Carp Smuggling

GrahamM

GrahamM

Managing Editor
Joined
Feb 23, 1999
Messages
9,773
Reaction score
1
This case is only the tip of the iceberg. Unluckily for these men they were caught, but there must be scores each year that go undetected, some smaller, but some much bigger operations.

I reckon the only way of stopping it and eradicate as much as possible the risk to our established stocks, is to boycott the fisheries that buy these diseased and illegal imports.

As much as anything else we owe it to our carp fisheries that don't buy illegal imports for they have to stay in business whilst still buying more expensive but legal, British, and clean fish.
 
G

Gerry Castles

Guest
I read that story too with some concern Unfortunately the lure of big money for the smugglers and the lure of big fish for the anglers will ensure that the fish trafficking will go on. Steeper fines and big prison sentences are the only deterent.
Considering the seriousness of the case I will be disappointed if the legal system decides that fish smuggling is on a par with first offence burglary. There is also a ground swell amongst a minority of pikers for the introduction of tiger muskie into the UK which the EA is seriously opposed to. That may not stop someone trying to beat the system. I entirely agree that unscrupulous dealers and fishery owners should be exposed.
 
P

Paul Williams

Guest
It will be difficult to stop....especially when so many "top" anglers use such fish to make their names and to advertise thier products......it's come to the stage now that when looking at photos of big carp those in the know are able to tell how far the carp have travelled!
Carp fishing is now a huge business with lots of ready cash flying about.....a perfect situation for those who don't care how they make thier money.....or name!
 
P

Paul Williams

Guest
Gerry,
I don't think the same situation will arise with pike.....we all know pike can't handle anywhere near the pressure that carp can and therefore i feel owners of waters would be less willing (hopefully) to pay the same sort of cash that 30/40lb carp demand
 
D

David Will

Guest
Anyone illegally stocking Tiger Muskies would have a job convincing the authorities that they just dropped out of the sky :)
With Carp though it needs stopping at the borders or en route.Once they are in a water it becomes difficult without live witnesses willing to give evidence.Lets not forget that it is not just Carp at risk our native species can pick up diseases too.I wholly applaude what ECHO are about and hope that they and CEFAS get a grip of the situation.
The fact that the Magistrates have sent them to Crown Court for sentencing means that these scum face custodial sentences , unlike Burglars !!!
 
C

Chris Bishop

Guest
Let's face it, they can't even get a grip on the number of illegal immigrants entering the country, so what kind of priority do we expect them to place on a vanload of fish..?

There have been attempts to ssell or move large pike over the years and most have ended in fish rapidly losing weight or dying.

As for boycotting these places how can we tell..?

Perhaps angling needs to look at funding some proper investigations into this.

There again with the kind of money involved, you can't help wondering if it' going to attract the attention of organised crime, so maybe its time someone briefed one of the police bodies like ACPO or NCIS.
 
D

Dave Rothery

Guest
I totally support ECHO - Chilly, Jenks and co should be given a medal. I cant understand why people have a problem with it. i dont mind legally imported fish going into a fishery where everyone(?) knows they are a bit garlicy, but trying to pass off imports as natural fish is just wrong, and dangerous for the rest of the stock.

too much money involved......

"I dont think the situation will arise with pike"....if pike fishing suddenly became "the in thing" like carp fishing is at the moment (and trout/catfish/barbel etc have been in the past) then money always comes first.....
 
Murray Rogers

Murray Rogers

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
1,274
Reaction score
6
Location
herts/bucks border
How about the movement of localised fish then?
IE, the 40Ib + fish that has recently left its home, the grand union canal off 'Packet Boat Lane'. And is now appearing from a farm lake, near St. Albans.(apparently)
 
P

Paul Williams

Guest
Heard about that one Murray, In a way it's worse, guys would still be targetting the fish in it's last known home when it wasn't there anymore!........i read one wag on another site trying to defend the action of moving it!
Dave, i still don't think it will happen with pike, to pay large sums of money for a fish when the chances of it's survival are slim ain't something these guys would do, whatever they are they ain't thick.
As Chris pointed out pike movement has been attempted in the past without much succsess.......during the early days on Blithfield they were moved to a few places and i believe a lot of them didn't do well.
 
D

Dave Rothery

Guest
people think they're tough cos they've got big teeth, but they're normally the first to go in a fish kill i suppose. still dont think it'll stop people trying though. a lot of fishery owners dont fish, they are buying "investments"
 
D

David Will

Guest
'And is now appearing from a farm lake, near St. Albans.(apparently)'
Murray is that the same water that has changed its name and is an EA confirmed SVC site?
'so maybe its time someone briefed one of the police bodies like ACPO or NCIS.'
Chris it would have to be millions being made.At present there is some pressure to have a Police authority that has sole responsibility for border controls. At present it is a mixture of Customs ,Police and Police depts within the Police all of whom do not speak to each other for various reasons and all have their own agendas.In the case of fish smuggling the growing army of eyes and ears across Europe thanks to ECHO can prewarn the Customs this side of the channel.It is not exactly sophisticated but it works.
 
C

Chris Bishop

Guest
You could draw a parallel with the recent foot and mouth outbreak. Controlss on animal movements were supposedly tightened up afterwards and DEFRA was supposed to be rigourously overseeing the paperwork, but the BBC has uncovered a whole network of livestock dealers moving sheep around the country without observing any of the formalities.

Dave you've got a point. I suppose it's easy for the rest of us to sit around spouting off about how other people should do their jobs; especially in the current climate when they've got the terrorist threat to deal with as well as drugs, illegal immigrants etc.
 
D

David Will

Guest
Thanks Murray.That place (I decline to call it a fishery)has changed its name now , bad image and all that.
In theory it should only be a matter of time until that mystery is unravelled as there are several photos in existence of that fish.
 
P

Paul Williams

Guest
Dave......will anything really happen? is anyone outside of angling capable of taking it all seriously? smuggling is one thing but standing up in court and trying to tell a judge "he nicked me fish from the cut, y honour" is going to be like a sketch from Monty Python.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top