TWAPS

TWAPS Open Evening – A Presentation on Inside Fisheries and Fishery Manangement

Open Evening: Inside Fisheries and Fishery Management

Guest Speaker: Viv Shears of VS Fisheries (on the right in the accompanying picture)

Date: 27th April 2022

Venue: The Inn on the Lake Hotel

About Viv Shears and VS Fisheries

Approximately 30 people attended the presentation on Inside Fisheries and Fishery Management, given by the guest speaker Viv Shears, a Fish Farmer and Independent Fishery Consultant, and co-owener of VS Fisheries.

Previously Viv was the Fisheries Manager for CMEX and a lecturer on Fishery Managment and Sparsholt College.

VS Fisheries started in 2005 by Viv and Simon Scott, and is now the biggest producer of carp in the UK, specialising soley in carp, with fish ranging from 2 inches in length to over 30lb in weight. VS Fisheries has 80 acres of waters covering approximately 70 lakes up to 5 acres in size.

VS Fisheries is licenced with Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), is an executive agency of the United Kingdom government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Inside Fisheries

The first half of the presentation – Inside Fisheries – involved a slide show describing the process of how carp are produced and farmed on a large scale, from egg fertilisation through to delivery to angling clubs, commercial fisheries, etc. From the occasional single fish (eg. a specimen named after a recently deceased relative) to 1,000s to stock a lake.

Viv described every stage of the process and how the production of carp is carefully managed and monitored at every stage, including an investment of some Lidl mineral water bottles, at 6p each(!) supporting a £multi-million business operation.

Fishery Management

After a short break and a raffle, Viv continued with the second half of the presentation – Fishery Management.

Viv’s premise is that if the environment in which the fish live (the lake) is well managed, then the fish will be healthier and will grow quicker and anglers will be happier as they will (try to) catch bigger and better quality fish.

For angling clubs and commercial fisheries, stock is the most valuable asset, second to owning any land or lakes, and therefore the stock should be looked after. Why skimp to on keeping fish alive and healthy? Healthy fish are of more value.

Viv talked at length about the importance of water quality (oxygen levels, nitrates and nitrites, phosphates and water temperature) and feeding (particularly over the winter months) at the same time on the same spot at regular intervals.

Questions and Answers

After the presentations Viv invited questions from the audience.

The presentations were well received and very informative, and were greatly received by all.

After 3 hours 15 minutes the evening ended with a hearty round of applause.

< previous page
Gary Bushell (left) and Viv Shears
FEATURED IMAGE
Click to enlarge
Submit an article

Members of

ANGLING TRUST ~ FISH LEGAL ~ KFCA

TWAPS ~ Kent Fishing Club

The Thameside Works Angling Preservation Society (TWAPS) is a fishing club situated in North West Kent. We manage several fishing lakes and a stretch of river in Kent on behalf of our members. The Society has both day ticket and members’ only waters.

Copyright © 2020 TWAPS

Website Design: On The Web Now!

Find us in BizzyKent

TWAPS Updates

Our popup announcer contains updates and important information about society matters. Click the bell icon regularly to check for new updates.

Inn on the Lake session limit and Temporary Membership

To all Members.

The maximum stay at the Inn on the Lake fishery will be 72 hours and when Members finish their session they will not be permitted to fish there again until at least another 24 hours has passed.

Also, Temporary Memberships are no longer available for this fishery until further notice.

Thank you for your understanding.

Gary Bushell, Head Bailiff.

Polite Reminder – Alcohol is banned on ALL TWAPS fisheries

To all Members.

This is a prolite notice to remind all TWAPS Members that alcohol in any form and any other illegal substances are banned on ALL TWAPS waters.

Please refer to the TWAPS Rules and Bye-laws – Rule 9.

Thank you for your understanding.

Kind regards

Gary Bushell, Head Bailiff

Cobham Car Park Closed

To all Members.

The car park at Cobham will be closed on Saturday 7th May, due to a work party but the fishery will remain open to all members.

Members will be able to park outside the gate on the grass. This will only be for Saturday.

The car park will be open as normal from Saturday afternoon.

Thanks

Gary Bushell, Head Bailiff

  • See more...

Open Evening at the Inn on the Lake Hotel – Inside Fisheries and Fishery Management

Here is a short article about the Open Evening held on 27th April 2022 at the Inn on the Lake.

Cobham Fishery

Members!

With immediate effect a combination padlock has now been implemented at Cobham on the main car park gate.

The combination number is on your membership card.

When entering or leaving the fishery can you please ensure the gate is closed properly and locked using the padlock. Remember to scramble the numbers.

Many thanks.

Gary Bushell
Head Bailiff

Fishing Equipment Theft

One of our TWAPS Members has had some fishing equipment stolen recently.

Can you all please keep an eye out for anybody selling fishing equipment. The stolen items included a rod bag containing 4 Matrix rods and reels and a new Matrix MTX margin pole along with 6 top kits and a Aquos landing net handle.

The items were stolen from our Member’s car overnight during Saturday 16th April 2022.

Please use the Contact Form if you have any information.

Thank you.

  • See more...

Blue Lake Update

Fishing will stop at Blue Lake on Thursday 31st March 2022 at midnight.

All TWAPS Members will no longer be allowed to fish the Blue Lake until the lake is handed back to us by the owners.

Some works have already started, and site security will be stepped up by Balfour Beatty as of 1st April 2022.

Members will be informed of developments and progress throughout the works.

The lake will still be bailiffed while the lake is shut.

The Committee will still be involved with developers throughout the works.

If you require any information about the Blue Lake, please enquire through the Contact Form.

Inn On The Lake Further Update

To all Members

Inn on the Lake.

Apart from small maintenance jobs, work parties at the Inn on the Lake fishery have now stopped till late autumn. Snags have been removed from middle lake, and the silver birch has been removed today from the Main Lake.

A big thank you to the work party team, for the great work and effort they put in.

Work parties will now be at Cobham, throughout the summer and autumn working on top pond, and main work on bottom pond, to rebuild all new swims and get lake ready for restocking.

Cobham Lakes will remain open at all times, but we may need to close a swim as needed for health and safety reasons.

Thank you for you patience, and understanding.

Regards,
Gary Bushell,
Head Bailiff.

27th March 2022

Tethered Fish

Two dead tethered fish were found in the the Middle Lake at the Inn on the Lake.
Please use baiting poles very carefully and don’t put bait in to snags.

  • See more...
TWAPS Fishing Club Logo