As anglers we have a responsibility to protect the stocks of fish we pursue and ensure their survival for the next generation. This involves simply following good practice when fishing. Small changes today can have a big impact in the long run.
Keeping a good reputation for shore anglers on the island is down to the behaviour and actions of individuals. Following a simple code of conduct keeps the reputation as good as it should be and ensures a warm welcome when visiting the island.

Getting to your mark

• Drive carefully - Getting to many of these marks involves driving on single track roads which can be busy in the summer months. Drive with consideration for the locals who may drive more confidently on these routes and use passing places wherever possible.
• Parking - For a lot of locations parking can be tight so use initiative and avoid blocking the roads. Some marks involve parking in front of peoples houses, if this is the case ask politely first if it is in fact OK to park here.
• Crossing land - The majority of locations listed here involve crossing open countryside or fields, keep to well trodden paths wherever possible and leave all gates as you find them.
• Dogs - If taking dogs with you be mindful of livestock that may be in the fields. Always keep dogs on lead and for some marks such as Neist Point avoid taking dogs at all.
• Litter - Please take rubbish home with you. If you can carry it in then you can carry it out. By working together we can help keep these coasts as pristine as they should be.

Fishing Gear

• Hooks - Use bronzed hooks wherever possible. These degrade faster in saltwater than other plated types meaning hooks that are left in fish have a greater chance of being dislodged safely. Crush the barbs or file them off for bigger hooks, doing this makes unhooking far easier and also reduces stress on the fish. Some may argue you will lose fish by doing this but I honestly haven't seen any difference in catches. Avoid using pennel rigs where possible. The extra hook simply gets in the way and causes more damage than good.
  
• Disgorgers / Forceps - Invest in a set of these. Simple to use and makes unhooking fish far easier and quicker. Go for a long handled pair if available.
• Net - A long handled sea landing net will make your life easier as well as the fishes. Try and go for a knotless mesh if possible as this is less abrasive to the fishes scales.
• Traces - Keep snoods short. Long flowing snoods make bite detection harder to recognise and increase the chances of deep hooking a fish.

Landing your catch

• Handling - Wherever possible use a wet towel or wet hands to handle your fish. This prevents damage to their skin and reduces the chance of infection upon return.
• Tope and Spurdog - When handling be careful, both for your safety and theirs. Tope have razor sharp teeth that can cut fingers to the bone, Spurdog have pointed sharp spurs on their dorsal fins. The use of gloves when handling is highly recommended. For both these species be advised that they have no ribcage and the water pressure keeps all the vital organs in place. Dragging a fish backwards or holding it by the tail will damage internal organs. To remove the fish from the water hold the dorsal fin and tail and lift the fish horizontally, alternatively a pectoral fin may be used, however, where possible, the abdomen should be supported to the highest degree possible. When you cannot reach the fish, a large landing net should be used, taking care to lower the fish gently. A wet cloth or towel soaked in sea water should be placed over the head ensuring the eyes are fully covered; this usually pacifies the fish and makes the removal of the hook with a disgorger or long nosed pliers an easier and safer procedure. Avoid gripping fish tightly from behind the head as the fingers and thumb can crush the gill structures. A gentle grip behind the gill area will do the trick. 
• Returning your catch - When returning your fish get as close to the water as is safe and preferably place the fish in directly. If possible hold the fish in place with the head facing the current until it swims away under its own power.
• Keeping your catch - In most cases getting a photo of your trophy will suffice but for some edible species it is good to bring your catch home. In this case you should follow the current EU size limits to make sure the fish you catch has reached sexual maturity and has had a chance to breed.  The guidelines are present here but use common sense as well. The fish stocks are not infinite so please only take what you know you will definitely eat. Please note Tope and Spurdog are both critically endangered species and as such are catch and release only. Keeping either of these fish is illegal and punishable by law.

Mackerel

Easily everyone's favourite fish. These beautiful silvery wanderers return to our coasts in huge numbers every summer and leave every autumn. In recent years their population has dropped significantly due to increased commercial pressure. As such anglers should follow good practice when catching these fish.

• Only take what you need. There is nothing worse than seeing bags of mackerel going to waste.
• When feathering for mackerel you can easily decimate a shoal in the course of an hour. This is not sport it is simply harvesting. 
• If you want the most fun out of these powerful fish go for a light trout spinning rod and 20g spinner. Suddenly a 1lb mackerel feels like a 5lb Pollock and gives a fantastic fight. Some locations lend themselves to sea fly fishing where mackerel fishing actually becomes a challenge, having a light fly rod bent double fighting mackerel is a great way to spend an afternoon.
• Mackerel make one of the best fish baits you can use. When feathering for bait only take what you will use in a session. Don't be wasteful when baiting up, utilise the head and tail as well as backbone instead of just fillets. In my experience most fish aren't fussy and will happily munch whatever part of the mackerel you drop in front of them. Re use baits wherever possible, on umpteen occasions I have had multiple fish from the same bait providing it isn't too badly damaged.

More information

If you are interested in finding out more about the conservation of fish and the work being done to monitor stocks have a look at these sites. They have a wealth of information on sustainable fishing and ethical angling methods.