| BRFC Meeting - 31st
October, 2007
The following claims were ratified by the committee:
Species Weight Captor
Date Caught & Location Previous Record. Coarse Fish 9lbs 5 ozs Mr Andy 27-May-07 9lbs 2ozs Chub 4.224 kg Maker Freshwater Lake, Surrey (Leuciscus cephalus) Coarse Fish 9lbs 3 ozs Mr Steve 03-May-07 9lbs 2ozs Chub - Interim 4.167 kg White Southern Stillwater (Leuciscus cephalus) Coarse Fish 21lb 5 oz Mr James 24-Jun-07 19lbs 5ozs 8drms Zander 9.667 kg Benfield River Severn at Upper Load Lock (Sander lucioperca) Sea Fish 6lb 9oz 7drm Mr Raymond 28-Apr-07 4lbs 14ozs 4drms Bream Couch's Sea 2.968 kg Falliaze Boat off Guernsey, West Coast (Pagrus pagrus) Sea Fish - Boat 3lbs 4oz 14 drm Mr Garry 28-May-06 2lbs 2ozs Sole-Lemon 1.5 kg Newcombe off Teignmouth, Devon (Microstomus kitt) Sea Fish - Mini Specie Mr Geoffrey 11-Nov-06 Sets Record Goby - Common 1 gm Green Beeleigh Lock, Blackwater & Chelmer (Pomatoschistus microps) Canal Sea Fish - Mini Species 12oz 11drms Mrs Toni 24-Sep-05 12 oz 1drm Wrasse Corkwing 360 grms Pay Off Portland Bill (Crenilabrus melops) Sea Fish - Shore 1lb 4 oz Mr Owen 10-Oct-07 Sets Record Blue Runner 567 gms Tinklin Glenthorne Beach, Lynmouth, Devon (Caranx crysos) Sea Fish - Shore 2lb 2oz 9drm Mr Ben 19-Sep-04 Sets Record Guinean Amberjack 980 gms Adams The Lizard, Cornwall (Seriola carpenteri) Sea Fish -Shore 1lb 7oz 12drm Mr Colin 29-Aug-07 Sets Record Almaco Jack 673 gms Torode West Coast Guernsey (Seriola rivioliana) Sea Fish -Shore 3lbs 8oz 8drms Mr David 17-Aug-05 3lbs 0oz 4drms Mullet-Golden Grey 1.601 kg Woolcombe Christchurch Harbour (Liza aurata) Notes from the meeting:-
1/ Other claims considered by the committee:-
A claim to set a new record for the game fish species Pacific Pink Salmon (Orcorhynchus gorbuscha) by Mr Louis Hunter for a fish caught in the River Tweed Scotland on 21 July 2007 was deferred pending further information on the accuracy of the scales used to weigh the fish.
A claim to set a new boat caught record for a Striped Mullet by Mr David Hobbs for a fish weighing 2lb 2oz 10drms was considered but rejected on scientific advice that Striped Mullet is in fact an alternative name for the Red Mullet - (Mullis surmuletus) and the boat record for this species stood at 3lb 7oz.
2/ Review of Species on the Freshwater List
The committee agreed that it was important that the British Freshwater List was maintained in a manner that promoted conservation. Records would not be maintained where to do so might encourage illegal introduction of fish and the criteria for a species being on the list therefore needed to be defined.
The committee agreed that the minimum criteria for inclusion of a species should be that postulated by the late Alwynne Wheeler i.e. “that there must be a self-sustaining UK population with multiple year classes present”
Three species currently on the British List failed to meet that criteria:
CARP (Grass) (Ctenopharyngodon idella) No self-sustaining UK population CATFISH (Bullhead, black) (Ameiurus melas) No known UK population WALLEYE (Stizostedion vitreum) No known UK population
The committee agreed that the existing records for these fish will be left on the list but no new claims will be considered.
The Freshwater Committee also expressed concern over the inclusion of:
(i) species which had self-sustaining populations but where those populations appeared to have resulted entirely from accidental or illegal introductions; and (ii) ornamental species.
The Freshwater Sub Committee will consider this problem further and report back to the next meeting of the BRFC in March 2008.
3/ Use of DNA for Identification of Species
The Committee discussed progress on the use of DNA to confirm the species of a fish where there was the possibility of hybridisation.
In addition to Crucian Carp, genetic profiles had now been developed for Roach and Rudd. The committee was keen to use DNA testing in order to avoid the identification problems that exist when trying to determine species from photographic evidence.
The problem with DNA testing remains how to collect a sample and work in this regard, which had already involved consultation with the Home Office, was continuing.
4/ Recognition for saltwater fish or game fish whose weight had been calculated
The committee were aware of the increase in the conservation practise of measuring fish and returning them to the sea. These measurements could be applied to a formulae to calculate an approximate weight of certain species, mainly tope and others of the shark family and there was a view that these fish should be recognised.
The Committee considered the possibility of maintaining records of fish measured in this way but agreed that there were various problems with doing so not least the fact that all such formulae provided only a very approximate weight even if measurements themselves were accurate. It should remain the choice of the captor as to whether having established that a fish was potentially a record they then took steps to accurately weigh the fish and claim the record.
The next meeting of the full committee is scheduled for March 2008.
Note for editors – see attached sheet
Notes for editors:
Aims and Objects
of BRFC § To provide an adjudicating body to which marine and freshwater anglers may submit claims for record fish taken by fair rod and line angling. § To investigate all such record claims to the fullest possible extent and maintain a permanent record of such investigations. § To establish and maintain accurately a list of British fish, marine and freshwater, of record size and to publish this list frequently and make it readily available to all interested persons.
The activities of the Committee are voluntary, and claims are considered and adjudicated upon, only on the basis that the Committee shall be under no obligation whatsoever to claimants, that its decisions shall be final, and it shall not be obliged to give reasons for its decisions.
For further information please contact;
David Rowe - Secretary British Record (Rod Caught) Fish Committee Level 5 Hamlyn House Mardle Way Buckfastleigh Devon TQ11 ONS
Tel: (01364) 644489 Fax: (01364) 644486 e-mail dr@nfsa.org.uk
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