Topic ID 6579
There are swan and duck poachers taking our wildlife for food. If you see anyone with a large fishing net acting suspiciously, please phone your local police station. Thank you.
Reply ID 88004
Any evidence for this, or is it just hearsay?
Reply ID 88005
Someone was spotted trying to net a duck and someone else discovered a duck being BBQd by edge of river!
Reply ID 88007
Where did this happen?
Reply ID 88008
Suggest you foist this old chestnut onto Ware Online Queenie, they're a bit more gullible over there. Here in the County Town, we like to see some proof (e.g. police website, newspaper with credible report) and of course it has to be LOCAL or Admin will have your guts for garters [:)]
Reply ID 88015
I know we're supposed to ask the queen (for some archaic reason) if we want to eat a swan but is there such a problem with ducks? Not endangered as far as I know and as they are "wildfowl" it's hardly poaching as they don't belong to anyone. At what point does "foraging" (which I understand from various cheffy type telly programmes is quite the done thing these days) become poaching?
Reply ID 88018
What does a person with a large fishing net look like when they're acting suspiciously, I wonder?
Reply ID 88020
I've quite often seen persons catching swans. Apparently that's how they get numbers on their legs and to catch a swan, one would need to be somewhat furtive. As for these reports, I agree with Racheal. "Someone was spotted...." By whom? Where? What led the observer to suspect *cough* foul play.
Reply ID 88023
Allo Allo Allo whats going on ere then? Have you seen my efit of a fishing net acting suspiciously, something very fishy going on here, jokes aside there have been a number of reports of immigrants catching swans ect for food on the river lea south of Hertford over the years.
Reply ID 88025
quote:So how did swans become part of the rumour?
Originally posted by Queenie
Someone was spotted trying to net a duck and someone else discovered a duck being BBQd by edge of river!
Reply ID 88026
quote:The point at which it contravenes the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 apparently.
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto
I know we're supposed to ask the queen (for some archaic reason) if we want to eat a swan but is there such a problem with ducks? Not endangered as far as I know and as they are "wildfowl" it's hardly poaching as they don't belong to anyone. At what point does "foraging" (which I understand from various cheffy type telly programmes is quite the done thing these days) become poaching?
Reply ID 88045
save me a drumstick
Reply ID 88053
Can someone explain how this is affecting house prices in Hertford?
Reply ID 88055
quote:Depends on whether or not it has a garden pond[;)]
Originally posted by Anorak
Can someone explain how this is affecting house prices in Hertford?
Reply ID 88056
I hear swan's taste like chicken.
Reply ID 88057
Hope they are not chavvy swans from Stevenage
Reply ID 88058
Apparently the Elizabethans where partial to baked swan [url]http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/bake-swan-old-recipe.htm[/url] And I wonder if Mc.D's plan to add this to there menu [url]http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/bake-swan-old-recipe.htm[/url]
Reply ID 88060
The PCSOs are aware of this and just wanted to give everyone a head up. Compassion costs nothing and as a mother, I would like some wildlife left for my little one to enjoy.
Reply ID 88061
So...........no response on where this was spotted. A location would be helpful.
Reply ID 88065
Castle grounds and further along the river.
Reply ID 88067
People openly netting wildfowl in the castle grounds? And where else along the river? into hertford and Hartham or back upstream along the Lea?
Reply ID 88068
The myths of immigrants eating swans has been going on for years, yet no one has ever been caught, and there's been no evidence that the swans have been eaten. It started out as drivel in the popular press a few years ago that was only too readily lapped up by a racist public suspicious of immigrants from Eastern Europe. http://tabloid-watch.blogspot.com/2010/03/migrants-fish-and-swans-cont.html?m=1
Reply ID 88069
quote:Swans maybe... maybe not. However a short while ago, an official looking sign appeared on one of the bridges near Hertford Marina with the wording " Do Not Take Fish" (or something similar). This was in English, and I'm pretty certain in Polish as well. Carp is considered a delicacy in Poland.
Originally posted by james
The myths of immigrants eating swans has been going on for years, yet no one has ever been caught, and there's been no evidence that the swans have been eaten. It started out as drivel in the popular press a few years ago that was only too readily lapped up by a racist public suspicious of immigrants from Eastern Europe. http://tabloid-watch.blogspot.com/2010/03/migrants-fish-and-swans-cont.html?m=1
Reply ID 88070
Be alert. Hertford needs more lerts.
Reply ID 88071
Unfortunately James its not a myth. Wild birds are being taken from rivers as the cost of food is high and wages are low etc, etc. I did find on the cycle path, opposite the Hartham Canoe Club building, opposite the weir a whole severed swan wing.. not a fully grown swan judging by the feathers... still a growing cygnet... about 5 weeks ago when out cycling (By the way I am a bit of a bird watcher, so know the difference between swans, ducks and chickens [:D] So whilst some may suggest in this thread that this is not happening, something predator-like is at work and I don't know many foxes who could tear off a wing, without any other part of carcass being around so cleanly like a carving knife.. and no bite marks.. I think it does warrant a bit more investigation and I really hope that people are not targetting our wild birds either for some sick joke or food...
Reply ID 88073
The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) makes it an offence (with exception to species listed in Schedule 2) to intentionally kill, injure, or take any wild bird. You will, however, find on schedule 2 - Coot, Duck (Tufted), Gadwall, Goldeneye, Goose (Canada) Goose (Greylag), Goose (Pink-footed), Goose (White-fronted - in England and Wales only), Mallard, Moorhen, Pintail, Plover (Golden), Pochard, Shoveler, Snipe, Common Teal ,Wigeon and Woodcock - NO SWANS. I assume, however, you actually have to be "hunting" them in open season rather than sneaking about with a net. The taking of fish is less clear. The act makes special provisions for birds but other wildlife appears to be free for all unless protected (in schedule 5 - which I won't reproduce here as its full of beetles!). Most of the carp in our rivers (Mirror, Leather, Crucian) are not indigenous and have been introduced for fishing. Even the so called "common" carp is an introduced (and some say invasive) species probably brought over by the romans for food (like rabbits and dormice). If the fish is stocked and somehow marked to indicate this I suppose it might be classed as poaching but hard to police and prove? From and ecological perspective I agree Swans should not be taken as they are more in danger (if not (for some species) actually endangered) but I'm not sure what all the fuss is about for ducks, they are not endangered and we have seen off (with little regret) most of their natural predators in an urban setting so the loss of the odd one or two to feed someone hungry enough to make the effort seems sustainable. As for Canada Geese - well the more of them that get eaten the better - they are actually damaging to the environment and other native species in many areas. Wildlife should be protected and I even agree with its preservation, in some cases, for purely sentimental reasons (its nice to look at) but we should not delude ourselves that we are preserving "nature"! I, for one, am grateful I can make it to Tesco's (and soon Sainsbury's) without encountering bears and wolves. I'll stop now before I get in a rant.
Reply ID 88074
quote:Sorry [:(] - that was a bit of a rant anyway!
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto
The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) makes it an offence (with exception to species listed in Schedule 2) to intentionally kill, injure, or take any wild bird......................................................................................without encountering bears and wolves. I'll stop now before I get in a rant.
Reply ID 88075
quote:Yes it is, until there's some real actual evidence. A wing on its own may be proof that a swan has died, but it's not proof that it's been eaten or indeed barbecued.
Originally posted by Drama Queen
Unfortunately James its not a myth.
Reply ID 88076
As anyone who's visited the Abbotsbury Swannery will tell you, swans do not make good eating. The monks started the swannery as by some archaic rule the church classes them as fish and so could be consumed on Fridays and festivals. However, the monks only ate the young cygnets because the parents tasted foul(or fowl if you prefer)
Reply ID 88078
quote:And in Romania, where they spell it as cr*p - which is about right. (Check it on Google translate if you don't believe me!) I was served it once at a dinner near Bucharest and it tasted like mud.[xx(]
Originally posted by buzz Carp is considered a delicacy in Poland.
Reply ID 88079
Nearly all coarse fish taste like boiled mud when you eat them.
Reply ID 88080
quote:Is that a confession? [;)]
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto
Nearly all coarse fish taste like boiled mud when you eat them.
Reply ID 88081
Hi James I did read in a local paper quite some time ago of some immigrants arrested for killing a swan that they were going to eat, so not just drivel as you put it.
quote:
Originally posted by james
The myths of immigrants eating swans has been going on for years, yet no one has ever been caught, and there's been no evidence that the swans have been eaten. It started out as drivel in the popular press a few years ago that was only too readily lapped up by a racist public suspicious of immigrants from Eastern Europe. http://tabloid-watch.blogspot.com/2010/03/migrants-fish-and-swans-cont.html?m=1
Reply ID 88082
quote:Not necessarily... You can buy them legitimately (on Seven Sisters Road as I remember). Returning to things more local the Hertford sourced signal crayfish that I sampled some time ago tasted far superior to the ones I had from Hampstead ponds less recently (which also tasted - you guessed it - like boiled mud!).
Originally posted by jamesquote:Is that a confession? [;)]
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto
Nearly all coarse fish taste like boiled mud when you eat them.
Reply ID 88083
The poachers have been spotted [IMG]http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee206/evilbippy/fishing-gnomes.jpg[/IMG]
Reply ID 88084
quote:You could have "pixielated" their faces to protect identities[:D]
Originally posted by Joe
The poachers have been spotted [IMG]http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee206/evilbippy/fishing-gnomes.jpg[/IMG]
Reply ID 88089
quote:and quite clearly immigrants. I'm struggling to identify the national dress though.
Originally posted by Darcy Sartoquote:You could have "pixielated" their faces to protect identities[:D]
Originally posted by Joe
The poachers have been spotted [IMG]http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee206/evilbippy/fishing-gnomes.jpg[/IMG]
Reply ID 88090
quote:Well Night Owl, if you read it in a "local paper", "some time ago " I guess that's pretty conclusive proof then. On the basis of that I'd string 'em up & send them home. (Had that Admin in the back of the cab the other day..)
Originally posted by night owl
Hi James I did read in a local paper quite some time ago of some immigrants arrested for killing a swan that they were going to eat, so not just drivel as you put it.quote:
Originally posted by james
The myths of immigrants eating swans has been going on for years, yet no one has ever been caught, and there's been no evidence that the swans have been eaten. It started out as drivel in the popular press a few years ago that was only too readily lapped up by a racist public suspicious of immigrants from Eastern Europe. http://tabloid-watch.blogspot.com/2010/03/migrants-fish-and-swans-cont.html?m=1
Reply ID 88091
quote:I don't suppose you recall reading about them being charged, appearing in court and being found guilty.
Originally posted by night owl
I did read in a local paper quite some time ago of some immigrants arrested for killing a swan that they were going to eat
Reply ID 88092
They're from Middle Earth - not part of the EU or Commonwealth last I checked. I doubt they have bona fides working visa arrangements!
Reply ID 88103
Yes I do remember them being found guilty and fined but if members on here wish to string them up down to you.
quote:
Originally posted by Stevequote:I don't suppose you recall reading about them being charged, appearing in court and being found guilty.
Originally posted by night owl
I did read in a local paper quite some time ago of some immigrants arrested for killing a swan that they were going to eat
Reply ID 88107
Anyone got a good recipe for Swan? I was going to roast it but it wouldn't fit in the oven!
Reply ID 88110
hope your going to stuff it first..
Reply ID 88114
quote:Oh dear... I can almost hear the swans (currently uneaten by former residents of what used to be Yugoslavia) flying over ones head.... There is a flapping, possibly Owlish, noise.[8D]
Originally posted by night owl
Yes I do remember them being found guilty and fined but if members on here wish to string them up down to you.quote:
Originally posted by Stevequote:I don't suppose you recall reading about them being charged, appearing in court and being found guilty.
Originally posted by night owl
I did read in a local paper quite some time ago of some immigrants arrested for killing a swan that they were going to eat
Reply ID 88118
quote:That's Swan Upping isn't it?
Originally posted by tsr
hope your going to stuff it first..
Reply ID 88119
quote:[:D][:D]
Originally posted by Artyquote:That's Swan Upping isn't it?
Originally posted by tsr
hope your going to stuff it first..
Reply ID 88131
quote:Grind it up and make burgers http://www.instructables.com/id/Gourmet-Swan-Meat-Burgers/
Originally posted by aubend
Anyone got a good recipe for Swan? I was going to roast it but it wouldn't fit in the oven!
![http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee206/evilbippy/fishing-gnomes.jpg[/IMG]](http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee206/evilbippy/fishing-gnomes.jpg[/IMG]){kind=link}