DaveBM Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 Mods: Apologies for frivolous post, delete as required I’m going under this Thursday for shoulder surgery, and I set myself the task of catching anything worth taking home for the table with my new harbour flicking combo before that, as fishing won’t be possible for most of the summer. The rig has been 100% “successful” so far - no sessions without something landed - but all undersized flatties and tailor. To my way of thinking, that’s promising but unsuccessful. I know I’m mostly arguing with myself, but I argue that this arvo’s catch, sandwiched between two more undersized flatties, gets me home on a technicality. I will prepare and eat this clam that came up attached to seaweed I snagged with my Zman shad in “Opening Night” colours. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 Great report. Hope the surgery goes ok. Good Luck. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazatherfisherman Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 2 hours ago, DaveBM said: Mods: Apologies for frivolous post, delete as required I’m going under this Thursday for shoulder surgery, and I set myself the task of catching anything worth taking home for the table with my new harbour flicking combo before that, as fishing won’t be possible for most of the summer. The rig has been 100% “successful” so far - no sessions without something landed - but all undersized flatties and tailor. To my way of thinking, that’s promising but unsuccessful. I know I’m mostly arguing with myself, but I argue that this arvo’s catch, sandwiched between two more undersized flatties, gets me home on a technicality. I will prepare and eat this clam that came up attached to seaweed I snagged with my Zman shad in “Opening Night” colours. ATTENTION DAVEBM!! Don't eat that cockle if it came out of the bay at Iron Cove!! I have fished the area (catch and release ONLY) for nearly 50 years and can detail the pollution if necessary. It could make you seriously ill or worse! Don't eat it mate especially before hospital. If you doubt my advice, contact the environmental ranger at Canada Bay council 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berrero Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 Hi Dave, Further to what Waza said, it is also illegal to collect any shellfish from Iron cove; see belowhttps://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/668258/collecting-animals-and-plants-from-rock-platforms-and-sand-flats-around-sydney-english-1.pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Hornet Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 Mate, if you're prepared to eat that, hospital food is going to taste great!!! Seriously, take Wazas advice and good luck with the op. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 An interesting catch Dave - not sure about dioxin levels if a filter feeder from iron cove are - you might “glow in the dark” if you eat too many. hope surgery goes well (hopefully not your casting arm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berrero Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 47 minutes ago, Pickles said: An interesting catch Dave - not sure about dioxin levels if a filter feeder from iron cove are - you might “glow in the dark” if you eat too many. hope surgery goes well (hopefully not your casting arm? I think filter feeders would be up there for dioxin levels.... apparently most of the dioxins found in fish in the area come from eating the prawns which bed in the mud that is contaminated. I'd say the cockles would be the same since they live in the mud please tell me he hasn't eaten it 🤢🤢🤢🤢 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 20 hours ago, DaveBM said: Mods: Apologies for frivolous post, delete as required I’m going under this Thursday for shoulder surgery, and I set myself the task of catching anything worth taking home for the table with my new harbour flicking combo before that, as fishing won’t be possible for most of the summer. The rig has been 100% “successful” so far - no sessions without something landed - but all undersized flatties and tailor. To my way of thinking, that’s promising but unsuccessful. I know I’m mostly arguing with myself, but I argue that this arvo’s catch, sandwiched between two more undersized flatties, gets me home on a technicality. I will prepare and eat this clam that came up attached to seaweed I snagged with my Zman shad in “Opening Night” colours. Well a catch is a catch ... give you that .... this is definitely a catch and release tho. Best of luck with the op and to a quick recovery. PS - DIOXIN .... in layman terms stands for DIE if OX gets IN ..... Cheers Zoran 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazatherfisherman Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Berrero said: I think filter feeders would be up there for dioxin levels.... apparently most of the dioxins found in fish in the area come from eating the prawns which bed in the mud that is contaminated. I'd say the cockles would be the same since they live in the mud please tell me he hasn't eaten it 🤢🤢🤢🤢 Hi Berrero it was the environmental ranger who called us over while we were prawning one night in the bay on the western side of Dobroyd Aquatic club. He asked if we had many prawns and wasn't surprised when we said we hadn't even seen one- there were plenty on the eastern side of the club but it got a bit too windy so we moved to the west side of the point. He explained that there had been a tyre "factory" pretty much where Neild Park now sits and the heavy metal concentration in the sediment was so toxic that even the prawns wouldn't bury there, yet there is a large concentration of cockles adjacent the site. That same night 3 Mercedes turned up about 11 pm and a heap of young people waded out in the pitch dark in groups of 3-4 just armed with a "broom handle" and a sack between each group. They all had black clothing on and they went out about thigh deep and appeared to be "shuffling" in the mud. Soon after 2 mini-buses also turned up and the occupants joined the others in the shuffling. Of course this got our curiosity up and we went over to investigate. Nobody would answer us until my mate pulled out his security company card and showed it to the "leader" who tried to tell us they were collecting them for "research" (this was about 15 years ago and I don't think it was illegal to harvest shellfish then, but "defacing the foreshore" laws applied in the old Drummoyne Municipality) but the collectors, all dressed like ninja's were obviously panicked and they headed for the shore. A call from one of the car drivers who were not involved with the collecting and they all piled back in the vehicles and took off. No doubt, the cockles were headed for a restaurant and the "ninja" collectors probably students without fishing licenses, hence taking off. Over the next couple of months we spotted the same group of vehicles//ninja's a couple more times and rang the police each time. I've often wondered where the cockles ended up and if anyone became crook from eating them, but haven't seen the collecting groups for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveBM Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 Thanks all. I put it in the fridge in salt water to flush out the grit, so haven’t eaten it yet. I would have thought the bigger danger would be eating the fish that eat the shellfish (bioaccumulation and all that) not the primary filter feeder itself. But I guess if the dioxin level is high enough, better to be safe. Also, calculating “safe” levels of contaminants in food would have to involve assumption about how much you eat and how often. I wonder what these assumptions are... it’s not easy to find out, I guess because public health messaging needs to seem black and white. But you can’t tell me a kingie swims under the coat hanger and suddenly turns to poison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) @DaveBM DPI issues a brochure that summarizes safe eating quantity and frequency for different species west of the bridge for an average healthy person. I’ll try and dig it up and post later on. I guess most of us have the attitude why knowingly ingest a poison when we are not starving or desperate and there are other safer options. Cheers Zoran https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-skills/fishing-in-sydney-harbour Edited November 17, 2020 by zmk1962 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berrero Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, zmk1962 said: @DaveBM DPI issues a brochure that summarizes safe eating quantity and frequency for different species west of the bridge for an average healthy person. I’ll try and dig it up and post later on. I guess most of us have the attitude why knowingly ingest a poison when we are not starving or desperate and there are other safer options. Cheers Zoran https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-skills/fishing-in-sydney-harbour Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought they only gave out consumption recommendations on eating fish caught east of the bridge, with their recommendation being anything caught west of the bridge shouldn't be eaten edit: ah yep just had a second read of your link and found itNo fish or crustaceans caught west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge should be eaten. You should release your catch. Edited November 18, 2020 by Berrero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berrero Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 20 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said: Hi Berrero it was the environmental ranger who called us over while we were prawning one night in the bay on the western side of Dobroyd Aquatic club. He asked if we had many prawns and wasn't surprised when we said we hadn't even seen one- there were plenty on the eastern side of the club but it got a bit too windy so we moved to the west side of the point. He explained that there had been a tyre "factory" pretty much where Neild Park now sits and the heavy metal concentration in the sediment was so toxic that even the prawns wouldn't bury there, yet there is a large concentration of cockles adjacent the site. That same night 3 Mercedes turned up about 11 pm and a heap of young people waded out in the pitch dark in groups of 3-4 just armed with a "broom handle" and a sack between each group. They all had black clothing on and they went out about thigh deep and appeared to be "shuffling" in the mud. Soon after 2 mini-buses also turned up and the occupants joined the others in the shuffling. Of course this got our curiosity up and we went over to investigate. Nobody would answer us until my mate pulled out his security company card and showed it to the "leader" who tried to tell us they were collecting them for "research" (this was about 15 years ago and I don't think it was illegal to harvest shellfish then, but "defacing the foreshore" laws applied in the old Drummoyne Municipality) but the collectors, all dressed like ninja's were obviously panicked and they headed for the shore. A call from one of the car drivers who were not involved with the collecting and they all piled back in the vehicles and took off. No doubt, the cockles were headed for a restaurant and the "ninja" collectors probably students without fishing licenses, hence taking off. Over the next couple of months we spotted the same group of vehicles//ninja's a couple more times and rang the police each time. I've often wondered where the cockles ended up and if anyone became crook from eating them, but haven't seen the collecting groups for a long time. I fish there quite often, still see people taking oysters off the rocks for consumption. I tend to warn them and point out the signs all over the place but they always seem not to care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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