4.1 Species
4.1.1 What is a mini species?
A mini species is a species with a maximum potential weight of less than a pound. British records for mini species do not differentiate between boat and shore caught fish.
4.1.2 Are there any poisonous fish British waters?
There are three common poisonous fish around Britain and Ireland. The largest is the Sting Ray, which has a serrated poison spine about half way down its tail.
The other two are both Weevers. The Greater Weever is most frequently caught by boat anglers, and can grow over two pounds in weight. It has venomous spines on the gill cover and first dorsal fin. The Lesser Weever is similar to its larger cousin, but is found inshore, and has a more potent venom. Weevers are a sandy colour with a white belly, and vertically slanted mouths. The first dorsal is black in colour. The Greater Weever has a blue and gold diagonal pattern on its back. Both weevers lie virtually buried in sandy
bottoms with just their mouth and dorsal fin exposed. Anglers wading on sandy beaches should be wary of Lesser Weevers. If stung by a Weever, the result though not fatal is extremely painful. The best treatment is to immerse the wound in hot water, as hot as is possible to bear, for 30 minutes. The poison is protein based and this heat treatment virtually cooks the poison and reduces its effect. Around some parts of the coast Weevers are extremly common. Cardigan Bay in Wales is one such area.
4.1.3 Are there any books to help identify sea fish?
Below is a list of fish identification books, the list is by no means complete, but includes the books which I have found good enough to buy myself. Some of these are now out of print and may only be available from specialist secondhand angling book dealers.
Wheeler, Alwynne - Key to the Fishes of Northern Europe. 1978 - 380 pages
This is the best all-round identification book for identifying UK sea fish. The diagrams are simple line diagrams with any specific identification features highlighted. Fin ray counts are shown which helps separate similar fish.
Kennedy, Michael - The Sea Angler's Fishes. 1954, reprinted 1969 - 508 pages
This is still the definitive work on sea fish in U.K. waters from an angler's perspective. Although this does not cover as wide a range of fish as the above book, those listed have far more information about feeding habits and life history.
Wheeler, Alwynne - Field Key to the Shore Fishes of the British Isles. 1995 - 40 pages.
A field study guide that concentrates mainly on fish found on rocky shores at low tide, and fish which use the low tide zone as a nursery area. 55 species are listed.
Available from - Field Studies Council Publications, Preston Montford, Shrewsbury, SY4 1HW.
Vas, Philip - A Field Guide to the Sharks of British Coastal Waters. 1991 - 33 pages.
This guide covers all 21 species of shark found in coastal waters of the British Isles.
Available from - Field Studies Council Publications, Preston Montford, Shrewsbury, SY4 1HW.
Lythgoe, john & Gillian - Fishes of the Sea. 1971 - 320 pages.
As well as covering the British Isles and Northern Europe, this book also lists Mediterranean fishes. A useful guide to take on holiday if you want to know what the lesser spotted whatnot you caught really was.
4.2 Record Lists & Specimen Weights
The record lists are have been split from this document into separate pages.
4.2.1 British Records
4.2.2 Welsh Records
4.2.2.1 Welsh Mini Species Records
4.2.3 Scottish Records
4.2.4 Irish Records & Specimen Weights
4.2.5 NFSA Specimen Weights
National Federation of Sea Anglers specimen medals and certificates are available to members of affiliated clubs and personal members. The waters around Britain are divided into 19 different areas, with differing specimen qualifying weights set for each area. For full details, contact your club fish recorder, or the NFSA directly.
Richie Moore's NFSA Specimen Calculator.- A link to a page that automatically generates the percentage specimen weight for all 19 of the NFSA areas.
4.3 How do I claim a Record Fish?
4.3.1 How To Claim a British Record
All claims for a British record are judged by the British Record
(rod-caught) Fish Committee, (BRFC), an independant committee whose
membership consists of representatives of the three disciplines of angling - game, coarse and sea - along with a scientific adviser, which adjudicates claims for British fish caught by fair angling means.
Claims for a potential British record should be made to the relevand discipline -
For SEA fish, claims should be made to the NFSA. There is a 24 hour answerphone facility.
The following procedures have to be complied with -
CAPTURE
The catch must have been by fair angling with rod and line, and the fish must take the hook or lure into its mouth.
A reliable witness must be prepared to support the claim (if there is no witness to capture, the claimant must formally verify his statement by affidavit).
WEIGHING
The fish must be weighed accurately on appropriate scales which need to have a current Weights & Measures Certificate. There must be two independent witnesses.
IDENTIFICATION
Claims are scrutinised for identification of the species. Clear photographs (with some kind of scale) are
required, for some species the body may have to be produced.
CLAIMS All details of the claim must be registered on the BRFC Claim Form, available from the NFSA. These are then presented to the BRFC by the NFSA for consideration for a record.
Only the BRFC can award the record and far from being a rubber-stamping operation, each claim is critically examined and if it falls short on verification, or any other procedure, it can be rejected.
4.3.2 How To Claim an Irish Record
Irish records are claimed by submitting an Irish Specimen Claim Form, available from the Central Fisheries Board. It should be noted that particular attention is given to the rules regarding weighing and identification as many claims are rejected for not following the correct procedure.
RULE 3 - WEIGHING
Fish must be weighed in the presence of indeendent witnesses on a properly certified scales e.g. a shop scales or official club scales which is covered by a certificate from the local Weights and Measures Officer. Claims cannot be accepted in respect of fish weighed on uncertified scales, e.g. anglers spring balances or in respect of fish weighed on scales inappropriate to the size of fish, e.g. fish in the 2 to 5lb range weighed on balances weighing up to 100lbs or over and graduated in large divisions. Claims cannot be accepted in the case of fish which has been weighed on board a boat.
RULE 4 - IDENTIFICATION
The actual identification of a fish must be fully documented where there is a possibility of its confusion with any other (and particularly larger) species. For this reason, the Committee in
respect of some species insists on scales from the fish; close up photographs or the actual body as proof of identification before it will consider claims.
SCALES must be submitted in respect of claims for SALMON, SEA TROUT, BROWN TROUT (including SLOB TROUT). Any brown trout taken in tidal waters will be regarded for claim purposes as a slob trout. About 50 scales scraped from each shoulder should be sent with the claim.
THE ACTUAL BODY must be forwarded for identification in the case of the following species :- DACE, RUDD, ROACH, RUDD/BREAM HYBRID, ROACH/BREAM HYBRID, MACKEREL, SCAD, HERRING, SHAD, FLOUNDER, DAB, BRILL, MEGRIM, GURNARDS, GREY MULLET, ANGLER FISH, LESSER SPOTTED DOGFISH, THREE BEARDED ROCKLING, SMOOTH HOUND, RAYS BREAM, CUCKOO WRASSE, TORSK,"RIVER" EELS taken in tidal waters, and GARFISH (head and gills only).
CLEAR, SHARP, CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHS, showing the entire fish with its fins and other features easily seen, and not fore-shortened or obscured must be provided in the case of TOPE, SHARKS, SKATE, RAYS, MONKFISH, POLLACK, TRIGGERFISH, COALFISH, BALLAN WRASSE. If necessary the fish should be hung. In the case of skates and rays, photographs of both back and belly surfaces should be provided and particulars of colouration given. Samples of teeth should be furnished in the case of Porbeagle and Mako sharks. In addition there should be a clear photo showing the jaws and teeth exposed.
4.3.3 How To Claim a Scottish Record
Scottish record claims are dealt with by the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers. If the fish is also a potential British record the SFSA will forward the claim onwards.
4.3.4 How To Claim a Welsh Record
The Welsh Record Fish Committee handle all claims for Welsh records. Claims should be submitted through the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers.
4.4 Minimum Sizes
4.4.1 NFSA Minimum Sizes
Minimum sizes are now all metric, approximate imperial sizes are for guidance only.
Fish below these sizes must be returned to the sea. Bringing undersize fish to the scales during a competition may disqualify you.
NOTE - The minimum sizes listed in the NFSA 1997 diary do not reflect the changes introduced on 1st Jan 1997. There are also some corrections to the specimen sizes which are available from the NFSA office
BOAT SHORE
cm ins cm ins
BASS 41 16 41 16
RED BREAM 25 10 25 10
BLACK BREAM 24 9.5 24 9.5
BRILL 35 14 35 14
BULL HUSS 58 23 58 23
COALFISH 35 14 35 14
COD 35 14 35 14
CONGER EEL 120 48 91 36
DAB ++++ 23 9.5 23 9.5
L. S. DOGFISH 46 18 38 15
FLOUNDER + 25 10 25 10
GARFISH 38 15 38 15
TUB GURNARD 28 11 28 11
HADDOCK 35 14 30 12
HAKE 30 12 30 12
JOHN DORY 33 13 25 10
LING 72 28 72 28
MACKEREL 30 12 30 12
MEGRIM 25 10 25 10
MULLET 33 13 33 13
PLAICE 28 11 28 11
POLLACK 30 12 30 12
POUTING 25 10 18 7.25
POOR COD 18 7.25 18 7.25
ROCKLING 18 7.25 18 7.25
SPURDOG 58 23 58 23
ALL SKATES & RAYS = 41 16 41 16
SMOOTHHOUND ++ 51 20 51 20
SOLE 25 10 25 10
SOLE, LEMON 25 10 25 10
SCAD 25 10 25 10
TRIGGER FISH 30 12 25 10
TURBOT 41 16 35 14
WHITING 27 10.6 27 10.6
WITCH 28 11 28 11
WRASSE, BALLAN 23 9 23 9
UNCLASSIFIED +++ 20 8 20 8
kg lbs kg lbs
HALIBUT 10.00 22 3.00 5
MONKFISH 7.00 15.5 7.00 15.5
ALL SHARKS 23.00 50.7 18.00 40
TOPE 9.00 20 9.00 20
++ 30 inches in NFSA sea areas D & E
+++ except when retaining fish to claim a British Mini Record
++++ IOW & WESSEX DIVISION 20cm (8 inches) boat & shore.
++++ SOUTHERN DIVISION 20cm (8 inches) shore only.
= Measured across the wings.
4.5 Unusual Catches & Sightings
A database which is run by Dr Geoff Potts and Silja Swaby of the Marine Biological Association provides a focal point for records of rare fish in UK waters, and a source of data on changing distribution patterns.
Dr Geoff Potts and Silja Swaby
Marine Biological Association
Citadel Hill
Plymouth
PL1 2BR Tel. 01752 222772
CONGER
- A 210lb conger was landed by a commercial boat at Falmouth,
Cornwall in 1990
FLOUNDER
- A 7lb 2oz flounder was caught in a gill net at Aberdovey,
Gwynedd in 1983.
HAMMERHEAD
- A hammerhead shark 13.5 feet long was caught commercially at
lfracombe, Devon in 1865.
PLAICE
- Dave Stevens (D.Stevens@east-anglia.ac.uk) reports - a 20lb plaice
was landed by a commercial boat off Hastings in 1994.
SAILFISH
- A 7.5 foot sailfish was stranded at Yealm Estuary, Devon in 1928. This the
the only recorded sailfish in North European waters.
SIX-GILLED SHARK
- A 26 foot six-gill landed in Polperro, Cornwall in 1846.
SWORDFISH
- A 130lb swordfish (8.5 feet long) was caught in a salmon net in Bantry Bay in 1950.
- A Broadbill was sighted jumping off Clovelly, N. Devon by a yactsman in April 1995.
THRESHER
- A 500lb thresher was caught by a Yarmouth boat in summer 1869.
The fish was 14 feet long.
- Matthew Lear (k940246@kingston.ac.uk) writes
I was fishing at Hopes Nose in Torbay, South Devon during the summer of '91 for mullet. A fisherman came over the rocks and started lobbing out a six ounce weight with a string of feathers using a beachcaster. He was pulling in mackeral for half an hour, which had spooked any mullet that I hoped to catch. On one of his casts he complained of catching in some rocks, which wasn't possible as the spot he was
fishing was shale and sand. Then about sixty yards out a young thresher Shark leapt from the water with a string of feathers dangeling from his mouth. The line promptly broke as the fish entered the water and the man was left there with a rather shocked face, I would have estimated the fish at between sixty and eighty pounds.
4.6 Conservation
4.6.1 Are There Any Tagging Schemes for UK Sea Fish?
The Central Fisheries Board in Ireland are tagging many species, including all species of skate, rays, sharks and tope.
The Natural History Department of Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum have been involved in tagging Common Skate and Tope since 1974. Currently this scheme is looking for more sponsors to enable the project to expand. If you feel you can help, contact Richard Sutcliffe, Curator - Department of Science, Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove, Glasgow G3 8AG.
These tagging programmes have shown some interesting results.
90% of all recaptured Common Skate were retaken within 35 miles of the original release site, even after periods at liberty of up to 12 years.
One Common Skate tagged in 1985 to the west of the Isle of Mull, was recaptured in 1990 900km away off the south west coast of Norway.
Tope tagged off the west coast of Scotland have been recaptured as far away as Lisbon (1800 km, 62 days later), Canary Islands (3000km, 268 days later), and off Algeria (3200km, 9 years later).
The above information is from the paper "Common Skate & Tope - First Results of a tagging study carried out off the west coast of Scotland" by William Little - 1993.
A tagging project on Thornback rays started in 1995 and continuing this year is in operation in the Irish Sea. Thornback rays of all sizes were tagged and released at two sites in each of the following areas: Liverpool Bay, Cardigan Bay, the Bristol Channel and on the East Irish Coast. Pertersen Disc Tags and Data Storage Tags supplied by MAFF were used for these experiments. The tags are returned by fishermen to MAFF offices or local fishery officers for data
collection. Information on this project can be obtained from Nick Dulvy at University of East Anglia, MAFF Lowestoft, Natasha Bunn at Aberystwyth University or Bill Cook at North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee.
Many thanks to Leasa Whone at the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee for this information.
Other tagging programmes for species such as Bass and Turbot have also been conducted.
4.6.2 What Do Tags Look Like?
Several different types of tags have been used over the years. Most tags are plastic and in a bright colour to be obvious to the eye, although weed and barnacles may disguise old tags.
Cattle tags have been used to tag tope (dorsal fin) and skate (on the wings), but their use is declining due to their inability to expand as the fish grows, and they can become heavily encrusted.
Petersen tags (two red/yellow coloured disks about 2cm in diameter
joined by a stainless steel wire) are used by the C.F.B. in Ireland for tagging skate.
Dart tags (a plastic tube, with a barb at one end to hold it in the fish) are now being used to tag fish like tope and common skate. The tag is usually inserted near the base of the dorsal fin.
Fish like bass may be tagged with a small tube tag attached to the dorsal fin by thin wire.
4.6.3 What Should I Do If I Catch a Tagged Fish?
If possible DO NOT KILL THE FISH, DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG.
Measure the length and weight of the fish, record the tag number, date and place of capture. The tag should state the body who are collating the research data, most probally a university or fisheries office. Then RETURN THE FISH. If you cannot record all of this data, then any information you can provide is better than none.
SEND THE DATA ON THE CAPTURE TO THE RELEVANT ORGANISATION - they should be identified on the tag.
Some tags on commercial species require that the actual tag is
returned, as it is assumed that the fish will be caught commercially and then sold at market. A small reward may be given for the return of the tag.
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