Conservation & Politics Forum?

[A Norfolk Boy]

I just want to see this forum get back to its core business. I reckon there's been a big fall off in posts over recent months and would go with whatever gets it back on track. I believe that some of the bickering has had a negative impact. Okay, this is an open forum, but remember Gents, it does actually belong to somebody, so show a little consideration and courtesy. When I first registered, there was loads and loads of fishing talk. Remember back then?

 

The pity with this Poll is, that a lot of the people that would have voted for seperate Forums, have already voted......with their feet.

 

I do believe they have.

[Gillies]

I personally feel something needs to be done in the Sea Fishing forum - I have rarely posted on it over the past 6 months, and stayed clear from any of the arguments that have broken out ... instead, I just read them and felt sorry for Elton and the Moderators whom had to deal with them, it seemed a no win situation. Its became apparent that over the last year this forum has sadly gone from probably the best live sea angling references for UK fishing on the web to somewhere that is full of arguing and childish comments .... nothing wrong with opinion, but to much narrow minded opinion, and to little content.

 

I go boat or shore fishing almost at least once a week throughout the year, I catch fish, taking fish home, and releasing fish. Every trip I do, I take a number of photos of anglers holding fish, some of these fish released, some of them taken home. But when you see sea anglers on here putting up catch reports, especially ones with photos ... and then the Catch & Release mob or someone just looking for an argument vilifying them for daring to keep a fish ... and the poster has to defend the actions for daring to eat a fish that has not been bought from supermarket or fish mongers, it really defeats the purpose of this place, and turns many anglers away from posting here.

 

I think one of the funniest comments I seen was where someone did a catch report with a photo of a fish kept for the plate - and a poster went crazy and started going on about why was the fish killed, and instead they should of went to the supermarket and bought fish if they wanted to eat it.

 

The politics involved with the simple hobby and pastime of going fishing is just amazing. If one angler keeps fish for the plate, or enjoys fishing for certain fish, or fishes a certain method, there is always seemingly someone ready to make some kind of attack at them for their actions. Be it a 20 lb Cod, or 6 lb Bass, fishing for Skate, fishing for Cod, fishing for Bass, or the ins and outs of certain methods of fishing. There is not enough "agree to disagree" going on where peoples opinions clash - with each one determined to have the last word and it sadly turns into getting personal.

 

Ive been since the beginning of year having very good fishing from the shore, catching lots of Thornback, Dab, LSD, Pollack, Coalfish and the odd Flounder. I would have liked to have posted catch reports but just could not be bothered with the flack attached with doing so, I was keeping the odd fish for the plate, and releasing a number of them also - but no doubt someone would of jumped on any catch report I do to make some kind of issue.

 

It seems now even the simplest of threads can now be turned into a reason to try and stir things up, just take a look at the Flying Gaff thread just now, perfectly good question posted by Winter, but yet some have jumped onto the thread so they can make jibes at another forum member and what he fishes for. That says it all, for the way things have now gone on here!

 

Please if any of the usual arguing squad from 2005 are not happy with this posting of mine, send me a PM instead of the usual self ego boosting threads you see on here, cause I wont get drawn into the usual bickering that goes on on the forum by responding publicly.

 

Eltons forum is fantastic, and I see what's going on the Sea Fishing section as a small lull that hopefully will resolve itself over the coming months. Looking at the threads we have had over past 6 months, a seperate Conservation and Politics section would in my opinion be a great addition as it covers a broad range of issues and would help with debating/resolving a lot of the current issues that go on ... I think the majority of sea anglers on here will check it out, even if they dont want to post in it - but just for reference. I have learned so much about Political and Conservation issues regarding species I dont fish for such as Skate, Bass, and Tope from this forum .... from reading posts from the likes of Davy Holt, Leon Roskilly and Ian Burrett, to have this kind of information discussed separately would in my opinion be a good idea.

 

As we all know fishing in different areas of the country differs from location to location, so Conservation and Politics issues and opinions will differ vastly, so the section of the forum could be pretty lively and for those interested in such issues a great resource, leaving the Sea Fishing section hopefully for a place for anglers who catch fish that are MLS through legal rod and lines methods to post about sea fishing without the fear of getting into an arguement to do with conservation of political issues.

 

Crossing my fingers the Sea Fishing section gets back on track soon and back to what the good old days were like, and yep Im all for the Conversation and Politics section.

 

Gillies

[chris parker]

Read through this before voting and it didn't change my mind. I voted yes.

 

Simple reason for me, I realise conservation is a big part of Angling but would like the relaxed atmosphere of a fishing only area. People are too antagonistic when it comes to Politics and Conervation, they naturally have very strongly held beliefs.

 

Bit like religion, I believe that is between me and my God, not for anyone else to tell me their faith is better and I resent them trying, especially when I am relaxing at home.

 

The sea fishing forum needs to be a relaxing place where people feel welcome to ask and give advice, the worst thing anyone can see to my mind is a load of locked posts containing arguments and grief, some people will just not join.

 

I have not got involved for months now for this very reason, I still visit but am more of a lurker these days, fishing is a pleasant passtime for me and getting into arguments spoils that pleasure, so I steer clear.

 

If it was to be separated people would have the choice to become involved or not. Let those that want to talk politics and conservation have their own area, and those of us that want to discuss our hobby can get on with it.

[Guest binatone]

After reading some of the more substantial postings on this thread, I must say that I have to agree that what they (the people that want separation of discussions) say.

The last post that was closed down (blinders) was a posting that I thought was doomed from the start.

But as it turned out it was very interesting to get other peoples views and comments.

It did turn into a verbal battle in the latter stages but was visited by quite a lot of people.

Why did they visit? And why did they visit so often?

The thread was only on for a short while but was visited so many times.

Do you think this would have happened if it would have been elsewhere?

At the end of the day the argument for is far too strong for the political contributors to challenge, so therefore I believe that segregation should be adhered to.

The problem that the administrators may find is how do you categorise say the following statement? Who’s been fishing lately? ” I went fishing yesterday, had a good day, but I believe that if it wasn’t for the three or four trawlers that I suspect where illegally fishing a few miles away from us we would have had a bumper day”

Good luck.

[sam-cox]

Today conservation and politics are so important for the fucter of our beloved sport, I feel that this forum will suffer a great loss if conservation is pushed to one side.

I do know that within the next six months a new force will be launching onto the internet, this new site will be a dedicated bass site with conservation a priority, if anglers net pushes conservation to one side the new site WILL GAIN lots of anglers nets posters, and article writers along with pictures and catch reports.

I'm not willing to go any further as the people involved will have my guts for garters but anglers net be warned!

Edited March 14, 2006 by sam-cox

[Guest @Winter@]

I might join and pretend to be a trawlerman.

[Guest binatone]

I might join and pretend to of been the skipper of the golden hope and the ocean venture.

[zziplexboy]

Do you think they will have a recipe section. I've got some cracking baby bass recipes

[Grant]

I have voted yes, as I want to talk about fishing, and as this is anglersnet, I guess I expect Anglers to be on it!!

 

I started posting on here about 3- 4 years ago, and have received loads of good advice along the way, as well as providing some average advice to others!

 

I am all in favour of conservation, and do something about it, as well as keeping the odd fish.

 

I would still like to see the standing topics at the top of the forum where they are conservation related to give people a link, but am fed up at the few people who take over threads which are well intentioned.

 

Perhaps we could have the top two topics from conservation and politics as a link there, to keep up awareness?

 

Elton and the moderators have my sympathy, and more than that, if this was my forum I would be feeling a little disheartened at the behaviour sometimes apparent on here.

 

Anglersnet is a valuable resource for many people- lets keep it that way.

[stavey]

If it was not for this forum and the posts about conservation and politics etc, i would not have gotten involved with informing local anglers and clubs to me, about important issues like the latest bass consultation etc, and i very much doubt if any of my fifty plus club members would have replied to it, had they not been educated and told face to face what benefits could come out of being bothered to write a few words and respond to it.

 

So i voted no to this poll for the simple reason that besides all the bickering and bol*ocking that has gone on from time to time i feel that every sea angler in this country will eventualy benefit from the way this forum has been kept an open one to all aspects of sea angling, not locked away in seperate little sections like other fishing forums on the net that talk about the blo*dy same old crap all the time about lug and cod and casting half a mile, there is no fish to catch in my part of the sea so what is there to talk about other than trying to perhaps to get something done to put some back, then perhaps i will start to post a few reports and pictures?

 

So to all those maoning mini's who want a seperate part for politics and conservation stop and think about what may have happened in the way of responces to the bass consultation and the awareness of it,if these very same posts (that you want tucked away semi out of site) if they were then not posted openly on the main part of the anglers net forum, what sort of outcome would we have got, i would rather people were made aware of these and similar issues rather than making it easier to avoid them, so yeh ramming it down peoples thoats is sometimes the only way of getting something done, sea anglers have gotten away with apathy as an excuse for long enough and its time to keep our noses to the grindstone, so please leave things as they are elton! otherwise you will have little in a way of a sea angling forum to talk about in the future..................