Evening Star online

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing inresponse to the article that appeared in your paper entitled, "Battle of the fishermen".

I have been involved in the Stour and Orwell proposal from the beginning, and I have to say that I found some of the comments in the article to be inaccurate.

The proposal does not pose the threat to commercial fishermens' livelihoods that the article suggests. What the proposal asks for is restrictions on Gill netting within the two estuaries. At present, the only licenced Gill netting is carried out by one local netter who operates on a part time basis only. Sometimes, a gill netter from West Mersea visits the estuaries once or twice a year, but again, his livelihood doesn't depend on the two rivers. The majority of gill netting within the estuaries is carried out by unlicenced netters for whom it is illegal to sell the fish caught.
The Sea fisheries committee's failure to police the unlicenced netting and the sale of fish on the black market is what led to the proposal being made in the first place.

There is a small amount of trawling carried out on the lower reaches of the river, but the proposal doesn't object to this continuing as it has little effect on recreational sea angling in the area. If the proposal were to go ahead, it would not only benefit thousands of sea anglers and hundreds of local business's. It fits in perfectly with recent government plans to make the most of fish stocks, which are a natural resource that belong to all of us, not just commercial fishermen. It would be a shame if such a scheme were to be brushed aside for the sake of one or two individuals' part time earnings.

Yours sincerely
Mr XXXXXXX
Colchester.

That looks good. Think I'll borrow some of that

A very well put letter, it would I feel have a bit more clut if attatched were pictures of some anglers fishing the rivers, maybe you could do this your self.

the commercials are also writting letters, my commercial fisherman friend showed me a well written letter on the same subject last week.

I also replied with the following.

Ref..Orwell and Stour.
Gill netting and Trawling in these two rivers is devastating the Bass stocks, Eels and Flounders along with damaging other wildlife that relies on the seabed for food.

You need to understand how these Gill nets work before you can realize the immense damage they create. For one thing, they KILL all marine life that gets caught in the net, this includes all small undersize fish. These fish are then thrown back as useless to everyone, dead, or dying.
These small fish are our future fish stocks that are being slaughtered in vast numbers and this should NOT be allowed.

The whole idea of turning the rivers into a recreational rod and line fishing ground is to try and preserve the small fish, in hopes, that one-day the fish stocks will be able to replenish. This will happen, providing the smaller fish can be left to mature and at least get the chance to a first spawning, hence, allowing fish stocks to increase.

It's ironic that Trawling and Gill netting was ever allowed to take place in areas of breeding grounds in the first place, a bit like sticking a fox in among the baby chicks, the results would be nothing left.
In this case No more fish.

This article relates to our local rivers, the Orwell and the Stour, However it is far more wide spread along the Suffolk coast and other regions and it is becoming more evident every year that our fish stocks around the coastline are becoming non-existent.

"One fisherman said: "The size of vessel I operate is categorised as an inshore vessel and inshore is where we fish, are entitled to fish by law and have paid good money for that entitlement.""


Aren't commercial licences issued FOC?

Don't blame the commercial fisherman, blame the government for allowing it to continue.If what they are doing is legal, then they should be allowed to continue, until pressure upon the government brings about a change in fishing policy.
The government is fully aware of the devastation these people are causing to the marine environment, but just don't have the balls to put a stop to it.
Only severe pressure from voters will make the difference, it's called democracy.

No commercial licences are not issued free of charge,if you started fishing in the last 20 years you would have had to pay a lot of money for the licence.

M.P
what a load of rubbish.

But to another commercial fisherman, not into the public purse!

The licenses, which give access to a publicly owned resource were issued free of charge to those who had a track record at the time of their issue.

No further licences were issued.

However, when they are no longer needed, fishermen are able to pass on their existing licence to other fishermen.

They fact that they choose not to pass them on freely, but charge many thousands of pounds for passing them on, is a matter between fishermen.

Tight Lines - leon