Concern for the bass population on the south eastern coasts of Ireland

Jim Hendrick 20/07/2014

I am writing this letter to call to your attention the serious concerns I have for the continued
deterioration of the bass population as I have experienced it on the south and eastern coasts of Ireland.
As you may know I have fished these coasts on a recreational basis since 1975, I am a bass fishing guide
working and developing bass fishing on these coasts on a professional basis since 2002/03. My business
South East Angling Ireland was established to provide both guided bass fishing services (fly and lure) and
approved accommodation with a view to a holistic approach to the fishing, including airport transfers,
provision of modern tackle and singularly strategic bass fishing solutions.
The profile of the traveling, affluent, adventurous and experienced European sportfishing angler was
where my target customers lay and whilst historically Wexford may have had a small heritage in relation
to bass angling the challenge for me lay in both attracting the correct customer whilst simultaneously
demonstrating responsibly the remarkable accessible new bass angling environment available in
Wexford through my services.
This was a considerable business challenge as Iconic locations like the Kerry coast, the Dingle peninsula,
still attracted by default traditional bass angling interests. Added to that challenge the profile of my
customer needed to be correct in order to maintain a high level of impact distance. This meant that
customers came to Wexford, fished for a week and left, simple. The likelihood of local interest growth
rate/impact was minimised.
Inclusive of the years 2003 2007 this was largely achieved through keeping a tight lid on advertising of
services which was directed entirely at a European and US target audience through various magazine
editorials. These were wide ranging and spread with the help of IFI and Failte Ireland between France,
Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, the US and Denmark. Up to this time, end of 2007, both the Irish and
UK markets were not where I felt large number of profiled customers lay, the market didnt exist in the
UK at this time as modern bass lure fishing techniques only began to develop there from late 2007 / 08
in both the UK and Ireland.
I made a considered business decision that any associated local advertising would have had a negative
impact on my business through creating access to awareness and hence increasing local recreational
angling impact. Wexford is easily accessible.
However I did feel it necessary at the end of 2007 (for many reasons) to begin to increase the public
awareness of the actual existence of an approved bass fishing guiding service and expertise that was
available in Ireland at this time. I did this through Irish Angler Magazine, 2007-20011 inclusive. This was
also achieved through the active development of my website www.probassfisher.ie from the beginning
of 2008.
The core strength of the business lay in the availability of the fish along the SE coast in a multitude of
exciting and different locations. Coupled to that was the strategic angling solutions I provided in order to
catch the fish effectively (based on thirty years of local experience), the quality accommodation I
provided in Wexford town and the accessibility to local support services.
Pre business establishment test cases were run to establish the validity of the availability of the fish
across the multitude of locations along the Wexford coast - estuaries, current, rocky shore, deep water,
sand bars, etc.
The rate of return was calculated very simply as I spent more and more days fishing with customers the
key catch base was running at an average of 1.4 fish per hour per customer. In some locations this
could be as high as 8 in others as low as .5 this depended on the type of location, timing and also the
size of fish anticipated or targeted. This was communicated to the customer in relation to their
expectations on a day by day basis, but always under estimated.
It is also important to note that years prior to opening the business this base was strongly in evidence
The factor that most changed these numbers in relation to catch return at any time was weather of
course but this was always a minimal impact on a general day by day basis with the odd exceptional
week of complete wipe out.
Location footprint and location frequency was kept to a minimum as I fished across an empty coastline
for five years.
The base calculated from 2002 (intro only), into 2003 (beginning), and through the following years 2004,
2005, 2006, and 2007 remained within 15% +/- of my expectations for customer returns. When it didnt
it was always attributable to other external factors.
The operational constraints of the fishery were recognised and established from year one of the
business. Growth was restricted by the tidal environment but customer yield was kept high to maintain
validity of financial return. There was always the option of an offshore boat to realise the potential of
neap tides but this venture has not been pursued as yet. This would effectively increase the business by
50 %.
It is important to know at this stage the weekly guiding service only ran on optimum tidal times
(alternate weeks) approximately 70 days. This was extended at times to over 100 days when
conditions were better earlier and later or combined with workshops. This is probably the fullest valid
guiding window of opportunity for the south east.
One week June
Two weeks July
Two weeks August
Three weeks September
Two weeks October
On average a visiting group consisted of two people and the majority, 95%, up to this time (2007) were
very experienced lure fishermen.
Fishing six days a week for two people at a base of 1.4 fish per hour averaged a seasonal return for 1200
fish. (+/- 200). Many of these fish occupied a similar size bracket. Taking into account the many variables
some weeks consisted of only one angler some weeks consisted of three anglers and some weeks were
more difficult than others from a perspective of weather, this high return rate NEVER deteriorated
below a valid key catch base of average 1.0 per hour for nearly five years.
During 2007 the return rate for the second half of the season deteriorated suddenly by 50% and more
(this was under normal expected angling conditions and customer profile) It was also the first of a
sequence of very wet summers.
Based on catch returns during the years from 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 and including 2014 to
date the catch rate has declined and has continued to decline on a yearly basis to the extent that the
recreational bass fishery along much of the south eastern coastline has in my own experience suffered a
complete collapse.
*During 2011 there was an indication of some improvement, however 2012 proved worse than 2010.
For a typical example of this, as it has continued from as early as last week, - Two UK anglers from
Wiltshire lure fishing for six days guided by myself under the best times locations and conditions in
Wexford, Waterford, and Cork investing a combined 120 hours of fishing effort for one fish caught
TOTAL. This is now not unusual.
Prior to and including 2007 for the same investment of 120 hours somewhere in the region of 120 fish
could easily be expected as a return.
The above scenario is repeated time and time again and the expected return rate has gone from
1.3 fish for one hour investment
TO
1.0 fish for thirty hours of investment this varies but never significantly increases and hasnt done so
for more than seven years. The fishery has continued to decline very quickly.
Notes - Anglers
Fish can be caught at times in much localised areas (for instance Splaugh rock) reefs, current and
structure at very specific times. This is not testament to the fishery as a whole. In other words vast
areas of coastline hold no fish where previously there was a healthy population
Local expert anglers can have access to these fish but this should not be confused with the
general bass angler who should at least be enjoying a modicum of success
Similarly boat angling over offshore reefs or at the mouth of estuaries with soft plastic techniques is
not representative of the fishery as a whole

Depending on the year of beginning to bass fish (the new generation of anglers) the entry was made
on a sliding scale if made post 2007. In other words I encountered very few if any bass anglers on
the Wexford coast prior to 2007 whilst post 2007 this number increased locally year on year valid
comparisons regarding the fshery need to be made over valid time frames.
Its possible for an angler to express good bass angling experiences say in 2012 if he started in 2010
this is not a valid comparison

Notes Locations / habitat

There are two extremely special locations on the Wexford cost that still have a population/ number
of very big fish these are very small and difficult to determine locations which may in time help
preserve them from rampant local recreational pressure.
I have guided on these locations once a month for two hours on previous years but will no longer
continue to do so
Modern lure fishing techniques create easy access to larger mature breeding fish of which there is a
high angling impact
All possible high yield locations on the south eastern coasts are now common place knowledge
Social media quickly highlights any availability of fish on any location

Notes- Illegal fishing and retention
Whilst there is a lot of catch retention I do not believe it is responsible for the decrease in numbers
(there is a high recreational impact however both from poor C+R and retained fish)
Whilst there is a lot of continued localised illegal netting this has been in existence for many many
years, it does have an impact but I dont believe this has increased by any significant level to cause
such a decline in the Wexford region.
There is evidence of increased and continued illegal netting on the East Cork coast
Spearfishing is also increasing in popularity
There remains the extended periods of bad summers 2007 2008 2009 and 2010 combined with two
significantly extreme winters which amounted to an extended period of five years poor conditions.
Whilst I have no scientific evidence of the possible impact on the dynamics of the fish my instinct is
that the SE bass population may have moved as a result and to where it was subsequently impacted
upon commercially.
Certain sections of the angling media will portray the quality of the bass fishing as being extremely
good whilst neglecting the valid unit of effort (often extraordinary)required to produce any fish.
There is often no management in respect of these special locations where large fish reside and a
tendency to forget the lack of fish on the wider coast.
Genuine anglers on the ground with good and valid experiences are recognising similar instances.

Conclusions
Since 2003 over three hundred tourist anglers from Europe and the US have used the services of SEAi for
guided bass fishing in Wexford. Easily twenty different publications have published positive editorial of
their experiences distributed throughout many countries. Video footage has been made and distributed.
Many Irish and UK people have attended intro Bass fishing workshops and perhaps as many as half again
have partaken in bass fly fishing workshops. Numbers of guided Irish and UK customers remain small
with less than ten active people.
Recent 3- day workshops include partnering with Irish fly casting and fly tying experts providing a total
saltwater fly fishing solution.
The current situation is certainly a very difficult challenge for me and my business due to the decreasing
numbers of fish. And to be honest here theres no avoiding it, bass are largely absent from our coasts at
this time. Talking about it openly has its risks and of course its own complications regarding the possible
reasons any or all of which could be a cause for their absence.
Whether it be a natural phenomenon, a change in behaviour or something more serious its largely
extant around the normal prolific bass coasts at this time. For me I need to strike the balance between
fairness and expectation with customers currently arriving at my door.
Again yes there are fish to be caught but the unit of effort is enormous, has been for weeks and weeks,
in fact years, seasons. I have been personally motivated over the last twenty day run by the positive
attitude of my customers, their eagerness to learn new techniques, presentations, casting, and even
new locations. As a bass fishing guide I have had to push all my timings, options, variations in equipment
and solutions, techniques and experience to be at its very best.
But two anglers for 120 hours of effort for one fish doesnt make any sense from an angling business
perspective. And this is not a singular story but commonplace at this stage.
As a person who largely makes his living from Guided Bass Angling well I guess its a very different and
worrying perspective than that of a recreational angler. In an unregulated environment mercenary
guides from both Ireland and the UK appear and disappear often offering various business models
founded on reduced rates or a no catch no fee basis this does nothing for the guiding occupation as a
whole and in fact has a further negative impact on the environment and the fishing.
Having invested heavily in personal development and in the business (just completed a four year BSc
degree Tourism enterprise management at WIT) As a way of trying to manage the decline I have
reduced guiding days over the past few years, but now I am faced with little or no option at this time
but to consider closing the business permanently at the end of this season.
Jim Hendrick