Fishing boats near Gunfleet Sand

[penfold]

Perhaps tried calling them on VHF 16 afterwards - if no name calling “fishing vessel in position x proceeding without lights and no lookout”. Won’t get a reply but warns others in the area - and will be noted by the Coastguard, and if happens regularly they might take an interest.
I have called by name a fishing boat that we had to take major diversion for as it passed at 10 knots heading straight for harbour, irrespective of all around (and of course fishing day signals welded on permanently).

Possibly a waste of time and definitely a distraction; if they are not maintaining a legal watch visually they may not be doing so on VHF either. Other than evasive manoeuvres, the remaining option is using your fog horn to produce 5 short blasts, repeating as necessary. Watchkeepers perhaps having their eyes in the wheelhouse fixed on a phone or shut and dreaming of the pub even that may not make any difference.

"They" are earning a living and not out there by choice at some ungodly hour.
On the other hand "we" are voluntarily engaged in a pleasant pastime , its a hobby and a night passage is a personal choice.

They are subject to COLREGs just as we are. If they can't do that legally they should stay at home.

 

[Juan Twothree]

This is a VERY pedantic point, but technically OS references are undefined offshore. The original OS grid was defined in terms of a survey network, and so it was only defined with respect to survey points, and it's a bit tricky erecting a survey monument at sea . It's a quibble - the maths of the map projection works fine offshore, so you can give an OS reference - but it's actually a misuse of the OS grid.

Nothing wrong with a bit of pedantry. Plus that's very interesting (to me anyway).

 

[shanemax]

We don't mind either format - either a lat and long or a bearing/distance.

The only thing we can't deal with easily is OS grid numbers, or What Three Words. That involves getting our phones out (not easy on an ILB), or the CG ops room converting them for us.

I presume you are an RNLI crew member.
How wonderful to hear it from a trained expert and the horses mouth.
The only time I look at lat/long is when I anchor and strangly enough I only look at the last two numbers, that tells me if my anchor is holding.

 

[Juan Twothree]

I presume you are an RNLI crew member.
How wonderful to hear it from a trained expert and the horses mouth.

I am indeed a crew member/helm.
I would never claim to be an expert, but I've been lifeboating long enough that I've probably got an anecdote for most situations.

 

[Gsailor]

I find it quite dreadful that professional mariners run ‘dark’, which from what I have read is what they are doing.

There is no local war and no reasonable reason for doing it.

It is against the law surely?

It may not be policed for whatever reasons, but if it is wrong then it is wrong ... and dangerous.

I always feel our fisherman have had it hard, but that does not make running dark right (imho).

 

[shanemax]

I am indeed a crew member/helm.
I would never claim to be an expert, but I've been lifeboating long enough that I've probably got an anecdote for most situations.

A very Modest experienced life boat chappy (or if any females are reading this) a lifeboat person. Well done person.

 

[shanemax]

I find it quite dreadful that professional mariners run ‘dark’, which from what I have read is what they are doing.

There is no local war and no reasonable reason for doing it.

It is against the law surely?

It may not be policed for whatever reasons, but if it is wrong then it is wrong ... and dangerous.

I always feel our fisherman have had it hard, but that does not make running dark right (imho).

Correct me if I am wrong but a boat under 7meters only needs to show an all round white light. Is that right.

 

[dolabriform]

Correct me if I am wrong but a boat under 7meters only needs to show an all round white light. Is that right.

That's correct, however this was definitely not under 7m

 

[Juan Twothree]

That's correct, however this was definitely not under 7m

Also, if he's towing fishing gear, he has to show all round green over white. If he's doing any other type of fishing but not towing gear, it's all round red over white.

 

[dolabriform]

Also, if he's towing fishing gear, he has to show all round green over white. If he's doing any other type of fishing but not towing gear, it's all round red over white.

When he switched all his lights on, we could make out the green over white amongst all the deck lights, hence how we knew he was trawling. At no point could we see port and starboard lights.

 

[oldgit]

Possibly a waste of time and definitely a distraction; if they are not maintaining a legal watch visually they may not be doing so on VHF either. Other than evasive manoeuvres, the remaining option is using your fog horn to produce 5 short blasts, repeating as necessary. Watchkeepers perhaps having their eyes in the wheelhouse fixed on a phone or shut and dreaming of the pub even that may not make any difference.

They are subject to COLREGs just as we are. If they can't do that legally they should stay at home.

Please do explain when you have your trawl out and keeping a close eye on the cod end bouy some 25m behind you, suggestions as to what COL REGS the fishing boat will be able to undertake while attached to the net .
For those interested, the bouy, not only marks where the trawl actually is but will give good indication of what the trawl is doing.
Its sudden lack of progress might suggest the net has fouled and the skipper might want to stop in hurry to prevent damage to the trawl or even worse things.

 

[dolabriform]

Please do explain when you have your trawl out and keeping a close eye on the cod end bouy some 25m behind you, suggestions as to what COL REGS the fishing boat will be able to undertake while attached to the net .
For those interested, the bouy, not only marks where the trawl actually is but will give good indication of what the trawl is doing.
Its sudden lack of progress might suggest the net has fouled and the skipper might want to stop in hurry to prevent damage to the trawl or even worse things.

Colregs such as maintaining a good lookout by all means, displaying the correct lights, transmitting AIS, not suddenly going from ''dark' to all lights blazing, and from stationary to being on a collision course with another vessel?

 

[Pye_End]

Please do explain when you have your trawl out and keeping a close eye on the cod end bouy some 25m behind you, suggestions as to what COL REGS the fishing boat will be able to undertake while attached to the net .
For those interested, the bouy, not only marks where the trawl actually is but will give good indication of what the trawl is doing.
Its sudden lack of progress might suggest the net has fouled and the skipper might want to stop in hurry to prevent damage to the trawl or even worse things.

If a trawler noticed a tanker bearing down on him rather than a yacht I bet they would find the means to do something to avoid a collision, but the opportunity is only there if you notice them. Just because you are not the stand on vessel does not absolve you of all rights and responsibilities.

 

[Juan Twothree]

A trawler skipper of my acquaintance was prosecuted a few years ago, for impeding the passage of an inbound ship contrary to the Port Authority bylaws.

I can't remember the exact fine, plus costs, but it was quite a tidy sum.

He hasn't done it since.

 

[penfold]

Please do explain when you have your trawl out and keeping a close eye on the cod end bouy some 25m behind you, suggestions as to what COL REGS the fishing boat will be able to undertake while attached to the net .
For those interested, the bouy, not only marks where the trawl actually is but will give good indication of what the trawl is doing.
Its sudden lack of progress might suggest the net has fouled and the skipper might want to stop in hurry to prevent damage to the trawl or even worse things.

Modify their craft or gear so they can do those things while keeping a legal watch, employ a watchkeeper, or they should give up their dangerous and illegal activity and find something to do that's safe and legal.

 

[shanemax]

Penfold has now gone too far.
Imagine no rock eel and chips
No cod and chips.
No plaice and chips
No haddock and chips
Life would have little meaning.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Penfold has now gone too far.
Imagine no rock eel and chips
No cod and chips.
No plaice and chips
No haddock and chips
Life would have little meaning.

But walking past a fishmonger makes me gag. I thought it was just the smell of fish until someone told me that it was fish rotting.
I think proper commercial fisherman are as critical as we are about the pracrices mentioned by the OP.

 

[johnalison]

But walking past a fishmonger makes me gag. I thought it was just the smell of fish until someone told me that it was fish rotting.
I think proper commercial fisherman are as critical as we are about the pracrices mentioned by the OP.

I am not offended by the sight or smell of a fishmonger, but I don’t find them particularly inviting either. On the other hand, we loved buying fish in the Baltic, especially Sweden and Denmark, where the goods are beautifully laid out, with a mixture of wet fish and made-up dishes, with the multitude of herring specialities being a particular favourite of ours. There are some honourable exceptions in Britain, but mostly it’s just an array of dead fish and take-it-or-leave-it.

 

[dolabriform]

I am not offended by the sight or smell of a fishmonger, but I don’t find them particularly inviting either. On the other hand, we loved buying fish in the Baltic, especially Sweden and Denmark, where the goods are beautifully laid out, with a mixture of wet fish and made-up dishes, with the multitude of herring specialities being a particular favourite of ours. There are some honourable exceptions in Britain, but mostly it’s just an array of dead fish and take-it-or-leave-it.

Don't talk to me about Scandinavian Pickled Herrings. After being subjected to every version at almost every meal for a week, I *never* want to see them again.

 

[johnalison]

Don't talk to me about Scandinavian Pickled Herrings. After being subjected to every version at almost every meal for a week, I *never* want to see them again.

That is a bit unkind to them! In fact there are so many varieties that you could have a different one every day for a couple of weeks. The Swedish ones tend to be sweeter, with such sauces as dill, mustard, curry, tomato and others I have forgotten. For real pickled herrings the only place to go is Christiansø, where they do delicious but pungent ones as taught to them by the Scots. Hot-smoked fish is also ubiquitous and they will smoke almost anything, especially popular in Germany and Poland. Just don't try the flounder.