumb, never eat a fish that does not have scales. If it has spines then be very careful how you handle it. Rabbit fish or spinefoot have a very nasty venom in their spines but they don't look very different to many other fish with non-venomous spines.

If you are not familiar with the different types of fish you can ask other people who are fishing nearby what you have caught and if it is safe to eat.

Water quality in Western Australia generally isn't an issue if you are fishing in the ocean. In rivers and lakes you need to be aware (especially in summer) of any toxic algal bloom warnings. These are usually issued on the internet so it is a simple matter of doing a search with Google.

BARRAMUNDI

These giant perch live in both fresh and saltwater in our tropical north including the Kimberley region in Western Australia, across the Northern Territory and northern Queensland. They can grow to lengths of 1.4 metres (over 55 inches) and weigh more than 40 kilos (90 pounds). They’re an internationally renowned sport fish, taking bait with an explosive strike, gill-rattling jumps and fast, powerful runs. They are biting all year but the peak season is March and April.

GIANT BLACK MARLIN

Australia has the world’s most reliable big black marlin fishing. From September until early December each year, giant black marlin (including many “granders” in excess of a thousand pounds) gather in large numbers along the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef between Cairns and Lizard Island, in far northern Queensland.

BLUE, BLACK & STRIPED MARLIN

From Brisbane in Queensland to the far south coast of New South Wales, as well as off the west coast around Exmouth in Western Australia, large numbers of striped, black and blue marlin follow bait fish schools during the warmer months (best months are February and March), providing an exceptional standard of game fishing.

MACKEREL

Several species of tropical and sub-tropical mackerel are prolific in Australia’s northern waters. Foremost amongst these is the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel, a close relative of the king mackerel. These sharp-toothed predators are a prized catch around the top of the nation, from southern Queensland to the mid-coast of Western Australia. Readily available, they can be caught all year, but are often at their best through the cooler winter or dry season months.

SWORDFISH

Australia is one of the most reliable destinations on earth for catching broadbill swordfish – game fishing’s greatest prize. “Deep dropping” baits that sink into the depths during daylight hours are producing exciting numbers of swords from southern Queensland to Tasmania, with many reaching record-breaking sizes.

TUNA

Australian waters boast healthy stocks of several species of tuna, including yellowfin, longtail, bigeye, dogtooth and albacore, many of them occurring at trophy sizes. The largest tuna tend to be found in our temperate, southern waters, including South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. Vast shoals of smaller longtail and kawa-kawa tuna also provide impressive angling for fly and lure fishers in the tropical north. The best months for tuna are March to May.

YELLOWTAIL KINGFISH

Renowned amongst anglers all over the world for their incredible power and stamina, yellowtail kingfish are seasonally abundant in many Australian waters, particularly along our southeastern and southern coastlines from New South Wales around to the southern coast of Western Australia, where they often flourish alongside their less well-known but fittingly named cousins: the Samson fish. The best months to bag kingfish are February to April.

GIANT TREVALLY

“GTs”, as they’re widely known these days, are the bullies of the fish world. The way these mega jacks take to a bouncing “surface popper” lure before powering away into the depths is famous around the globe. The thrill of such encounters attracts keen anglers from far and wide to Australia’s tropical north, as well coral or rocky reefs across the Top End from Western Australia to the Queensland coast, where big GTs abound.

PERMIT, BONEFISH AND GOLDEN TREVALLY

Permit, bonefish and golden trevally are the hallowed “big three” of inshore flats fishing. While abundant, the Indo-Pacific permit (referred to locally as oyster cracker or pumpkin head), is just as tough to catch as its Atlantic and Caribbean cousins, and equally celebrated. While golden trevally and permit are wide-spread around the north of Australia, bonefish are only caught in a few specific pockets (especially near Exmouth in Western Australia), but are also held in high esteem. All three of these fish are generally easiest to find in August and September.

SNAPPER AND SOUTHERN REEF FISH

Australia’s beautiful pink snapper or squirefish is a prize catch right around the southern half of Australia, and a highly valued table fish with delicious white meat. It shares its southern waters with a host of similarly hard-fighting and tasty prizes, including the Bight redfish, queen snapper or blue morwong and the West Australian dhufish: arguably the most delectable of them all. While some states allow fishing year round, there are some closed seasons in states such as Western Australia and South Australia.

KING GEORGE WHITING

In most parts of the world, members of the Silago genus, better known as whiting, are tiny yet keenly sought prizes, valued for their tasty flesh and the challenge of hooking them on fine tackle. However, in the shallow, inshore waters of Victoria, South Australia and southern Western Australia lurk the true giants of the whiting clan: the aptly named King George. Capable of exceeding 60 centimetres (24 inches) and two kilos (four pounds), the King George or “KG” is a special fish that attracts the international following it deserves. March and April are the best months to catch a KG.

BROWN, RAINBOW AND BROOK TROUT

Trout were first introduced to Australian waters during the 1860s, and they thrived in their new home. Today brown and rainbow trout occur in good numbers in cooler parts of Australia with reliable fishing found in Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Smaller populations of brook trout – as well as some land-locked Atlantic and Chinook (quinnat) salmon – also found in a few isolated pockets. The very best Australian trout action occurs in Tasmania and the higher altitude areas of Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

MURRAY COD

One of the four largest freshwater fish on earth, Murray cod have been recorded to lengths of almost two metres (six feet) and weights close to 100 kilos (200 pounds). These bucket-mouthed predators look like a freshwater grouper, and will happily dine on ducks, lizards and snakes that make the mistake of venturing into their home patch. Not surprisingly, Murray cod represent an exciting and unique freshwater fishing target. The best months to catch them are March and April.

Catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.

Create Your Own Sublimated Fishing Jerseys with Colourup Uniforms. 

Our Custom made Fishing Jerseys gives you the luxury and durability you need for your games.

Our Customized Fishing Uniforms are suitable for all teams and clubs.

We have our fishing wears such as Custom Fishing Jerseys, Custom Fishing Polos, Custom Fishing Long Sleeve Polos, Custom Fishing Long Sleeve Jerseys, Custom Fishing Singlets and other Fishing Wears.

Below are some of the categories that are available with us for you to explore.

Categories:

Design Your Own Custom Fishing Apparel

Design Your Own Custom Mens Fishing Polos

Design Your Own Custom Mens Long Sleeve Polos

Design Your Own Custom Mens Fishing Jerseys

Design Your Own Custom Mens Long Sleeve Jerseys

Design Your Own Custom Mens Singlets 

Design Your Own Custom Mens Jackets 

Design Your Own Custom Ladies Fishing Polos

Design Your Own Custom Ladies Long Sleeve Polos

Design Your Own Custom Ladies Fishing Jerseys

Design Your Own Custom Ladies Long Sleeve Jerseys

Design Your Own Custom Ladies Singlets 

Design Your Own Custom Ladies Jackets 

Design Your Own Custom Fishing wear

Reference:

https://www.australia.com/en-in/things-to-do/adventure-and-sports/great-fishing-adventures/fish-species-in-australia.html

http://www.wanowandthen.com/fishing.html

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Catching Mackerel on Anglesey

Catching Mackerel on Anglesey

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Coastal town of Moelfre, Anglesey

Coastal town of Moelfre, Anglesey

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With wth a steep but loose pebble shore, facing southwards, its proves very…

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Local produce in north Wales

Local produce in north Wales

Anglesey and north Wales have some of the most nutrient rich farm land anywhere in the UK, as a result we have some of the most amazing fruit and vegetables around. Our farmers are excellent growers and pour lots of love into their craft which in turn creates delicious seasonal veg grown your door step.

The difference in home grown veg to super makers (mass produced tasteless fodder) is…