steve pitts

Ah! You are assuming that he caught all 10,000. What if he only caught half of them? That would make them at least 40lb apiece. i'e. as likely as the rest of the exagerated drivel in the report. I'm not doubting that he caught the same fish - One particular bass, tagged some years ago, has been caught a further three times from the same rock mark in Wales, over three consecutive years, by two different anglers (the original captor has caught it three times in all). The tag identifies the fish and it is weighed and measured each time, to record its growth rate. From the BASS website One tagged bass (E416756) has become more important than a record fish. It was originally tagged by Tony Spiller on 24 may 2001, Tony caught the same fish fifteen months later on 21 august 2002 from almost the same spot. Thirteen months later on 17 september 2003, Tony recaptured the same fish, again from the same mark; and now, unbelievably, it has been recaptured by John Morgan on 21 August 2004, yet again from the same mark! It has become so well known locally, that it has been given a name - Billy!

I was particularly amused (in a masochistic kind of way) with this one - South West Pesca Facilitation Cornwall County Council has been awarded a priority 6 grant. This is a continuation of an existing project funding 3 full time posts for South West Pesca facilitation, publishing FIFG grants and helping applicants apply for grants. Grant of £93,404 from FIFG towards a £124,539 project. The project benefits all districts in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. In other words - A 75% grant, to fund a group, who apply for the grants in the first place !!! Well, if anyone should know how to shaft the tax-paying public out of their community contributions, it's this lot I suppose. First aquaint yourself with the rules and the loopholes and then exploit them to keep yourself in a job. I'm sure that they would see it as providing a much needed service to the people of Cornwall after all, all this vessel modernisation (new galley equipment, satellite navigation and ice boxes etc.) is benefiting Cornwall as a whole according to each application justification - e.g. This project will benefit the Kerrier District etc. etc. No mention of the project benefiting the back pocket of the vessel owner, or what the good people of Cornwal, UK and EU can expect in return for their contribution to these subsidised business activities. The world has gone mad - or is it just me? Cheers Napoleon

Two questions Sam - Q 1. What do we want when we get there? Q 2. Do you think that more than 9 others will come? Sea Anglers can't be bothered to join the NFSA, or many other clubs that fight their corner for them, so I can't see many going to the expense of travelling to London and taking time off work, to go to Parliament. Those that do that already, get slagged off for not being forceful enough anyway, so why should they turn up either - better make that a small mini-bus if you're booking one.

Leon It's refreshing to read your factual posts, amongst the mud-slinging and name-calling. On the one hand we have anglers calling all commercial fishermen thieves - which is clearly an outrageous blanket statement and on the other we have a commercial fisherman ignoring (or is blissfuly unaware ) of the fact that the commercial lobby put a huge amount of pressure on MPs, Defra and the EU fisheries management hierarchy, in order to overturn the scientific evidence and advice to cut quota and fishing pressure, for the benefit of the industry, rather than the stocks themselves. Despite the rhetoric from both sides, there are some common areas to which we both aspire, but the attitudes of some - which border on ignorant prejudice - will hold back any meaningful dialogue for years to come. Give me your 'waffle' any day Leon, as it is deplomacy, tolerence and compromise from both sides that is needed, not spats and aggression.

It must be true, because it was in the SUN the following day

The poll is currently 34% to 66% against the concept of anglers and commercial fishermen working together. Given that the majority of the FN readership are from the commercial sector, I think they've made their stance quite clear. We'll see how the final vote goes, but I wouldn't hold your breath for a positive outcome.

Hi Grant I know what it's like to go somewhere and not quite know what to expect in the way of fishing.....what gear to take....species to expect and where to fish. I have to confess that I haven't been to St Lucia (one day maybe) but I have done quite a bit of fishing in and around the Caribbean 'on a shoestring' a contradiction in terms perhaps, but I have tired of paying 500 bucks to sit on the back of a charter boat and watch the deck hand do all the work. I much prefer to be more hands-on. I and a few friends have had a lot of success going out with the local fishermen, fishing inshore for cuda, kingfish, dolphin, bonito etc. at a fraction of the cost. Of course, you sacrifice comfort and a few other luxuries, but it is a more intimate experience and you get to do all your own fishing - actually holding the rod when you get a hit. We have also done a lot of shore fishing with lures, for jacks, snook, tarpon and bonefish and have had some spectacular sport from the steep sandy beaches, mangroves and flats. You might like to look at a series of short articles that I wrote for a website devoted to Tobago. It's not a million miles from St Lucia and I would imagine that many of the suggestions could be transferred, perhaps with a little adaptation. The tarpon fishing, in particular, should be very good. http://www.mytobago.info/fishing.php Cheers Steve

Nice work indeed Martin! Just goes to show that the early bird catches.......well, whatever is there really and there seems to be a fare mixture of species on your mark. Nice scad by the way. I have found July to be very good for Scad, close in off the D******* ledges, especially the half-hour either side of dawn, with black lures working best. I know that most of the Dorset and Hants swiffers fish a certain scad mark later in the year at night, but it does get a tad packed out, so enjoy your solitary wanderings - we might bump into each other one morning. Cheers Steve PS The BASS fly rod raffle ends this Wednesday and your Blondes will be on their way to a new owner on Thursday. PPS Here's a 'scad' from one of my marks http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/ste...StevesJack4.jpg

Sam I have no wish to disagree with the above statement, but there are many who will. It's a claim that has been levelled at BASS and the BMP as elitist or exclusive (which we are not) I've read plenty of posts, which disagree with the 'UK's premier sportfish' claim. It's the motto of BASS, but that's just our view - like a Liverpool or Chelsea fan claiming premier status. Both are bloody good teams and capable of claiming they are the best - depends on your allegence and the end of season results. I know, that many BASS members are sea anglers - pure and simple. Yes, some only fish for bass, but they are a tiny minority. Most fish for other species and hold mullet, pollock, tope, smoothhounds and spurdogs, wrasse - even mackerel and scad (the fly fishers) in very high regard and all of these could claim to be the UK's premier sporting species - depends on the tackle and methods employed. I fully agree with you that the BMP is possible because we have so much information on bass and have found the time and energy to put all this together in a proposal document. More over - The BMP could easily be adapted as a blueprint for other species and that, as you say, seems to be overlooked by many people. Cheers Steve

Sorry - I gave the wrong link for the Printable Document File for the BMP - this one would be better http://ukbass.com/bassmanagementplan/bmp/bmpdraft.pdf

Well, you would have thought so Sam and I expect some would, if they were aware of it. I'll give you an example of my own experiences with a major tackle shop in Bristol if I may. During the bass MLS consultation, I printed off 200 A4 leaflets http://ukbass.com/downloads/whyfortyfivecms.pdf and took them to the tackle shop. I explained to the sea angling section manager what the consultation was all about andI asked if I could leave them in a box on the counter, so that the customers could take one, read it and hopefully feel the need to respond to the consultation. To be honest, I got the impression that it was all to much trouble. 'We don't want leaflets cluttering up the counter and people chucking them on the floor' he said. I suggested that maybe it wouldn't be asking too much if he handed a leaflet to anyone who bought bass related tackle. But I could see that I was on a sticky wicket. Hand out leaflets, just so his customers would be well-informed and maybe support a cause that would improve their fishing and his profit margins? He just couldn't see it. I could see that he was either suspicuous of my motives or just didn't make the connection between improved fish stocks and improved business for him - which is pretty universal amongst tackle shop proprietors and the tackle trade in general. Can't blame them - they're busy people. But I would have thought that the penny should have dropped by now. All his customers ever do is moan and bitch about how crap the fishing is and here am I suggesting that these leaflets might offer a bit of an improvement - too much trouble - sorry. Sam How about printing off a copy of the BMP from - http://ukbass.com/bassmanagementplan/bmp/index.html and taking it along to your local tackle shops during a quiet spell (not Saturday morning ). You might have more luck than I did and they can then see what you're talking about. If you prefer, I can send you a full presentation copy of the BMP (just like the one Ben Bradshaw has) and a few BASS newsletters, if you PM me your address. Cheers Steve

All part of the fun we have in BASS Sam. Think I'll go fishing tomorrow evening. If you're going over the weekend - be lucky. Cheers Steve

I make that 10 miles offshore then Colin I'm surprised that we didn't see this evidence in the SFC response Nil Desperandum Steve

Hi Colin Lunch-time again eh? You might also be interested in the BASS response to the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) on the bass mls. It ran a little later than the Defra consultation and we used pretty much the same response, but added several pages of info. and data, specific to Wales. We even provided a translation in Welsh of our 'Why do we need a 45cm MLS for bass' advert. Once again the source of this info was widely available from the two presiding SFCs websites and from WAGs own website. If you have a spare 15 mins you might find pages 21 - 26 entertaining http://www.ukbass.com/downloads/bass_wag_resp.pdf Bon Appetite Steve

Hi Colin This was posted on the BASS website ( www.ukbass.com ) some time ago http://ukbass.com/2006/02/fact-from-fiction.html As you'll see, It is not just the NW&NWJSFC who don't know their r's from their elbows, when it comes to commenting on bass. They believe and repeat what ever fantasies they are told, irrespective of the hard evidence. As has been mentioned in other threads - it is the dominance of one sector on SFCs, which scues the direction of thier thinking and it would be great if a few more anglers turned up at the quarterly meeting to observe the proceedings. The same info. was presented on page 19 of the BASS response to the mls consultation. http://www.ukbass.com/downloads/bass_defra_resp.pdf and if you ever have another boring lunch-time to fill, you may wish to look at page 8, where we summarise entries from the South West Liners web-site, proving without question that they never catch a single bass over 37.5cm (the Cornish mls for bass) Cheers Steve

Elton Please find below the current tariff for arranging a BASS abduction of mother- in-laws Abduction of a mother-in-law belonging to a bait fishing member - £50 Abduction of a mother-in-law belonging to a lure fishing member - £75 Abduction of a mother-in-law belonging to a fly fishing member - £250 (if they can afford Sage rods and Abel reels, then they can afford the premium abduction rate) As BASS is not registered for VAT, the above prices are fully inclusive of - Pre-arranged abduction (when you are with the wife to establish a water-tight alibi) Sending of a ransom note to loved ones, with severed pinky enclosed. Follow-up letter (to make it look good) with threats of further appendage removal Kidnap accomodation rates include half-board, with optional deprivation of Eastenders All ransoms raised go to the BASS restoration fund, so you can get rid of the old trout and help improve your bass fishing, in one fell swoop. We are thinking of introducing a 'Lucky Lucan' self-inflicted adbuction, for members who wish to disapear for a few weeks fishing (or any other activity, frowned upon by the better half) and will be offering this on an all-inclusive (local wines, beers and spirits) basis, with a 20% discount if you can get a mate to share a room with you. Places on the 'Lucky Lucan' DIY disapearance scheme are likely to be over-subscribed, so they will be allocated on a first come, first served basis - and upon the payment of a non-refundable £50 deposit. The balance of £100 to be paid four weeks before the date of the abduction. Note: BASS is not ABTA bonded, so you are advised to take out suitable holiday insurance, in the unlikely event that your holiday........sorry......disapearance is postponed or disrupted by baggage handlers strikes, delays of a technical nature, or the wife discovering your plans in advance and arranging a BBQ for all her side of the family, that you are forced to attend. Cheers Steve

Sam IMHO they've got a LOT better, thanks - once again - to a very small group of determined and dedicated volunteers on the NFSA conservation group. Steve

Sorry CJS2, the BASS website address was in my post, but for some reason it didn't appear as a hyperlink. Not playing secret squirrels - honest. Sorry if I appeared a bit arsey in my post, but I really do feel that 'those at the sharp end' deserve a lot more credit than they appear to be given. Questioning their motives and intentions, when things don't seem to be going the way we planned, set my hackles on end. Please believe me when I say that BASS welcomes anyone who enjoys catching bass and that a large percentage of its members fish for other species with equal passion - some are members of NMC, Conger Club,or Shark club of GB. I have met many good friends during my 20 year membership and not one self-centered, egotist amongst any of them. Like all forms of angling, there is a huge cross-section of backgrounds and professions and angling, being the great leveller that it is, we all respect each others right to use whatever method he or she chooses. Bait fishing was the premier method 25 years ago (still is for big bass) but with the advent and wide-spread use of spinning gear and now saltwater flyfishing, bait has taken a bit of a back seat. That doesn't make BASS elitist (and we don't ponse around in tweeds either Leon - you wag), but bass angling has evolved since BASS was formed and these innovations are reflected in the magazine, because members want to share these new-found methods and their experiences - that's how open we are. All anyone has to do is join (OK - and part with the 18 quid a year subs) and all of this is available to them - no oathes of allegence, no secret handshakes, signet rings, clandestine tattoos or funny hats to wear (although some do wear some pretty funny headgear on the beach). If you don't like it - you don't renew your membership. You'll have had four magazines and an annual newsletter (keeping you up to date with all the latest gossip), hopefully learned few tricks for bass and we won't send the boys around to kidnap your mother-in-law (that costs extra). Cheers Steve

Thanks for your continued support for the BMP Steve. We haven't been out-manouvered and we certainly have NOT been defeated. I honestly don't know what all the fuss is about - the decision on the bass mls consultation is a few weeks behind schedule. So what? To make a real difference on the 2002 year-class the mls needed to be increased in the spring - this was stressed to Defra - hence the consultation starting in late 2005. In reality it was never going to be implemented in time - but we gave it our best shot. I don't call that defeat - rather, bad timing. I am surprised though, that people who were, just a few months ago, 100% behind the BMP are now prepared to go on record as saying it could be the worst thing that happened to RSA - WHAT ROLLOCKS! Nothing has changed, except perhaps, that the MLS consultation has proven that the BMP cannot be swept under the carpets at Defra and SFC offices and that we are well on the way to securing some tangiable gains for all the hard work that has gone in. Oh, one final word.... Membership of BASS is not compulsary - it never has been. Access to www.ukbass.com where all of our news is posted, is freely available, If anyone does join, they will benefit from - 4 magazines a year Fish-ins in Wales, Cornwall and Ireland A restoration newsletter An invitation to the AGM (which is open to non-members) Access to a secure members forum And as for BASS being elitist....... Elitist my arse! Cheers Steve

Hi Phil In respect of the recent consultation to raising the mls for bass to 45cms - Defra also proposed increases in the minimum mesh size to 105mm for gill nets. Our view (BASS) is that the minimum mesh size should be 110cm, because Defra's advisors indicated that a minimum mesh size of 105mm would produce a bycatch (discards) of undersized fish, but of course, there are several views on this subject alone (some have suggested 115cm) - but it obviously makes sense to set mms to allow fish under the mls to slip through unharmed. Getting it right, should on balance, favour the fish. Cheers Steve

Sam I agree with some of what you say - the evidence is out there, both on a scientific level and the evidence of our own eyes. Big bass can be caught from the shore and from inshore boats. One of the problems has been collating all this info. Studies by Don Kelley, Pickett and Pawson, CEFAS, BASS and individuals like Bob, which as you say, date back 30-40 years. In it's response to the bass mls consultation, the BASS restoration team spend three months preparing this information in a form which could be understood by anyone with a basic of degree fisheries knowledge and Defra have had this since 30th Jan. We provided what evidence was available, that the myths being put forward on this issue were just that - myths. If you haven't already read it, you can find the document at http://www.ukbass.com/downloads/bass_defra_resp.pdf where it was posted on the closure date of the consultation in February. I think that we devoted half a dozen pages to this topic alone. On the BASS website you will also find a short film, which once again you might have seen, dispelling the big bass myth. You'll also remember the Sea Angler ad, which focused on why we mainly catch smaller bass nowadays. There is only so much that limited resources will stretch to and the internet is one of the cheapest mediums to circulate this kind of material, to the widest possible audience. Wrt your comment on those at the front not having the balls to put the facts out so anglers can be kept informed - I think that you do those at the sharp end a huge dis-service with that remark. I know several who subsidise the campaign with unpaid days off work, weekends at meetings and spending hours preparing consultation responses and attending SFC quarterly meetings. They don't do it for the glory and they don't do it for the pay (Ha Ha) They do it, because, like you, they remember when a six or seven pound fish was considered pretty average and a double wasn't an impossible dream. They want bigger bass (and other species too) back. If you want to know what it's really like at the sharp ends, then why not volunteer to be co-opted onto the NFSA conservation group or the BASS restoration project and get stuck in, shovelling some of the brown stuff that we are up to our eyes in. Many hands.....and all that. I should add that this is my personal comment - no-one elses. Regards Steve Pitts

This reply sent to the Cornishman 20/12/05 Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society. Dedicated to the conservation of our premier sporting sea fish since 1973 The Editor The Cornishman 19th December 2005 Sir, ‘Government’s proposal ‘anti-British’ reads the Cornishman’s heading to the article about Defra’s proposed increase for the bass minimum landing size [Cornishman 15th Dec.] On the contrary, these proposals are designed to provide the best return from the sea bass resource to the UK economy. That is the reason the Fisheries Minister has identified the overwhelming logic in increasing the minimum landing size for bass. The seed for these proposals came from the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office strategy unit report on UK fishing –‘Net Benefits’, which said: “Fisheries management policy should recognise that sea angling may, in some circumstances, provide a better return on the use of some resources than commercial exploitation.” In other words, some of our publicly owned natural fish stock resources may provide a better return for the UK PLC if utilised recreationally. The report went on to say: “Fisheries departments should review the evidence supporting arguments for re-designating commercially caught species for wholly recreational sea angling, beginning with bass.” This report brought to the UK Government’s attention, that which has long since been recognised in other parts of the world; recreational sea angling is big business with enormous socio-economic impacts in coastal communities, that for some species, exceeds those of commercial fishing.. Recreational sea anglers consulted with Defra and put together a Bass Management Plan. Anglers considered that in order to deliver better value from the sea bass resource, a primary requirement was to ensure a far higher proportion of bass are allowed to grow so that the structure of bass stocks is represented more naturally by fish of all ages. The species can live for over 20 years, yet an examination of current catches (recreational and commercial) reveals the existing stock profile is worryingly short of fish over 7 years old. It was decided unnecessary to suspend commercial exploitation, because with appropriately sympathetic management measures upon all catchers, it was felt the bass resource could support a profitable commercial fishery targeting larger bass, that will not compete with huge quantities of farmed bass [EU farmed bass production 55,000 tonnes against an EU wild catch of 7,500 tonnes], whilst simultaneously supporting the major stakeholder activity – recreational sea angling. Mr. Trebilcock’s assertion that sea anglers are ‘vocal and ill-informed’ clearly shows a profound intolerance of the need for other interested parties to have their say in how our fish stocks are managed. Mr Trebilcock may of course be totally unaware of the Strategy Unit’s 'Net Benefits' Report, and indeed the Drew Report evaluating Recreational Sea Angling (RSA) as an industry with direct expenditure in England & Wales of over half a billion pounds. He can not however be ignorant of the Invest in Fish project of which he is a steering group member. A study of sea angling in the South West, carried out as part of Invest in Fish, found the RSA sector is responsible for £165 million of direct expenditure within the region and that bass is the most sought after species by almost half of all anglers who live and vacation in the South West. Members of The Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society have been involved in many long-term studies of bass biology; •Sample netting of young bass in the West Country’s estuaries, to determine spawning success, year-class survival and growth rates. Much of what we now know about the species is derived from over 40 years of painstaking research. •Tagging studies, scientifically structured, to learn more about the distribution and life-cycle of bass are shedding new light on how vulnerable our inshore stocks are to over-exploitation. •The Society’s catch records and scale samples stretches back over 25 years and provide invaluable information regarding relative abundance of bass over 3lb, which were once common, but are now rare in some areas. •We have recently presented evidence in Brussels regarding the potential benefits of an EU- wide adoption of a 45cm MLS, which was very well received . Far from being ill-informed anglers, as Mr Trebilcock labels us, B.A.S.S has produced the Bass Management Plan based on extensive research and an in-depth knowledge of both the recreational and commercial fisheries. It is our view that the vulnerability of our bass stocks can only be offset by a coherent set of measures that are designed to ensure a robust stock structure, with an optimum number of mature fish to supply the fishery with young fish and the fishers with a renewable resource. Abundant fish stocks represented by a more natural stock structure that includes a good proportion of older and larger individuals are actually the best option for all user stakeholders in the long term. An indication of just how well informed Mr. Trebilcock is, is revealed by his claim that Cornwall and the UK already have the most restrictive bass management regime in Europe. For his information; In the Republic of Ireland (a full EU member state), where sea angling tourism is better appreciated, their bass management regime prohibits all commercial fishing for bass and restricts anglers with seasonal and bag limit controls. Restrictive – but very effective at drawing anglers to Eire by the thousand AND ensuring that the local bass population includes a healthy proportion of older and larger individuals. Turning to Mr. Pascoe’s argument that: “it is a well known fact that during their lifecycle, bass migrate offshore (outside 12 miles)”. This opinion does not accord with the latest scientific information which Mr. Pascoe should be aware of, as it was well publicised in a recent edition of Fishing News (commercial fishing weekly). Dr Mike Pawson (Government fisheries scientist) states: “The most recent tagging study also showed that the winter offshore fishery probably accounts for no more than 10% of the exploitation of bass otherwise taken in fisheries (both commercial and recreational) within UK territorial waters. Overall, there appears to be relatively little mixing between UK stocks and those along the continental and Irish coasts.” Dr Pawson also concludes that the majority of benefits associated with an increase in the MLS will accrue to UK exploiters. Sea anglers are not opposed to commercial fishing per se, but we are vehemently opposed to the ongoing depletion of stocks where fish become fewer and/or smaller. Leading sea angling organisations also applaud the concept of line-caught fish and in particular the initiative of Cornwall Seafood promoting line-caught bass. This fishery, 20 years ago, conducted at places like the Manacles, Runnelstones, St Ives Stones, Dodman etc. would rarely, if ever, have seen a bass as small as 45 cm (2 lbs), yet some hook and line commercials are now opposed to the very moves which are aimed at restoring the abundance of older, larger and more valuable bass to these locations. We find it perplexing that the voice of commercial fishermen (if they are indeed the voice) continue to bury their heads in the sand and insist on contradicting the mounting raft of evidence that points to an increased MLS as being beneficial to the stock, to commercial fishermen and anglers and to the economy. Fish are a publicly owned resource and public ownership must regain control of and drive our fisheries management policy. Sea Anglers merely wish to share in that responsibility. Yours sincerely Steve Pitts On behalf of the Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society

I think that now is a good time to move on to more pressing matters like getting letters off to Defra in support of an increase in the bass MLS (OPTION 2 of the current consultation). If anyone needs any ideas on what to write - just pm me or check out some of Leon's postings. I'm sure we've all learned a few lessons from this thread and the preceding events. Now, I'm really looking forward to assisting in taking the remainder of the BMP throught the public consultation process and achieving what we set out to do all those years ago. Cheers Steve

--> QUOTE(Norm B @ Dec 22 2005, 07:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the apology Leon, perhaps BASS could make amends by putting an ad in Sea Angler thanking SAN, BFM and TSF for donating FREE SPACE to BASS. That might put the record straight. Norman Please accept my full apology for getting the words 'fishing' and 'angling' mixed between Sea Angling News and Boat Fishing Monthly, when compiling my report for John Leballeur of BASS, in reply to the recent posts re. the Bass Management Plan adverts. It had been a very long day, following phone calls and emails from many sources, for clarification of the facts. I think that the originator of the rumour has a lot to answer for and has done all those involved no favours. AN's posters have merely followed the thread as it unfolded and got sucked in, due to an incomplete version of events. I appreciate your feelings regarding the payment made for advertising space in Sea Angler and I hope that you will appreciate our position in wanting to ensure that important information was publicised accurately in all of the mainstream sea angling periodicals. The reporting of BASS/ NFSA initiatives, press releases and up-dates is vital if the angler on the beach /boat is to fully realise the changes that are waiting around the corner in terms of improvements in our sport - but if they aren't made aware, then they will never know how good it could be, for we need their full support, particularly when their inclusion in public consultatons on fisheries issues are negotiated on their behalf. We have always enjoyed a good working relationship with the majority of the angling press, but, following a less than enthusiastic response from the SA editor's office to our 'Big Bass on the Brink' article in January, the BASS committee felt that the only way to get our message across to the SA readership was to pay for an advert, but to negotiate the best rate possible. To that end I offered to contact SA's advertising dept. and they donated one page and gave a discount off of the page that we paid for. Not our ideal solution, as this eroded our campaign funds at a time when we need every penny we have. I trust that your readers and the reader of BFM, TSF & AnglersNet will all consider that you have supported BASS, NFSA and the sport in general by keeping the readership up to speed with developments in the progress that has been made over the past couple of years. We don't like paying for adverts to inform our fellow-sea anglers of what is essentially crucial news, but if this is the only way to get the message out and ensure sea anglers succeed in having a voice at the fisheries table, we will not hesitate to put our (BASS) money where our mouths are and our members support this view. I hope that you will continue to share our views and support our efforts, for which were are grateful. Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year Steve Pitts BASS Restoration Project