obe1

"Nobody wants to see this grotesque sight on a fun day out. It's bad enough that we have to see fishing from the sea front every time there's a high tide". And nobody wants to see grotesque overweight semi-naked holiday makers invading the beach every time there is a low tide but we have to. Joe

And they would be responsible for implementing a licence scheme, god help us Joe

Well 'm not getting into any of the arguments, there's already been too many of them over the licence, I'm just enjoying the victory, for the time being anyway. I will say this though, steve Coppolo is right, we still face all sorts of rubbish and make no mistake the licence will be back. I don't believe for one second that Martin Salter is backing Jonathan Shaw because he wanted this licence so badly, it will be back so lets be ready for it but for now let's just spend some quality time enjoying some peaceful, free fishing and a big congrats and an even bigger thank you from me to every one who contacted MPs, signed petitions, responded to the consultations and generally made a noise. WOOHOO Joe

Not all anglers see it because not all anglers get it, the EA licence money gets spent on less than half of all inland waters in England and Wales, a large proportion of waters have never seen any money or have been visited by the EA, ever. Joe

Spot on Glenn Joe

Nothing to do with post offices closing then. Joe

I hope she had all the relevant paperwork to release the fish Joe

Trouble is they are more likely to listen to the NFSA, firstly because they are a "recognized body" and secondly because it's nearer what they want to hear. NFSA - national federation of stuffing anglers. Joe

So it doesn't matter what each regional division thinks, they are supposed to follow no mater what. Well I would of thought that each individual region would have it's own views and concerns of the RSA strategy depending on their own situations, after all each region has different problems, so surely it would be far fairer and give a better picture of what is or isn't needed if each reagion could give it's own response. I'm not sure what the NFSA's stance on the strategy is because it seems to have changed over the last 12 months (I only say seems because I only have press releases to go on) but it seems now that some of it's members aren't allowed to have a say (or even allowed to know what is going on) and that's definitely not right. What ever happened to the freedom of speech. Joe

That's a joke right? surely they can't get away with doing that. Joe

Sorry mate but that view is completely correct, the government can quite easily introduce restrictions on RSA's such as NTZ's, MLS's and bag limits, etc through bylaws, a licence is not needed for that and never has been. The licence is a source of income to pay for the administration of new bodies, the policing of new regulations (some of which do not affect us directly) and for subsidising local councils for the extra work needed for improving toilets, carparks and for when these new regulations come into force i.e new signs etc. All admitted to in the marine bill if you read it properly. Joe

Well it looks like the Swedish government is fanally waking up to the fact that things can't go on as they are and are prepared to do something about it --------------- Priority 1: Adaptation of the EU fishing fleet This priority axis aims at adjusting the Swedish fishing fleet to the situation of the fish stocks, as well as improving the profitability of fishing companies. Measures foreseen include support for the permanent and temporary cessation of fishing activities, and investments in modernisation on board vessels, including engine replacement to improve energy efficiency and introduce more selective fishing methods. Socio-economic measures will facilitate the entry of young fishers into the sector and will provide compensation for loss of jobs due to the permanent cessation of fishing activities of the fishing vessels concerned. Measures to improve training for fishermen and diversification into other areas than fisheries are also envisaged. --------------- Can't see anything actualy saying a licence is on the cards in priority 4 although maybe there is a hint in there but at least if it is introduced the Swedes will see something in return because they are willing to improve commercial fishing for the better whereas our government seems to be unwilling to do so. Let's hope they wake up soon and start to look at other countries to see what can be achieved, sadly I can't see that happening anytime in the near future Good link by the way Joe

Yes I do call it a tax and yes I do oppose it because the licence wil make absolutely no difference to the marine environment or fish stocks, the two things it is supposed to influence. Things here are definitely not heading the same way as they are in New Zealand because the New Zealand government decides the fate of their fish stocks but the government here does not and that is the reason that a licence will never benefit anglers in this country. Yes RSA's should be involved but we shouldn't have to pay for a right to be involved in something that affects all of us, we have something called the freedom of speech and it is one of our fundemental human rights to voice an opinion and have that opinion heard, if we are to deny people the right to have a say because thay do not contribute towards something then should we not deny the unemployed the right to vote. Let's get one thing straight, the word stakeholder has been used a lot recently to describe anglers but the whole point of this bill is to create a better marine environment, a marine environment that affects every man, woman and child in the UK, we are all stakeholders because our marine environment affects each and every one of us in some way or another. Yes we benefit from it more than some but so do boat owners, jet skiers, divers, holiday makers and anybody who eats commercially caught fish, yet it is RSA's that are being singled out to cough up more money to try to compensate for an inadequate fisheries policy. Until that policy is sorted out then it doesn't matter how much money you throw at the problem it will still be there, even if the licence was £200 it wouldn't make any difference to fish stocks because the ONLY thing that will increase fish stocks is a decent fisheries policy and that is something we have no control over, licenced or not. Joe

OK now I'm getting a little confused!!!!!!!!!! Er that's what I've been saying, so a licence won't make any difference. What's that got to do with a sea licence? and anyway all fish suffer a decline at some point, saltwater or freshwater, licenced or not. I don't see anything wrong with that, in fact it just goes to prove that proper fisheries management such as minimum landing sizes, bag limits etc. can be implemented without a rod licence. So again, the licence is a tax, it will give no benefit to RSA's environmentaly, politically or financially. Anything that Defra says the licence will help to deliver can only be achieved by proper fisheries management and not the introduction of a rod licence. Being as most of our fisheries policies are decided in Brussels and the government is about to give away any remaining say we have left then a better marine environment, and better and bigger fish stocks can not be created by the UK government, therefore a licence will not produce the benefits the government say it will, therefore it is just a way of collecting more money, therefore it is just a tax. Joe

But it is a fact, it is impossible to create bigger and better fish stocks unless we control our own fisheries, that is fact, and a licence will give us no more say than we have now, that is also fact. Here is one more fact for you, New Zealand, Norway and Iceland have some of the best sea fishing in the world but is that because they have a rod licence - no because they don't, it is because they have control of their own fisheries and that is what creates a better marine environment and not a rod licence - FACT. Yes there are many more things that affect sea anglers but a rod licence is in my opinion near the top of the list because allowing the introduction of a licence will leave anglers open to untold amounts of legislation, that is also a fact, just look at America. Joe