December 1974 Newsletter Highlights
Brian Tudor is still the secretary and the headquarters is on The Quay in Looe
His introduction confirms that 1974 was a year with much bad weather however, in spite of lost days at sea the Club had prospered as a whole essentially due to the increased number of sharks of 100lbs and over.
The reports from other parts of the country had confirmed that this was a Blue shark year with very few Porbeagles. A small number of Makos and Threshers had been sighted but none landed. The Records Committee had received no applications for new records.
1975 was to become the fifth year with no subscription increase which meant they continued to be £2 per annum. Emblem suppliers continued to increase costs to the Club which had to be passed on to members. A new Car Badge was going to be available in March. The club were now able to accept payment by Access or Barclaycard but this facility was not available for the payment of subscriptions.
In the year 274 new members were enrolled. With only 97 resignations this gave the club good subscription growth.
The continuing economic and political situation was leading to increases in postage and printing and as a consequence the planned extra newsletter had to be postponed.
Outside the Sharking news it was reported that the Vice Chairman, Cmdr. Holt had been awarded the British Record for wreck Fish with a 7lbs 10oz specimen.
The Sea Angler magazine had invited the club to become a monthly contributor from January 1975.
The search for another sponsor to replace Bacardi had failed as the one interested party could not proceed due to the economic climate.
The 22nd Annual Dinner – the 1974 Annual Dinner was again held at the Hannafore Point Hotel with 150 members and their guest attending. This year the format was a Grand Buffet which was less formal than previous years (and probably at a lot less cost). The evening had been successful but a number of members and their guests had to wait too long for their food.
Rex Barnes, the previous club Chairman was wished a very happy 65th Birthday. Brigadier Caunter presented the prizes and members and guests danced to Bill Collins and his band.
There were a number of new members attending with some from Appledore, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight, Lymington, Mevagissey and Oxford.
Tagging – 1974 had been a successful year for shark tagging with a total of 630 being tagged and a further 8 re-captures. This gave a total of 1560 sharks tagged over the three years and 16 returns giving an encouraging return rate of approx. 1%.
Analysis of the date enabled some general observations to be made. The view was that sharks tagged of the South Coast leave around the end of September although some of the larger ones left later. Some then stay until at least the end of November in the area of Northern Spain after which they move on as far as the Canary Islands. This migration is then reversed in spring.
Recaptures of Portuguese tagged sharks suggest that small Blues tend to remain within a relatively restricted area further south and most don’t take part in the northerly migration to the UK coast until about the third year.
Growth rates from tag returns suggested that Blue sharks grow about 30cm per year.
Details of the eight recaptures are given below:
No. 330 – tagged April 24th 1974 at Sagres, Portugal by Mr W Persoon. Recaptured July 26th, 1974 off Setubal, Portugal
No. 561 – tagged June 12th June 1973 at Looe by Mr T Pengelley. Recaptured July 15th 1974 off Ile d’Yeu, France
No. 1322 – tagged July 23rd, 1973 at Looe by Mr. Bill Cowan. Re-captured August 26th, 1974 at Looe by Mr R Butters Jnr
No. 88 – tagged September 5th, 1973 at Sagres by Mr W Persoon. Recaptured September 13th, 1974 off Cape Espichel, Portugal
No. 1405 – tagged August 22nd, 1974 at Looe by Mr. Bill Cowan. Recaptured September 24th, 1974 near Cape Finisterre, Spain
No. 650 – tagged August 20th, 1974 at Falmouth by Mr. C MacGillvray. Recaptured September 15th 1974 off Gijon, Spain
No. 1127 – tagged July 31st, 1974 at Looe by Mr. R Butters, Jnr. Recaptured November 14th 1974 off La Coruna, Spain
No. 83 – tagged August 17th, 1974 at Newquay by Mr. R Eglinton. Recaptured November 8th, 1974 off La Coruna, Spain