The British Record Fish Committee - are the official organisation taking responsibility for all angling fish records within the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, collectively known as the "British Records". Since 2009 the BRFC have been part of the Angling Trust
Committee
The committee is composed of volunteers, including specialists in marine and specialist in freshwater fish, all with specialist knowledge of angling and the natural world and experience working with a background of various organisations, such as the scientific advisors to the Environment Agency and the Natural History Museum, angling organisations such as - Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers. The committee will inspect each claim and adjudicate on its credibility before publishing a list of British Record Fish at regular intervals.
History and controversy
1968 Purge of British records
Formed in 1968, one of the first and most noted decision was to purge the existing British Record list at the time, to virtually start from scratch, only allowing records that could be verified with photographic evidence, witnesses, tested weighing scales, correct species identification, and other evidential factors. Amongst the casualties were the barbel record of 14lb 6oz shared by Tryon, Wallis and Wheeler, the 10lb 8oz chub of Dr.J.A Cameron, the 4lb 11oz crucian carp of H.C. Hinson, the 1lb 8oz 5dr dace caught by R.W.Humphrey in 1932, a 4lb 8oz silver bream by C.R. Rhind, but most famously of all the 47lb 11oz Loch Lomond pike caught by T.Morgan in 1945, due to not having a photograph of the fish.
1980 Chris Yates's carp
The second controversial event was when the BRFC refused to accept Chris Yates 51lb 8oz carp capture in 1980 because at the time the fishes body needed to be provided as evidence, and Yates had returned the carp to the water alive and well. Following this controversial and monumental decision, the rule to provide dead fish as evidence was rescinded.
2016 Big Rig
In December 2016, The Angling Times reported that the carp "Big Rig" had been rejected as a record on the basis that it had been cultivated, as in being fed to a record weight before being released into the venue where it was finally caught. This was the first time the BRFC had rejected a record course fish on the grounds of it being cultivated. The carp had been caught at 69lb 13oz by Tom Doherty on 26 Sept 2016 at The Avenue, RH Fisheries in Shropshire and was subsequently caught again later by Robby Harrison at the largest weight for a carp caught in British waters of 71lb 4oz on 23 Oct 2016, of which also was never to be confirmed as an official British record.
In October 2016, Michael Mitchell landed a 34lb 12oz rainbow trout from Loch Earn in Scotland using maggots. The BRFC rejected the fish as a record on the basis that it had been cultivated, as in being fed to a record weight artificially. The BRFC had withdrawn the cultivated option for record game fish in April 2015.
In November 2017, Carpfeed reported that the carp record claim for "Captain Jack" had been rejected on the basis that the scales were measuring inaccurately, that in fact after testing of the scales by a neutral party, they were found to be weighing eight ounces more than they should. The record claim of 68lb 8oz was reduced to 68lb, one ounce below the current record.
2017 Big Plated
In November 2017, Carpfeed reported that an 83lb 4oz Mirror carp named "Big Plated" had been landed by an anonymous angler from the Carp Lake at the Wingham syndicate in Kent. Due to the condition of the fish the record was not claimed and the fish was returned.
Reasons why a record fish claim may be rejected
1. Fish not caught by fair angling method of using rod and line fish hooked in the mouth by baited hook or lure.
2. Captured with assistance, fish must be played and caught by one person only.
4. Caught in an area where fishing is not permitted. * Note 2.
5. Inaccurate scales.
6. No photograph.
7. Photo-graphical evidence is of too poor quality and fails to assist investigation.
8. Photograph does not include an identifiable object for size/perspective comparison.
9. Witnesses not credible.
10. Incorrect species.
11. Abnormal growth due to disease or other factors.
12. Alien species not naturalized as Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975,Section 30 or the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 2003.
13. Recently imported fish.
14. Endangered and protected species or Ninespine stickleback /Ten-spined stickleback.
16. Cultivated as in “grown to record weight using an artificial feeding scheme, before being released into the venue of capture”.
BRFC advice to claimants added 01/12/2017
Following the Big Rig episode, the British Record fish committee advised to any future potential freshwater record claimants, the following issues would be considered and scrutinised during the confirmation process:
The weight of the fish at stocking into the venue of capture.
The length of time the fish has lived in the venue of capture since stocking.
The historical background of the fish and its origins prior to being stocked.
Whether the fish attained this weight feeding on a natural diet/anglers’ baits only, or had supplementary food or other treatments been involved.
Historical evidence to analyse of the lifetime growth the fish.
Consideration to whether the fish's weight would be naturally sustainable in that fishery.
This is to prevent any attempts to introduce record-size fish via imports, as in the case of the Wels catfish, or manipulate records by cultivating record-size fish as was the case with Big Rig.
Fish Records
For a list of current and past fish records see: Angling records in the UK. A majority, though not all of these records have been recognized by the BRFC.
