Demise of the cod from Deal

This is a personal video of mine as I spent 40 years of my working life trying, and succeeding, to catch large cod for my customers. Gone are the days when it was guaranteed to get amongst the cod throughout the winter months at Deal. However, who knows if they will come back? ... but don't hold your breath!

[@ronaldspice8890]

Grew up near Deal, first went out fishing from the local beach (Sandwich Bay) when my father took me out around 1965, we would always end up with a good bag of cod and some good sized ones, I think by 1975 I had found other interests and by 1978 had moved to the Midlands. On my return around eighteen years ago I started fishing the beaches again and to my surprise soon found out that the cod were no longer there in any numbers, seems like the prediction my father made about joining the EU and the trawler's moving in taking most of the fish and smashing up the sea bed, destroying the natural feeding grounds. It's very nice to catch a trophy fish, but remember to return it to the sea if its full of roe for the next generation to flourish.

[@MemeKing-e4d]

There's been no cod in the southeast for years & for years to come 😒
Too many foreign Trawlers

[@leemadden3able]

I used to fish Dungeness from the beach the last cod I had from there was just after the big storm in 1988 or was it 87 but that was the last decent time for me I mainly carp fish now but still do some beach fishing again usually Dungeness or reculver

[@Mel-he1hg]

Brilliant film
Sadly we won’t ever see that again

[@davechamberlain7624]

Thanks, for that. We live in hope ...

[@Mel-he1hg]

@ yes if only 🤞

[@fisherman5517]

if you go to norway or greenland or iceland you can still catch monsters , but then they protect there fisheries unlike the british.

[@adamwest5212]

I blame gill nets

[@itsbrilliant-bt8sv]

Same goes for the likes of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft further up the coast.

[@southerner4566]

My best Cod from the boat was 28 lb from the Solent and from the shore 14-5 from Chesil

[@andyphillips2093]

Cod have been well over fished to me that's why they never make it to the southeast corner anymore, I think the min keep size needs to go up seeing pictures of catches on media pages I sit here think most of them should have been put back they just look way to small to be kept