| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Treacodactyl |
What can I gather now?Hopefully, I'll be off to the beach this weekend. I've found some decent ones and checked the tide times so what's in season and worth gathering, I'll try anything once.
It'll be on the Kent/Sussex coast so would it be worth trying to fish for something this time of year or shall I just aim to gather some winkles, limpets or seaweed? If the beach is a Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) does anyone know if this this limits what can be gathered? |
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| sean |
If it's a tripleS I then I think you shouldn't take anything. Otherwise mussels are a good thing. | ||
| cab |
SSSI sites do not extend past the mean low water level; so if you want to forage there with confidence, go when theres a very low tide.
More generally, SSSIs all have their own rules for what you can't do, and they apply to the landowners and visitors. Every one. Although nearly every one has a similar set of rules, mostly picked out from one generic list. You can find examples online... (goes off and googles 'operations likely to damage sssi') e.g. http://gateway.snh.gov.uk/pls/portal/Sitelink.Show_Site_Document?p_pa_code=3&p_Doc_Type_ID=28 Note there points 10 and 11, which effectively preclude foraging. Not all SSIs have this particular clause, but unless you know then the general rule is don't. In fact when you get hold of the specific rules then you often find that the aforementioned clauses 10 and 11 do not apply. But till you do find out then you're stumped. Which SSSI are you going to? |
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| ziggy searchfield |
february is possibly the worst month for sea fishing, saying that, i did hear tales of a decent bass being caught at bournemouth last weekend so might be worth a spin.
otherwise, mussells & seaweed |
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| Treacodactyl |
I thought that might be the case although we are now in March.  
The problem with SSSI beaches is that any beach with decent quality water round here seems to be an SSSI.  There's nothing specific on the various government sites other than implying nothing can be picked or collected. However, some sites also say that fishing and shellfish collection does occur. I'll just have to see if there's any info at the beach.
Now is March too early to go for a paddle?
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| alison |
I did today, by mistake.
I went with the year 5/6 running club, on the beach, and one boy left his water bottle, as I did, on Mill rock, and the tide came in faster than we though, when we were doing the dune run. I had to paddle to get them both! |
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| Treacodactyl |
Was it warm and are you going back for a swim?
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| alison |
No and definately not. A man drowned on the beach last week, as it was so rough, so I think I will just admire the sea from the sand.
The waves are huge at the moment, and the foam it is producing is blowing everywhere. |
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| doctoral |
... how about seaweed? I don't think any of the varieties around our coast are poisonous and many are delicious - try drying some kelp, cutting it into 1 inch pieces (oops, sorry 2.54 cm) and deep frying it 
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| doctoral |
Any size of crab can be used for soup or flavouring for another fishy dish ...
... have I set something up wrong on this PC, or is it the site doing the spell checking - everything has gone American ... the word flavouring appears to be spelled "flavoring" 
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| sean |
Have you got the US dictionary on your version of Firefox? | ||
| Treacodactyl |
I did gather some sea lettuce, I could do with a decent seaweed guide as I tend to buy several types for cooking and it would be great to collect my own. |
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| doctoral |
probably, but it is coming off if I have - even the name "sean" has been underlined in red - sorry, but you don't really exist 
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| doctoral |
... try this one ... http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/reviews/showproduct.php/product/251/cat/19 |
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| cab |
I don't know of any specific seaweed guide. But for cooking, go by the texture and feel; if it looks a bit like laver, it'll behave a bit like laver, etc. | ||
| doctoral |
happy to post that my PC was set up with an English spell-checker that didn't know the language, so I turned it off
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| bodger |
I'm catching bass spinning off the rocks upto 2lb.
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| Treacodactyl |
An update for this thread. Now we're into September is it too early to collect filter feeding shellfish like mussels? What about browsers such as limpets? I'm also keen to collect some more seaweed so is it a reasonable time of year for it? | ||
| Jonnyboy |
'R' in the month is the indicator? a bit like rabbits. | ||
| Treacodactyl |
I know that's the saying but how correct it is is another question, especially with the change of seasons. I gather algal blooms can make shellfish toxic and as these occur in warmer weather they might still be a problem in September. On the other had it hasn't been that hot here but I don't know about the sea. | ||
| Darma1 |
Why would a "R" in the month make any difference with shellfish or rabbits?
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| bodger |
In the years before climate change cocked everything up, the old sayings contained good advice.
I always adhered to only collecting winkles in the winter months but the driving force behind for me was the fact that the prices went up as the temp went down and the pickers fingers got colder. Only rabbiting in months with an R in was inorder to protect pregnant does and to avoid killing babys but rabbits are at 'it' through out the year now as our winters get milder. Ferreting is much trickier now that we don't get the same vegetation die back that the harsh winters brought. |
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| Darma1 |
That's what I was thinking. I imagined the "R" in the month, relating to shellfish went back to the days before refrigeration and related to buying shellfish rather than collecting them.
Rabbits on the other hand have had a year round breeding cycle as long as I can remember. |
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| Treacodactyl |
As mentioned I thought shellfish can feed on more dodgy things during the warmer months, algal blooms for example, hence the collecting in the cooler months. It might also be something to do with avoiding them when they are breeding but I'm not sure.
Anyway, I collected some winkles and limpets yesterday along with some sea lettuce and possibly some laver seaweed. They all look fine and I'll try a few tonight so fingers crossed! |