September meeting with Defra?

[Steve Coppolo]

Well, this goes part of the way to explaining the secrecy surrounding these meetings.

 

It transpires that issues not unrelated to angler bag limits, quotas, etc, have indeed been discussed at various meeting with Defra, attended by RSA misreperesentatives.

 

RSA reps were invited to comment on proposals to gather data on sea anglers' catches. They have also helped to put together a questionnaire, (log book?), making it comprehensive, but simple and easy to complete.

 

It is not known how many anglers will be taking part, in what areas, or whether they are all NFSA/AT members. Apparently, there is still work to be done on the details before the individual anglers, who will be taking part in the study, are identified. The study is being carried out by Cefas and is expected to last 3 years.

 

The reason we have heard nothing of this until now, is that the meetings have been deliberately kept quiet. Apparently, because some of the things that have been discussed are deemed to be economically or politically sensitive.

 

The above information was taken from a post on the BASS forum, made by Leon Roskilly in response to some direct questions asked by another BASS member. As it's a private members' forum, I can't post the exact content of the questions asked, or the answers given by Leon. What I've given above is just a brief outline of the content. Perhaps Leon would care to post the answers that he posted on the private BASS forum, on here for us all to see?

[Leon Roskilly]

The reason we have heard nothing of this until now, is that the meetings have been deliberately kept quiet. Apparently, because some of the things that have been discussed are deemed to be economically or politically sensitive.

 

Well, well well!

 

What a twisting of the truth!

 

 

ps Minutes of the last couple of RSA sub-group meetings are available on the SACN website

Edited January 13, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[Leon Roskilly]

Duplicate Post

Edited January 13, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[Leon Roskilly]

The Science Project which CEFAS is undertaking for DEFRA is also revealed on the SACN website (posted in 2006)

 

http://www.sacn.org.uk/News/DEFRA_Science_...sory_Group.html

 

MF12-3 Improved understanding and management of recreational fisheries

 

This project aims to provide a better understanding of the impacts of recreational fisheries on marine resources and socio-economic activities.

 

Current and alternative management strategies will be evaluated through case studies (e.g. bass, tope, grey mullet and salmon) with respect to the economic value of recreational fisheries and their impacts on yield, population structure and sustainability.

 

 

And in the published papers of the Marine Fisheries Science Advisory Group

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/marine/science/mfsag.htm

 

 

Lack of awareness doesn't = secrecy!

Edited January 13, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[Steve Coppolo]

Well, well well!

 

What a twisting of the truth!

 

How is it twisting the truth? It's what you said on the BASS forum. Why don't you post up your answers so that people can see for themselves?

[Leon Roskilly]

How is it twisting the truth? It's what you said on the BASS forum. Why don't you post up your answers so that people can see for themselves?

 

 

If you really believe that, check again carefully!

 

I was asked questions on the BASS forum, I answered on the BASS forum.

 

I've no inclination to spend my own valuable time copying posts from one forum to another.

 

Nor indeed to post any information on any forum, when it's then so often misquoted, taken out of context, misunderstood and sometimes simply gleefully seized upon by those who seemingly just want to dig dirt and spread s**t, rather than doing something far more constructive with their own time.

Edited January 13, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[Steve Coppolo]

If you really believe that, check again carefully!

 

I was asked questions on the BASS forum, I answered on the BASS forum.

 

I've no inclination to spend my own valuable time copying posts from one forum to another.

 

Nor indeed to post any information on any forum, when it's then so often misquoted, taken out of context, misunderstood and sometimes simply gleefully seized upon by those who seemingly just want to dig dirt and spread s**t, rather than doing something far more constructive with their own time.

 

I do believe that, Leon, but I took your advice and read what you wrote on the BASS forum again - carefully.

 

You state that progress is reported through the RSA stakeholder group and, up until the point you made your post, the records and papers of these meetings hadn't been made public.

 

You go on to state that papers and records of meetings with the Marine Fisheries stakeholders forum are put onto the defra website, but that participants of the Inshore fisheries Working Group have declined to make their deliberations public because much of the discussion is economically and politically sensitive.

 

Does RSA have a representative on the Inshore Fisheries Working Group?

 

The reason I dug this thread up was that I, and other interested sea anglers, wanted to know what has been discussed at various meetings over the last several months. You have not given any of us one snippet of information regarding these discussions. Then I read on the BASS forum that you did know some of what had been discussed, but chose not to tell us.

 

As you well know, there are a lot of serious changes coming our way and whatever is decided will affect all of us, not just those of you who attend meetings with Defra. We all deserve to be kept informed; and should be able to express our disatisfaction when you choose to keep us in the dark.

 

Why don't you tell us, now, what you know?

[Steve Coppolo]

I should have said that you also state, in your post on the BASS forum, that the RSA stakeholder group, which is a sub group of the Inshore fisheries Working Group, have no objection to papers and records being made public. In which case I have to ask why they/you didn't let us know what you'd been discussing at these meetings?

Edited January 13, 2009 by Steve Coppolo

[Leon Roskilly]

I should have said that you also state, in your post on the BASS forum, that the RSA stakeholder group, which is a sub group of the Inshore fisheries Working Group, have no objection to papers and records being made public. In which case I have to ask why they/you didn't let us know what you'd been discussing at these meetings?

 

 

As I've said above, minutes of previous meetings are posted on the SACN website.

 

(The November meeting minutes were released by DEFRA yesterday - purely co-incidentally! The previous minutes were posted quite some time ago)

 

If you've the time perhaps you can dig out the urls and post them here.

Edited January 13, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[Leon Roskilly]

Why don't you tell us, now, what you know?

 

 

Life is too short