Countryside Alliance and FACT in the dock.

[slodger]

'(which I assumed they polled to seek their agreement),'

 

Excellent point Cranfield!

 

At the risk of inviting more castigation from the leadership, I must say no one asked me what I thought before acting on my behalf. I'm always a little uncomfortable with the 'Old boys network' feel, that the SAA has to it. Maybe I'm mistaken, but it doesn't always seem like a very democratic organisation to me.

 

Although, in the name of balance, I suppose I should add that I expect them to act on my behalf. I guess that's what they've done?

[Sportsman]

I have tried to resist getting involved in this saga as politics of any sort leave me cold. I do however wonder at the way that so many contributors refuse to accept that angling is, and is seen by others as, a field sport.

The fact is that however carefully you return your fish, some will be permanently harmed and some will die as a result of being caught. The ones that don't die you have tormented just for your own amusement. That is a FACT

The only way to prevent any of this happening is not to go fishing.

I assume that all of you who talk about killing mammals with dogs are card carrying vegans, because if not your moral high ground is looking a bit shaky.

The chicken in your weekeng curry was almost certainly the result of deadfully cruel and barbaric farming and slaughtering, but, you didn't do it so out of site, out of mind eh.

I don't hunt, never have and never wanted too but I don't have a problem with those who do, I just wish that they would stop dressing up in silly clothes to do it. I have no love for foxes and will happily shoot them. I have often thought that if foxes looked like rats instead of dogs we wouldn't be having this conversation.

I fish and shoot because I enjoy it, and I am honest enough to admit it. If I take the occasional fish or bird for the pot I don,t have a problem with that either.

I just hope that when a bunch of antis throw all of your tackle in the river and start to beat you up with clubs and iron bars (as has happened to hunters and shooters)they listen when you explain to them that fishing isn't a field sport

I am not a member of any fishing or shooting organisation, probably very remiss of me, but like most people I just want to be left alone to get on with my chosen sport, but the way things are going I think I may have to get involved at some point. The question is which is likely to do most for me?

What do you think

Regards

Dave

[slodger]

'What do you think'

 

I think, with regard to your point about hunting, that you've hit the nail on the head!

[Guest sslatter]

Well.. that's not what I think.

 

I think "sportsman's" post perfectly illustrates the divide between the "hunting, shooting, and fishing" brigade, and anglers in general..

 

"Sportsman"- the type of fishing which you practice and describe, the ethos of which you perfectly illustrate in your post, is so far removed from that of modern-day angling as to be almost in the next galaxy. You obviously know and understand so little of what angling is.

 

I shake my head in disbelief.

 

[ 26. March 2005, 02:25 PM: Message edited by: Graham. X ]

[Jaffa]

Graham, perhaps you would be so kind as to tell me what this modern ethos of angling is ? I clearly know nothing and have little understanding as I thought Sportsmans description was spot on.

[trent.barbeler]

Dear Alan,

 

Don't worry old love, I will be supplying a list of what the CA does for angling. I just want you to ask a few more times inferring as you do, it does nothing before I do.

 

RSSG? What has that got to do with.... "the only problem is that those who argued against the same few faces were out-voted and when they left the various groups in high dudgeon and in turn started their own group it failed in double quick time. It is these people that are advocating we throw our lot in with the CA - who I recall, lost their latest battle."

 

I helped start RSSG. I decided to resign and did so properly informing all concerned. Whats your gripe in this regard? I can name an endless list in FACT that have all done the same at one time or another.

 

I noticed you didn't deal or respond to the issue of NAA leaving the predator boys to go it alone in the North West? Countryside Alliance have NEVER left their members in the lurch when the crunch came.

 

So what DID/DO "you" think of the NAA when it failed to support the live baiters by getting the whole of NAA orgs to support live baiting in the North West? Are you merely comfortable to sweep this one under the carpet because it doesn't suit your "image" of what the NAA/FACT is actually about??

 

I'm finding that your views and opinions either boil down to personal attacks, or have no substance when scrutinised properly.

 

The Countryside Alliance is leaving FACT behind old love so get used to it.

 

And by the way, the Countryside Alliance DOESN'T claim to represent "ALL" anglers or nearly all anglers like NAA/FACT does. The CA merely represents the interests of its own membership. It does this rather well too Alan in a way that dwarfs what your friends "say" they are doing for you!!

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Peter M]

Sportsman:

I have tried to resist getting involved in this saga as politics of any sort leave me cold. I do however wonder at the way that so many contributors refuse to accept that angling is, and is seen by others as, a field sport.

MAybe in the wilds of sunny scotland but can i assure you that in London and other large towns and cities it is not associated with field sports. most have not even seen a proper field for ages, as for being a country sport

perhaps your should try fishing in the showdow of canery wharf and tell me if you still think angling is associated in the mind of the public with field sports. This is my main point that the CA does not cater for those anglers fishing the canals and park lakes of major towns and cities as they simply have no relevance.

[argyll]

If you're talking about the 'public' Peter, ie the non fishing public then they must see fishing as a field sport. 'hunting , shooting, fishing', thats the expression that always springs to mind and whether its fishing at Canary Wharf or on a Hampshire trout stream, the public at large see us part of the same country sports fraternity, whether we like it or not. its important to recognise that, if we wish to influence the way that the publc perceive us and vote.

[Jaffa]

Just visited the Scottish CA site and discovered they are running a pilot project to get disadvantaged kids fishing, in a town near me.

 

http://www.cafeproject.btinternet.co.uk/ne...r_march2004.htm

 

Not exactly the kind of stuff I'd imagined they were involved in from my mental "image" of them; time I gave the CA a look.

[trent.barbeler]

Dear All,

 

Whilst I continue with my gardening, something to think about;

 

The support for hunting in the wake of the ban has been outstanding, and hunts will be looking forward to next season with increased determination. The Hunting Handbook*, produced by the Alliance in conjunction with the Council of Hunting Associations, has been instrumental in providing a way forward for the hunting community until the Hunting Act is erased from the Statute Book. A new edition will be published soon, as will a strategy for hunting in the future. We are confident of both of our legal challenges, which return to the courts later this year"

 

"The Challenge to the validity of the 1949 Parliament Act will be heard by nine Law Lords in the House of Lords on 13th-14th July. The application for Judicial Review of the Hunting Act under European Human Rights legislation has been accepted by the High Court and will be heard later this year."

 

Now if the above remotely surrenders to Alan Stubbs opinion that the Countryside Alliance has lost its battle with regard to hunting that opinion is wrong. It is also clear now that a overal majority in this country don't support a ban on hunting either.

 

And can Alan seriously imagine FACT going to the lengths that the Countryside Alliance has in order to fight for their memberships? Their predecessors couldn't even drum up moral support that costs nothing for the North West predator anglers!!

 

Regards,

 

Lee.