If when fishing a river for coarse species you hook and land a sea trout are you allowed to keep it. this when holding a normal coarse licence.What would you do?
That's a risk you take then, but remember, the bailiff could stop you on the way home, or even enter your house, and if you have a migratory fish in your possession that he believes was poached (without a licence) then you could be charged.
Now, have these two gentlemen been around the block once or twice, or what!
Brian,
As I don't particluarly like (or eat) Trout of any description, the answer for me is quite simple, it would be unhooked still in the water, if possible.
I had a 7lb Sea trout from the Throop last year and I put it back. I have had decent large Brown trout up to almost 4lbswhen I have been fishing for other speciesand I have often taken them for the pot and they were invariably delicious. Totally different class to farmed rainbows from sainsbury's.
Your coarse licence covers you for non-migratory trout but not sea trout. I would always put them back including one I had less than two weeks ago from the Thames in Oxford.
On most of my local club stretches the club rules dictate returning them in most circumstances so as well as getting caught by the EA you can lose your club book. I've seen a few caught red-handed at this.
Iheld a migratory licence for a number of years (I gave them up when I started falling over whilst in the river) and always returnedany game fish fish taken, including a 14lb sea trout.
With sea trout most fresh run fish are usually taken from dusk onwards and a day caught fish will probably not be worth keeping.
A friend recently had a 13lb fish from the Welland (on sweetcorn) and it looked like it hadn't fed for 6 months
haven't worked out how to insert pics direct yet/forum/smilies/party_smiley.gif
That's what I thought Mark but he said it was a sea trout. I don't think he knows he can up the resolution on his phone camera. Either way it's definitely not a fresh run fish and I wouldn't fancy eating it.
As most anglers know a Sea trout is a migratory fish and must if caught be returned immediately with as least possible harm if the licence holder only possess's the Freshwater Fish, Non Migratory trout and Eels licence (£25 in 2008)
The taking of a previously spawned fish either a salmon or a Sea trout know as a Kelt is a serious offence in which the angler can be subject to prosecution and if the courts so wish order the confiscation of any fishing tackle seized by an EA officer at the time as well as impose any fine and costs deemed appropriate.
an EA Environmental Crime officer ( formerly insectors /bailiffs) cannot enter anyones house without the issue of a court warrant and only once information has been laid that a crime has been committed providing very detailed information can such a warrant be issued and executed.
the only way such an officer can enter after a crime is that an ofender has been detained, arrested then brokem arrest and and "Free at Large " wherein any constable ( as certain EA officers are deemed in law) can pursue in " HOT PURSUIT" only to effect the arrest of such an absconded prisoner.
EA Officers have the full power of Constable and have powers to search cars and anything considered likely to contain anything that was used illegally to take fish contrary to the present Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act so beware.. refusing to let a officer carry out an inspection can and has often led to anglers being arrested
I asked the EA at the Go Fishing Show several years ago how we tell a sea trout from a brown trout. They could not answer satisfactorily because a) sea trout and brown trout are the same species (at least until the scientists get around to defining the four species that actually exist), b) sea trout and brown can both interbreed and also do not breed true - seatrout can produce non migratory progeny and vice versa, c) their argument that the presence of caesium xyz proving a trout had been to sea was unavailable to an angler on the bank and therefore practically inadmissible, d) the existence of what are called 'slob' trout i.e. estuarine trout which are neither one nor t'other. Therefore the EA could have a battle if ever challenged on whether someone with a 'normal' licence could take in-season seatrout. The EA made this problem and ought to sort it out by having a single licence.
I can tell the difference all right (apart from slob trout) but why should we have to pay £38 extra when it is the same species? It is true that the habits are different but it is still the same fish. Two different seasons as well in this part of the country. I still think the EA are on dodgy legal ground.