ive been doing a bit of homework on the american system, on how they generate money for there conservation of sea fish stocks. now it appears they have a 10% excise tax on wholesalers of fishing tackle, this means every time a shop sells an item rod,reel,hooks, whatever, 10% of that wholesale price is paid by the manufacterer [wholesaler] in the form of an excise duty. all of this money is then put into a government conservation kitty. now maybe leon or the guys can elaborate a bit more on this, i may of got a point or to wrong but thats how it seems. if this is correct this way of raising money for our needed cause i think is better and would generate more than the very soon proposed sea licence. i know we will pick up the tab eventually because, manufacterers will put it on their price then retailers will do the same, but prices go up anyway.

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Carp anglers subsidising sea fish, love it

yes but, at least they have got decent fish to catch

More carp anglers are turning to bassing as they are fed up with catching Fred the Thirty and want a real challenge.

oh yes if it causes the freshwater and only freswater anglers to go into one, then just tax the sea gear that is sold, if they say thats a to complicated thing to do, they wanna fill out a self assesment form.

Newt can give more details.

In the States there is already a system for collecting local (state) sales tax on goods sold, and this is often 'hypothecated' ie, the money collected is seperated out and reserved for a specific purpose.

With the system already in place, it doesn't take much of an adjustment to put tax on a range of goods or sales through specific outlet types (tackle shops) and remit the money back through the established system to where it's supposed to go.

Unfortunately there is nothing like that in the UK, and to bring something in, just to add a levy on fishing equipment is probably out of the question.

It's the cost of accounting, enforcement etc that would be the problem.

That's bad enough for tackle shops and the vatman, VAT inspectors etc just dealing with VAT on sales, imagine adding a further item for that, all of the legislation and extra book-keeping that would entail, all the loopholes (I could sell carbon 'bean poles' as garden supplies maybe, undercutting the tackle shop around the corner.

Many rural grocery shops sell some bait and tackle, it would be a huge burden on them to have to account for the levy seperately.

Nice idea, but we need the collection machinery in place first, in the form of a general local sales tax or a modified VAT collection allowing some goods to be collected at different rates for specific purposes.

Then the cost of the administrative burden of collecting a levy on tackle might be a runner.

Tight Lines - leon

[ 14. January 2005, 03:35 PM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

yes leon we all know about admin cost many are inflated out of all proportion, what about this proposed sea license if that is going to be the case, it is not going to be worth it, the small amount gathered will be consumed in cost. the excise tax for manufacturers will at least stand a chance because of the much larger revenue collected.

the other thing which is most important of all" money atlast from those that should have contributed years ago ie, the wholesale tackle trade.

Ah! But there's already a system in place for selling fishing licences.

For coarse fish, for game fish, for pensioners and for juniors, for 'group' licences, for a year, a day, a week.

It will add hardly anything to collect sea licence money through the same system, which is at least an option that is being considered.

Tight Lines - leon

leon i dont mind the idea of paying a license to help give us some clout but, why should the fat cats get away with it again, it is time they bl**dy well contributed, you know that makes sense and it must be possible no matter what because the states are already doing it, it would certainly help ease the pain for those sceptics who would have to pay for a license.