Update from the British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee
The BRFC met at Fishmongers’ Hall, London, on 1st December 2015.
Present were: Mike Heylin OBE (Chairman), Nick Simmonds (Secretary), Oliver Crimmen (Scientific Advisor, Natural History Museum), Nigel Hewlett (Scientific Advisor, Environment Agency), Andrew Nellist (Angling Trust – freshwater specialist) and David Rowe (Angling Trust – Sea fish specialist)
 
The following claims were ratified by the committee as new records:
 
Roger Simcox
Gilthead Bream (Sparus aurata)
Boat-caught
Salcombe, Devon, on 31st July 2015
Roger’s claim was ratified at a weight of 10lb 2oz, beating Mr Bradford’s record of 24 years by two-and-a-half ounces. Roger becomes a double record holder adding this Gilthead Bream to his 1980 Turbot record.
 
Roger Bryant
White Sea Bream (Diplodus sargus)
Shore-caught
West coast of Jersey, on 8th August 2015
Roger’s fish weighed 2lb 12oz 8dr and supersedes Bryan Swain’s 2011 record of 2lb 6oz 14dr, also from Jersey
 
Greg Whitehead
Thin-Lipped Mullet (Liza ramada)
Boat-caught
East coast of Guernsey, on 14th August 2015
This huge fish was ratified at 7lb 0oz 8dr and just beat last year’s record of 6lb 15oz from Jersey, jointly held by Derek Kane and Gerald Gavey
 
Ollie Stenning
Thin-Lipped Mullet (Liza ramada)
Boat-caught
East coast of Guernsey, on 16th August 2015
16-year-old Ollie eclipsed Greg’s record (above) with this absolute monster of 8lb 7oz 4dr just two days after Greg’s capture, and while fishing from Greg’s boat
 
Guy Spriggs
Stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca)
Shore-caught
Chesil Beach, Dorset, on 1st September 2015
Guy’s fish was ratified at a weight of 78lb 8oz, beating Ken Canning’s 2008 shore record of 67lb 12oz. Guy’s great fish is the largest shore-caught English fish in BRFC records
 
Colin Marquis
Atlantic Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias)
Boat-caught
Hoffets, Guernsey, on 30th August 2015
Verified at 1lb 15oz, Colin’s fish beats David Paddock’s 2013 Cornish boat record of 1lb 10oz
 
Ryan Carter
Gilthead Bream (Sparus aurata)
Shore-caught
Kingsbridge Estuary, Devon, on 22nd October 2015
Ryan’s superb fish is ratified at a weight of 10lb 7oz, beating Colin Carr’s 20-year-old record of 10lb 5oz. Ryan also caught another Gilthead of over 8lb, making a fantastic brace