Fishing in Guernsey

Summary

Fishing within the Bailiwick of Guernsey is common place. The bailiwick is made up of several islands in the Channel Islands, namely (Herm, Sark, Alderney and Guernsey).

Map of the Bailiwick of Guernsey

Guernsey's territorial waters limit is 3 miles. For commercial fishing the bailiwick has a Fisheries Management Agreement enabling the licence and management of commercial fishing up to 12 nautical miles.[1]

Fishing in Guernsey offers a large range of species available to catch which will involve many different styles of fishing to adopt and learn to become successful.

Most common fish caught off the bailiwick shores are:

Many more fish are in abundance around the shores.

Guernsey records edit

  • Fishing Guernsey-records
Fish Guernsey record (lb-oz-dr) Year Location British record (lb-oz-dr)
Anglerfish 38-0-0 05-Jul-1974 The sea 1967 - 68-2-0
Bass 18-6-5 23-Oct-1999 The sea 2012 - 19-12-0 [2]
Boops boops 1-15-4 1978 The sea Same as Guernsey record [3]
Bream, black 6-8-6 31-Oct-2001 Creux Harbour, Sark Same as Guernsey record [2][3]
Bream, Couchs sea 3-4-7 2008 The sea Same as Guernsey record [3]
Bream, gilthead 8-2-2 04-Sep-1983 The sea 1995 - 10-5-8
Bream, red 4-7-0 19-Sep-1979 Alderney Lighthouse Same as Guernsey record [3]
Brill 7-7-8 07-Nov-1980 The sea 2018 - 8-3-0 [2]
Cod 29-0-0 28-Dec-1981 Lancresse Bay 1966 - 44-8-0
Conger 108-0-0 19-Aug-1991 West of Guernsey 1995 - 133-0-0
Dab 1-9-1 09-Aug-1981 Fort Doyle 1936 - 2-9-8 [2]
Dogfish, lesser spotted 2-13-11 01-Oct-2004 St Peter Port Breakwater 1988 - 4-15-3
Eel, common 3-15-4 11-Sep-1987 Albert Pier 1978 - 11-2-0
Flounder 5-6-13 23-Dec-1998 St Peter Port Breakwater 1994 - 5-7-0 [2]
Garfish 2-11-11 01-Dec-2002 Crown Pier 2017 - 3-9-8 [2]
Gurnard, red 2-4-6 06-Aug-2000 L'Ancresse 1976 - 2-10-11 [2]
Gurnard, tub 5-9-1 26-Jun-2005 Chouet 1976 - 12-3-0 [2]
John Dory 3-3-4 18-Aug-1967 St Peter Port vacant[4]
Mackerel 2-13-0 03-Aug-1977 White Rock 1982 - 5-11-14 [2]
Mullet, golden grey 3-0-4 11-Oct-1991 Cats Bay, Alderney 2005 - 3-8-8 [2]
Mullet, red 3-15-0 01-Oct-1996 Longy, Alderney Same as Guernsey record [2] [3]
Mullet, thick lipped 11-14-6 24-Mar-1985 Longy, Alderney 1979 - 14-2-12
Mullet, thin lipped 2-3-3 13-Oct-2002 QEII Marina 1991 - 7-0-0
Plaice 8-3-4 08-Dec-1985 Bordeaux 1989 - 8-6-14 [2]
Pollack 16-1-6 21-Dec-1998 Alderney Lighthouse 1986 - 18-4-0 [2]
Pouting 4-9-0 07-Jul-1991 Pembroke Same as Guernsey record [2] [3]
Ray, blonde 32-8-0 07-Dec-1986 Mannez, Alderney Same as Guernsey record [2] [3]
Ray, marbled electric 12-5-14 27-Oct-1995 Alderney Breakwater 1990 - 13-15-11
Ray, small eyed 14-7-10 04-Dec-1993 Corblets, Alderney 1991 - 15-0-8
Ray, spotted 4-11-8 04-Jul-1982 Herm Island 1980 - 8-5-0
Ray, undulate 19-0-12 05-Dec-1996 Alderney, South Coast 1983 - 21-4-0
Rockling, shore 1-0-5[5] Jun-2013 1992 - 1-9-12
Rockling, three bearded 2-11-4 [5] 2014 2001 - 3-12-14 [2]
Salmon, coho 1-8-1 21-Jun-1977 Petit Port Same as Guernsey record [3]
Sea trout 4-11-2 17-Apr-1999 Salerie 1992 - 28-5-4
Shad, twaite 1-10-8 06-Dec-1994 Belgrave Bay 1978 - 2-12-0
Smooth hound 6-5-2 29-Jan-2005 St Peter Port Breakwater 2000 - 20-3-0
Smooth hound, starry 14-9-2 02-Feb-2006 Alderney Breakwater 1972 - 23-2-0
Sole, common 6-8-10 13-Sep-1991 Alderney South Coast Same as Guernsey record [3]
Tadpole fish 0-15-8 01-Jun-1995 St Peter Port Breakwater 1990 - 1-5-12
Triggerfish 3-10-12 22-Aug-2004 Hog's Back, Sark 1995 - 5-14-8
Turbot 22-3-0 25-Aug-1968 St Sampsons Breakwater 1973 - 28-8-0
Whiting 2-3-12 25-Jan-1992 St Peter Port Breakwater 1984 - 4-0-7
Wrasse, ballan 8-10-13 27-Mar-1993 St Peter Port Breakwater 1998 - 9-1-0
Wrasse, cuckoo 1-12-9 17-Oct-1999 Rosaire, Herm Same as Guernsey record [2] [3]
Mini species Guernsey record (lb-oz-dr) Year Location British record (lb-oz-dr)
Bream, axillary 0-8-5 1995 Guernsey wreck Same as Guernsey record[4]
Goby, giant 0-9-4 1994 Beaucette Marina, Vale Same as Guernsey record[4]
Smelt, sand 0-2-9 1975 New Jetty, St Peter Port Same as Guernsey record[4]
Topknot, common 0-13-8 1998 Grande Rocques Same as Guernsey record[4]

Locations edit

Caught record fish locations

Guernsey

 
St Peter Port Break Water

St Peter Port Breakwater - Location of eight bailiwick records (angler fish, Couch's sea bream, lesser spotted dogfish, flounder, smooth hound, tadpole fish, whiting and ballan wrasse). As the records show, the St Peter Port breakwater is good fishing for many species. Located just passed Castle Cornet in the town of St Peter Port. The breakwater is a light house on the end of a pier. It offers easy access and safe fishing although it can be very busy due its advantages.

Pembroke - L'Ancresse - Chouet All three locations are in very close proximity to each other and boast five bailiwick records (bass, cod, red gurnard, tub gurnard and pouting). Located on the north west coast of Guernsey, The Lancresse area offers sandy beaches with easy access for rock or beach fishing.

White Rock - QEII Marina - Albert Pier - Crown Pier - Salerie (The White Rock no longer exists due to land reclamation.) These sites held four records (eel common, sea trout, garfish, mackrel and thin lipped mullet). All four locations are situated in St Peter Port town. They are the piers and that separate the three marina's, Albert, Crown and QEII, all four of which are also car park areas.

 
QEII Marina (Guernsey) - Taken from the Salerie

Alderney Breakwater Location of three bailiwick records (starry smooth hound, three bearded rockling, marbled electric ray).

References edit

  1. ^ "Fisheries Management Agreement Reinstated". Island FM. 20 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "UK Shore Caught Record Fish". Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Sea Fish Records". 17 December 2014. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e "British Sea Fish Records". Anglers Mail. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Five record rod catches confirmed at AGM". Guernsey Press. 13 June 2007.

External links edit

  • Tackle Direct 2 U Archived 2011-01-29 at the Wayback Machine - Local Guernsey fishing tackle shop