At the next meeting of the Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee, a CEFAS scientist will be giving a presentation regarding the latest information about the movements of Thames Estuary roker.

Faced with a severely declining population in the Southern North Sea, the EU have been calling for measures to protect the remaining population.

However, anglers and Commercial Fishermen have noticed increasing numbers of skate in the Thames estuary.

Is that a sign that all is well in this area at least?

Or are we seeing a regional population contraction, seeming to produce local abundance, but only perhaps temporary as the last stronghold of a retreating population is hammered?

It should be interesting to hear of the science, and how this is observed by the SFC and those with an interest in the thornback fishery.

As with all SFC meetings, anyone with an interest can come along and observe the meeting, usually with an opportunity to mingle once the formal business is completed.

The meeting takes place at 10am on Monday 19th November in the Garden Suite of the Thurrock hotel on Avely, Purfleet, Essex, close to the M25.

http://www.thurrockhotel.co.uk/findus.asp

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|RM19%201YN