minnow trap

[georann]

Does that apply to kids with dip nets Or catch and release?

Nets and rods come under your rod license but trapping and electric fishing equipment come under special licenses. The license is to use the equipment so i assume even to release requires the license. If you have a trap in the water and the water balif finds it without an environment agency license tag on it, he/she will remove it and it is possible that if they track you they can fine you. I know that for crayfish traps youre not allowed to put anything back that you catch including fish as that again requires a special license and theyre trying to cut down on crayfish anyway. The sad thing is if you catch a whole trap of native crayfish and one signal then you have to kill them all as reintroducing even just the native ones could spread the disease killing native crayfish as they have been in contact with a signal. The only time youre allowed to put back things caught in a trap, without a license, is if you catch only native crayfish, in which case you must report it to the environment agency as youre probably fishing in an arc site.

 

[Bushwhacker]

You won't get a licence to trap on any river that contains natives so you wouldn't need to worry about catching them in with some signals.

 

[asemery]

In Pennsylvania the sort of minnow trap I make is legal. I use plastic jars for the traps that will be used. The glass jar is for display during my net making demonstrations. Tony

 

[georann]

You won't get a licence to trap on any river that contains natives so you wouldn't need to worry about catching them in with some signals.

Yes you wouldnt get a license at a known site but if its an undiscovered arc site then you might have a license and find all natives. Plus you do occasionally catch one or two natives with a load of signals but thats just normal and then you have to kill them all anyway- still, they taste good

 

[Silverhill]

I've broached this subject with an EA bailiff before whilst using minnows as spinning deadbait.

As far as the EA are concerned, minnows are not a species at risk, nor are they a species which are managed or monitored for fishery purposes. If they do not constitute part of managed stocks of fish, then the EA cannot issue a license for you to trap them. However, if you trap them, you will enter into the 'grey area' whereby you are trapping fish without a license (even though minnows are not regarded as part of the fish stocks). Also, the average minnow trap does not constitute a net, a line or electro-fishing apparatus, thereby falling into another of the EA's grey areas. The bailiff conceded that if you were caught using one, there's very little the EA could do, even if it wanted to as the costs of prosecution would outweigh the benefits to the environment.

It's never stopped me from using one, and until I'm told otherwise, I will continue to use one.

 

[georann]

I've broached this subject with an EA bailiff before whilst using minnows as spinning deadbait.

As far as the EA are concerned, minnows are not a species at risk, nor are they a species which are managed or monitored for fishery purposes. If they do not constitute part of managed stocks of fish, then the EA cannot issue a license for you to trap them. However, if you trap them, you will enter into the 'grey area' whereby you are trapping fish without a license (even though minnows are not regarded as part of the fish stocks). Also, the average minnow trap does not constitute a net, a line or electro-fishing apparatus, thereby falling into another of the EA's grey areas. The bailiff conceded that if you were caught using one, there's very little the EA could do, even if it wanted to as the costs of prosecution would outweigh the benefits to the environment.

It's never stopped me from using one, and until I'm told otherwise, I will continue to use one.

I think common sense is the name of the game here. If you have a small trap that you put out to collect minnows and take away with you, you should be ok. If you start leaving it over night and don't check it the EA are gona be less tolerable of you using traps (classed as an "other fishing impliment") without a license.

 

[Silverhill]

I forgot to add that it's a big no-no to move fish from one water to another. That will get you in deep water if caught (pardon the pun!).

 

[georann]

Yea I'll second that. You also can't reintroduce something from a trap even in the same water!

I forgot to add that it's a big no-no to move fish from one water to another. That will get you in deep water if caught (pardon the pun!).