A Pro-active Angling Trust....

[Bob Bradford]

It's not often I disagree with Keith Arthur, we share mostly the same views on many of the politics within angling, we are both passionate members of Angling Trust and do everything we can to promote it.

Kings Lynn AA hold a club membership with Angling Trust, last year some of their club waters were illegally netted, the river Wissey to be specific, a couple of Eastern Europeans were caught complete with large nets, a motor boat,and other essential equipment to enable them to rape and plunder valuable natural fish stocks,informed opinion is they were doing this on a commercial basis, such was the level of the operation.

 

They were caught and prosecuted, all of their equipment was confiscated and they were ordered to pay £60 each for costs........ no court fine and no compensation for Kings Lynn AA.

 

To me, they got off very lightly, we do not even know if the equipment they used was purchased legally, but that aside, they got away with it in my book.

 

Now to the reason for this post, Fish Legal, the legal dept of Angling Trust have written to the two men asking the pair to make "an enforceable promise" that they will never again fish any of KLAA clubs waters, if they refuse to comply, then Fish Legal will apply for County court injunctions against them trespassing on club waters.

 

Keith seems to think this is a petty waste of time and unenforceable, I could not disagree more.

 

For as long as I can remember I have longed for a pro-active angling organisation with bite, I believe angling now has it in the Angling Trust, if a Court injunction is taken out on these two thieves and subsequently broken by them they could be facing a custodial sentance...... that is a proper ,forceful deterrent and sends out a loud and clear message to fish thieves up and down the Country...... if you mess with our member clubs,if you steal their fish, we will be coming for you, we will seek you out and hunt you down, using the law we will bang you up!!!!

 

As a part time voluntary club Bailiff , a club that is a member of Angling Trust,my club ( with similar problems) can expect the same sort of protection offered Kings Lynn AA, I am greatly heartened by this stance, if the courts fail us in the first instance , we have a back-up , a potent back-up too!

 

Keith calls for more positive press regarding the Angling Trust in his piece, well Keith, if I were running a club with similar fish theft problems but dithering over the annual subscriptions to join the Angling Trust, I think this latest pro-active stance would have persuaded me to join.......and pronto too!

 

Here is a link; http://www.anglingtrust.net/news.asp?secti...ing+of+poachers

Edited March 17, 2009 by Bob Bradford

[Steve Coppolo]

I used to fish the river Wissey for Eels when I was a boy. The Wissey is a great Eel river, but some of the bream we used to catch whilst targetting them, were something else.

 

As for the threat from Fish Legal, I bet those eastern europeans are quaking in their boots.

[Elton]

Why not add your opinions to the thread we already have on this subject, here

[Bob Bradford]

To quote you from another recent thread Steve Coppolo,

 

"I would be more than happy to fork out £20 a year for someone to fight the issues, and people, that threaten my sport"

 

If the above is true and a genuine comment, it is hard to understand why you choose to be quite so sarcastic about Fish Legal Steve? when in fact, Angling Trust are doing exactly what you crave.

 

Elton, I apologise, I did not see the "other thread", although you have to agree, my thread does have an additional spin on it.

[Steve Coppolo]

To quote you from another recent thread Steve Coppolo,

 

"I would be more than happy to fork out £20 a year for someone to fight the issues, and people, that threaten my sport"

 

If the above is true and a genuine comment, it is hard to understand why you choose to be quite so sarcastic about Fish Legal Steve? when in fact, Angling Trust are doing exactly what you crave.

 

Elton, I apologise, I did not see the "other thread", although you have to agree, my thread does have an additional spin on it.

 

Oh come on, Bob. Attempts to make someone promise not to do it again, come straight from the primary school teachers hand book. It's laughable. If that's the best we can hope for, I'm glad I kept my money in my pocket.

 

Do you, seriously, consider that these poachers have been dealt with?

[Bob Bradford]

I think it is perfectly clear the fish thieves got away lightly, and I have said so on my previous original post, as for the " Enforceable Promise" well I am not a qualified solicitor but I am guessing it is probably a legal prerequisite before applying for an injunction, in other words trying to settle the issue out of court (and showing that to be the case) before court action is sought, is always seen in a favourable light, thus strengthening the AT's case and making it more likely for a successful application for an injunction, this case could be setting a precedent , so you will appreciate it has to be handled correctly, in my view, this is the case Steve.

[barry luxton]

If these guys were taken to court by the ea and the 'fine' was the result. Then the angling association who's water they knicked the fish from are entitled to take out a private summons against them for reinbusement of the fish and the fishing, however, for all we know the thieves could be men of straw, that means that it would be a waste of time in any event.

[Steve Coppolo]

If these guys were taken to court by the ea and the 'fine' was the result. Then the angling association who's water they knicked the fish from are entitled to take out a private summons against them for reinbusement of the fish and the fishing, however, for all we know the thieves could be men of straw, that means that it would be a waste of time in any event.

 

That's what I can't figure, Barry. The EA prosecuted the poachers and fined them. (ha ha). Now the fishery can, if it wishes, mount a private case against them to recover losses. So, where does Fish Legal fit in to all this, apart from asking the poachers to promise not to do it again? What if the poachers don't promise? Or, worse still, have their fingers crossed whilst making the promise?

[Steve Coppolo]

I think it is perfectly clear the fish thieves got away lightly, and I have said so on my previous original post, as for the " Enforceable Promise" well I am not a qualified solicitor but I am guessing it is probably a legal prerequisite before applying for an injunction, in other words trying to settle the issue out of court (and showing that to be the case) before court action is sought, is always seen in a favourable light, thus strengthening the AT's case and making it more likely for a successful application for an injunction, this case could be setting a precedent , so you will appreciate it has to be handled correctly, in my view, this is the case Steve.

 

All joking to one side, Bob, if it is the first step in putting a stop to this sort of thing, it has to be applauded. I still have my doubts about how effective they will be, though.

[H.A.]

The Law is not terribly good unless a dictator manages it, OR the democratic Magistrates are 'kept in the dark/or well-informed' ...'by those who know'.

 

I'm aware of long antagonism between certain political animals on these forums.

 

I'm afraid the levels of the managing bureaucracy are streets ahead of you.

 

You talk suits and pensions, OK.

 

You are very silly, naive and at 1st base.

 

If you are truly a 'peer group', who will be more and more regulated and taxed, then you must be prepared to get or be organised and be professional in your negotiations.

 

You have zero control and hang on, having most of that left.

 

It's hard to make positive statements of policy or even less, demands, when you refuse to participate or negotiate.

 

So, what do you do?

Some of you do a do-do on each other!

 

You back off in the classic General Percival manner. (See Singapore)

 

We don't need more regulation.

So, we back off and back off and back off and are suspicious about the way we are becoming organised.

 

Meet them at every opportunity and formulate YOUR agendas.

 

Stop bloody whining .. it's gonna happen anyway.

 

If Steve doesn't stop whining soon, I'll be forced to support him (despite his sorta views) for a representative.

 

Otherwise be a tad more constructive, OK?