Fishing on The Varne

[Dazzajohm]

Am I missing something?..

After enjoying fishing for mackerel off the boat more than anticipated last year I’ve been looking online at what else I can catch and local fishing spots etc.

Seems that a favourite is the Varne Bank, but it’s right in the middle of the SW Shipping lane, so my question is, considering the stringent rules regarding the TSS how are people allowed to fish in there?

Cheers

 

[Elemental]

Fishing is not prohibited in lanes so long as you keep out of the way

Rule 10 (i)
A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any vessel following a traffic lane.

 

[CLB]

If you are actually over the bank and inside the cardinals, you are, by definition, out of the way of traffic using the TSS. I guess you still are expected to head at the required heading and maybe a call to Dover CG to advise your intentions would be a good idea.

 

[Dazzajohm]

Ah yes makes sense and kind of along the lines of what I already had in my mind. Just needed someone more knowledgable to confirm.

Thanks very much.

 

[lpdsn]

Ah yes makes sense and kind of along the lines of what I already had in my mind. Just needed someone more knowledgable to confirm.

Thanks very much.

Fishing vessels definitely fish in the TSSes and separation zones. An angling boat isn't a fishing vessel under the ColRegs though - you need to be encumbered by your gear to get that status.

If you do do it, make sure you have decent nav lights - unlike the angling boat that was run down last year.

 

[prv]

The Varne is only three or four metres deep, so you're unlikely to be in the way of anything substantial even though you're technically in the lane.

Pete

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Fishing vessels definitely fish in the TSSes and separation zones. An angling boat isn't a fishing vessel under the ColRegs though - you need to be encumbered by your gear to get that status.

If you do do it, make sure you have decent nav lights - unlike the angling boat that was run down last year.

There is a distinction between "fishing " and "trawling" where a trawler would be encumbered by its gear. A vessel on which angling is being practiced could arguably be said to be fishing. To illustrate this I can report that I was followed into Malahide one night by a boat showing the lights prescribed to be shown by "a vessel fishing", which turned out not to be a "fishing boat", but an angling charter boat!

 

[prv]

A vessel on which angling is being practiced could arguably be said to be fishing.

In normal English, yes, but not for Colregs purposes:

The term “vessel engaged in fishing” means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict manoeuvrability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict manoeuvrability.

Pete

 

[lpdsn]

There is a distinction between "fishing " and "trawling" where a trawler would be encumbered by its gear. A vessel on which angling is being practiced could arguably be said to be fishing. To illustrate this I can report that I was followed into Malahide one night by a boat showing the lights prescribed to be shown by "a vessel fishing", which turned out not to be a "fishing boat", but an angling charter boat!

The fact that a boat in Malahide does it is hardly proof it's correct. Maybe even the opposite.

There is a distinction with the lights between trawling and fishing vessels using other types of gear. I doubt any argument to call an angling boat a fishing boat would be successful if it came to the crunch and certainly best not to try that on in an English Channel TSS where they're a bit fussier about the rules.

That said, if they cross like a MoBo and stay in shallow water over the Varne I'd expect them to be fine. There's only the odd ship every now and again hits the bank.