seafoods

Check this forum and you will see in post 149 that I stated on here that many of us as not sure if we wish to remain in the service to explain to bereaved mums and widows why it took us so long to respond - after Massey's proposals make it inevitable. I find it laughable that you have the gall to post 'angry' at the end of your question, you have spent ages supporting the changes that make this inevitable. Let me ask you a question Bob, have you every been involved in SAR as a volunteer? Myself and my team joined the coastguard in order to help people - in particular, members of our community. Over the years we have managed to do that on many occasions - there have also been occasions when we have been unable to do so. Some years back we recovered the body of a close friend the day after his small boat sank - we searched until stood down the first night and were out before dawn the next morning. When dawn broke we found him, recovered him then went back to our station - five doors away from his house. Do you honestly believe I could have sat on his couch and looked his wife in the eyes if I believed delays in our response could have contributed to his death? Our village has 300 residents, neighbouring towns and villages are not big - everyone knows everyone else. Myself and my team are not sure if we wish to be part of something which, because of Massey's proposals WILL cause delays which WILL cost lives - then WE are expected to face people and try to explain what took us so long. The short answer to your question is yes, I do feel it would put lives at risk - but you are the guy who thinks local knowledge is not important, so I'm quite sure you'll agree that they will be able to replace us, IF we decide to go down that road.

So you would know local place names for all over the UK, which units were available for you to task, local tidal patterns and vagaries all from the software you have on the boat?

Sir Alan won't be clinging to a cliff face or perched on an upturned boat at sea enduring the delays, which he has admitted will happen. Sir Alan won't have to face a very upset mum who's son/daughter has just drowned/fallen off a cliff and explain why the response took so long. People like me will, volunteers - the front line troops will take the flak, many of us are not sure if we are willing to do so.

Same thing in their eyes - if you throw it away dead because of stupid regulations, you can't catch it again when you are allowed to sell it. Conservation ideas that actually work are thought up by commercial fishermen - contrary to what some would have you believe, commercial fishermen are well aware that conservation is in their own best interests.

Perhaps filleting the EU managers would be the best option

You've got a neck, less than a year as a member and you feel you have the right to tell a guy who has been a member for almost six years to go to another site. Sooner your own oft promised website is up and running the better, THEN you can dictate to people, till then wind your neck in.

Typical of the man, almost every RSA has gained a new respect for the commercial fishermen through HFW's programme showing a glimpse of what it's really like - other than you know who, as usual he's well out of step.

Their airports work ok, sometimes a helicopter arranged by the coastguard, sometimes an air ambulance

Seafoods you posted a question yesterday regarding the Shetland Isles which seems to have dissapeared It was Saturday, it was wsf, it's post 283, it's still there, FFS keep up Bob http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/show...703&page=29

If Cameron is going to send his lapdog to do it best if he goes before May, Scottish elections in May, Libdems can expect to lose the odd seat - might make the ones in Westminster a wee bit nervous about kissing tory 4rse - how many of the Libdems at Westminster have Scottish seats? More than will have next time I'ld imagine.

Have you managed to work out how the proposed coastguard setup will work in the Western Isles, Orkneys and Shetlands yet Bob? You know what I mean, the question the MCA Director can't answer, no proper cable links so how is their new system going to work?

Thanks for posting the link Elton, certainly worth a read - but must be taken with a large pinch of salt, with a bit of reality thrown in. The explosion of sea angling in the sixties/seventies contributed greatly to the reduction in stocks. The competitions resulted in boxes of cod being brought ashore - and sold by the charter skippers. Tope and spurdog were brought ashore in tonnes for weigh ins then dumped in harbours all round the country - this also happened with the large common skate. Many of the cod were from large 'local' populations, from places not targeted by commercial fishermen - you can't catch them twice, take them ashore and they are gone forever. The demise of the charter industry was assisted by the fact that most people seriously 'into' sea angling started buying their own boats. The figures quoted from the Scottish Government survey are considered seriously flawed - even by some in the Scottish Government. It is well known that many responded using multiple responses from multiple email addresses to try and 'up' the importance of their own area - this had the opposite effect of casting real doubt on the value of the survey. If the figures are to be believed more rods, tackle etc are purchased in Scotland than England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. Lies have a habit of biting the liar on the bum.

Strangely enough, when Alan Massey was appointed all the actual coastguards thought it would be great to finally have someone with proper seagoing experience at the top, rather than a bean counter. The cynical amongst us now reckon he was deliberately selected as the hatchet man to try and give the cunning plan some credibility - it aint working, nobody other than Bob is giving it any credibility or respect.

While serving as Second Sea Lord Sir Alan Massey dreamt up the Maritime Change Programme (MCP) to 'rationalise' Britains naval bases - all subs to Faslane, all major surface ships to Portsmouth, amphibians, landing craft and Royal Marines to Devonport. Real fears now exist that Portsmouth and Faslane could become terrorist targets because of this 'all eggs in one basket' policy - and real fears that Devonport will be very easy to close down now under 'budget constraints'. There you go then Bob, he could do your area a massive employment favour by causing both Falmouth Coastguard and Plymouth Devenport to close down.

Get real Bob, there aint any Vice-Admirals in the MCA, he's an ex RN Vice-Admiral and CC is right on the money.

Just in case anyone is in any doubt Penning has changed his stance, here's what he said in 2005 http://www.mikepenning.com/19082005_cuts_t...ten_fire_safety

In the meantime you can make do with this one from Shetland, the MCA man couldn't answer any of the questions put to him - not very professional that Bob. Interesting to read how Minister Mr Penning has changed his point of view since he was in opposition and very anti the proposals re the Fire Brigade! http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/01/07/...r-key-questions

We'll get by without your support then, don't worry about it - 6,000 signatures on the 'badly written'petition now, plus lots of other petitions - 1,700 on Stornoway MRCC's personal petition for instance. Every harbourmaster between the Mersey and the Mull of Galloway supporting Liverpool MRCC etc etc plus loads of politicians from all parties. Never mind Bob, they're all wrong and you are right eh?

They normally turn red and splutter when you put proof on the table that they are talking ****s.

By the way Bob, why don't you ask the minister if he has bothered his 4rse asking the volunteer CRO's whether they want 'more responsibilities', whether they will happily give up more of their free time - whether indeed he has asked their bosses in their full time work if they will allow them more time off work to excersise their 'more responsibilities'. The Q&A says it will happen - who asked the volunteers?

I'm sure the minister and his mates will have plenty of awkward questions to answer before they can consider this over.

They're not over the moon about it at Holyrood either, both the SNP and Labour - who after all are the two main parties in Scotland, are against it. Not a single LibDem or Conservative spoke against it. Roll on the Holyrood elections in May. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/National/...by-salmond.html

When you get a chance to ask him about the system he has in mind for the MCA can you also ask why he stated that the UK coastline is around 10,500 miles long, when it is actually about 19,500? Surely it couldn't be a deliberate attempt to mislead the British public into thinking the MCA have less to be responsible for than they actually do have, could it? By the way did you spot the mistake on the MCA website in the link I posted yet?