Any news yet?

[Steve Coppolo]

After the angling summit a few weeks ago, where Bradshaw made a rare appearance, sea angling reps were told that he hoped to make an announcement about the Bass MLS before the MP's all made off for their long and expensive summer holidays on the 25th July. As far as I'm aware, nothing has been announced yet and it now seems that there won't be an announcement after all, unless anyone can tell me different.

 

If no announcement is made this must go down as yet another failure by the government. O.K, it's not as important as all their other failures, ie, NHS, crime, immigration, education, transport, was on terror, etc, but it's still a failure none the less. As a matter of fact, if he does make an announcement today or tomorrow, it's still a failure because even if he does go for a new MLS of 45cm, it will have come too late to protect the 2002 year class of bass. They have already been hammered this year, many of them before they could even reach the ridiculously small current MLS of 36cm. Which brings me onto my second moan.

 

The government employ various enforcement officers to ensure that the inshore fisheries are looked after. Whether it be through DEFRA and their new marine agency or Sea Fisheries Committees, inshore fisheries management swallows a huge amount of public money. Yet those given the responsiblity, and paid the wages, either can't or don't want to keep an eye on what's going on out there. They seem to think that any illegal activity will take place during office hours and that anything going on at weekends or during the night isn't their responsibility. Still, not to worry. SFC's, at least, are going to be modernised and improved, Bradshaw said so.

 

What a sad state of affairs.

Edited July 24, 2006 by Steve Coppolo

[The doctor]

BB makes his decision tomorrow and will announce by end of week or early next week at the latest.

[Steve Coppolo]

BB makes his decision tomorrow

 

Let's just hope it's the right one then.

Edited July 24, 2006 by Steve Coppolo

[The doctor]

Let's just hope it's the right one then.

 

 

Sorry to say Steve and this is a gut feeling that the news will not be good, in fact I suspect the usual response = Option 1 : do nothing.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but too many comments I heard today from his advisors indicate that the minister has been assured that;

 

1). Bass populations are healthy (in terms of numbers)

 

2). Effort and therefore exploitation/harvest is sustainable

 

3). Recruitment is good

 

All this suggests that BB will look to maintain the status quo, with a probable commitment to reappraise in three years time. I hope I'm wrong, (I feel a bit of a doom and gloom merchant at the moment), but we'll soon see.

 

 

Doc.

[Steve Coppolo]

I wont believe BB could even think of doing nothing. He has invested quite some political capital in doing something good for anglers for a change. I cannot see how he can afford not to do so:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/sacn/latest/in...amp;search=bass

Bradshaw Appeals for Responses to BMP Consultation

Written on 2005-09-17

 

In a letter published in this week's Fishing News, responding to criticisms by a fisheries leader to the consultation process leading up to the implementation of proposals in the Bass Management Plan, Ben Bradshaw, the UK Fisheries Minister has written.....

 

"Prior to the recent election, the Labour Party launched the Charter for Angling. In the foreward I said I had agreed to implement much of the excellent Bass Management Plan put forward by the Bass Anglers Sport Fishing Society".

 

One of the elements of that plan was to increase the MLS............

.........All interested parties will be invited to submit their views and evidence and I will take full account of the responses before I make a final decision on how we should proceed on the MLS.

 

Early next year, we will also be launching a second consultation on other elements of the Bass Management Plan.

 

He's a politician. Politicians lie.

[steve pitts]

He's a politician. Politicians lie.

 

Should we not give the bloke a chance before we condemn him?

 

If Nigel's gut feelings come to fruition and Steve's pesimism is justified, then I'll willingly call him a liar too, but for a few more days yet, BB has my vote of confidence.

 

Time will tell.

Edited July 25, 2006 by steve pitts

[Steve Coppolo]

Should we not give the bloke a chance before we condemn him?

 

If Nigel's gut feelings come to fruition and Steve's pesimism is justified, then I'll willingly call him a liar too, but for a few more days yet, BB has my vote of confidence.

 

Time will tell.

 

This is one occasion where I will be happy if I end up with egg all over my face. I've never been convinced that BB would do anything good for sea angling, but no one will be happier than me if he proves me wrong. But after a year of delays, excuses and non commital sound bytes, I've got no reason to think he will.

 

Even if we get our wish, it will have come too late. The 2002 year class would have been a solid foundation for the BMP and that opportunity is now gone.

Edited July 25, 2006 by Steve Coppolo

[glennk]

Think we would all be happy Steve.

[nigel2]

He's a politician. Politicians lie.

 

Hi Steve, I look in on here now and again but still can not beleive the jaundaced veiws and pure venum from the arm chair critics...or should that be key board?? any way, BB was at a meeting very recently with 3 commercials, terrible people that they are, and his advisers were put to shame for giving him the wrong advice prior to and during the meeting, even to the point where he took the the pen out of the hand of the DEFRA idiot and his note book and started taking his own notes,!!!!!!!! I am sure my source will not mind me quoteing a statement made to DEFRA at the table.................." the burgelars are running the police station" ....."you have given a national resource away and have mismanaged communities livelyhoods, they never defended the statement, upon leaving the room the defra monkeys said##**@@~~~~###### why was that said? ....the truth, was the reply, I know its gone off your MLS question,.....but do not knock the chap, its the defra advisers that are looking after shrinking jobs that are to blame, perhaps you are being ever so slightly clouded in your judgements,.....and as a complete aside........come back Binatone, or was he shoved out to apease an individual with a few freinds vews???? if its a one sided debating site.....then it should show a biased warning

[glennk]

Charge up that battery.