08 February 2012
This coming weekend will bring with it a large spring tide – but no ormer fishing.
Fisheries officers will be out in force this weekend, 11 and 12 February, to make sure that low water fishermen are not actively fishing for ormers outside the permitted days. During the ormering season, which runs between 1 October and 30 April, the shellfish can only be fished for on the first day of each new or full moon and the 3 following days.
Fisheries Officer Jonathan Shrives said that the timing of the tide meant that the permitted days for ormer fishing would end on Friday 10 February. “We will have an increased presence this weekend to make sure people are aware of and understand the legislation. Our aim is to provide greater protection for ormer stocks in local waters without imposing any extra restrictions on low water fishermen. We will happily answer any questions people have about the regulations.”
Dr Shrives said that officers would also be reminding fishermen looking for ormers of the need to return boulders and rocks to the position they found them in. “Not doing so means that the marine life on an upturned boulder will die of exposure,” said Dr Shrives.
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