we need more baliffs urgently(what i witnessed was a disgrace)

[Guest tigger]

Aaah but when the fishery has a problem who will they call for free help?

 

Rich

 

 

Yes but if a fishery has a prob I don't think it's always free offerings from the EA. I know the EA sting the waterboard if they do any type of work for them.

[Alan Stubbs]

I used to think that fisheries should check that people have a rod licence but I changed my mind. Why should they? It's not in their interest to do so and it would be time consuming to put into practice. The rod licence money goes to the EA after all and isn't part of a fisheries income. If you pay to park your car no one wants to see your driving licence etc, that's up to the law to check not the man in the street. Obviuosly everyone has their own opinion but there always gonna clash whatever they are !

 

 

Hi Tigger,

Is it in the fishery / rights owners' interests to allow the breaking of the law? If they allow non-licence holders to fish just because they have paid their ticket money and subsequently run riot, what right does the owner have to insist that someone comes to help? I don't condone any poor practice / behaviour, but it's hard to sympathise with the owner who cares not a jot as to who fishes the water.

 

OK, the carrying of a valid licence isn't a guarantee of decent behaviour / good practice, but it is a measure where at present there is none.

[mike1234]

most of us have never seen a E.A. official perhaps thats why the fishery owners are copping it because they are out there taking money on the banks and doing there jobs in the public eye,

 

if the fisheries where enforcing the licenses on behalf of the E.A. it would be wasting more of my license fee money on paying the wages of there never present bailiffs,

 

i understand the E.A. do good work in other areas but as far as enforcing there licenses its a joke and pees me off when sometimes i am sure i am the only one with a license on some waters,

 

i dont mind spending money on a license because of the amount of pleasure i get back from fishing and it does seem that the majority of the nuisance people encountered whilst fishing probably dont have a license but i think the people who are taking money of us for licenses have a duty to take the same money off everyone

 

if they did make sure everyone had a license surely they would make more money from the people who never bother because they know they arent likely to ever get checked and from fining people who fish without one that could be spent making our waters better for everyone

[Elton]

If they allow non-licence holders to fish just because they have paid their ticket money and subsequently run riot, what right does the owner have to insist that someone comes to help?

 

I'll keep banging out the same tune.......

 

Does the above apply to garages who let drivers fill up their cars with petrol without checking their driving licences first, and then whinge to the police when they drive off without paying?

 

I can't see any difference, myself.

 

A fishing licence is a tax. Businesses have enough to worry about, without spending time checking that people are paying their taxes.

[gozzer]

I'll keep banging out the same tune.......

 

Does the above apply to garages who let drivers fill up their cars with petrol without checking their driving licences first, and then whinge to the police when they drive off without paying?

 

I can't see any difference, myself.

 

I think your analogy is the same as the guy who sells you maggots checking your licence, Elton.

 

A better one would be having your licence checked before hiring a car, which of course, is what happens.

 

John.

[benacre]

I often see anglers fishing along my local river bank in the close season and when I ring for an EA baliff they are 130 miles away! and cannot attend. I have seen some horrors at my local day ticket water where fish were caught and dropped onto gravel from standing. These commercials do seem to attract the noddy anglers and scum, when I spoke with the owner he said "as long as I get their day ticket money I ant worried about the fish welfare"

 

why dont the EA give anglers the powers to deal with these idiots or perhaps a name and shame list of commercials that attract scum and Noddies where the owners only care about the money?

[benacre]

Ha I have just been called by my editor to cover a story about the day ticket water as nine anglers were caught without a rod licence on Saturday (I am a freelance photographer and writer) talks about coincidence.

[Elton]

I think your analogy is the same as the guy who sells you maggots checking your licence, Elton.

 

A better one would be having your licence checked before hiring a car, which of course, is what happens.

 

John.

 

No it isn't. I visit a tackle shop very infrequently, probably less than half a dozen times a year. I can fish without maggots - I can't drive a car without fuel. I also get my car insured, MOT'ed and taxed, all without having my licence checked. (I get asked how long I've had a licence when insuring my car, but never asked to produce it).

 

Putting the onus on the small businessman to become an unpaid policeman is unfair. It's hard enough to operate a business these days, especially in the current economic climate and under a Government that likes to persecute anyone who gets off their arse and tries to make a go if it. If fishery owners were made to check licences, you can guarantee that with it will come a 'fine' system for any found with unlicensed anglers on their waters. And I bet you that the fines will be significantly more than the angler actually caught committing the crime - businesses are seen as cash cows and 'fines' are one way of milking them.

 

On a personal level, I don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry having the 'right' to 'check me out' when I go fishing. I go fishing to escape life's hassles, but it just seems that angling is getting less of an 'escape' and more of a target for those who like to control us. The worst thing is, most of the moves towards ruining the one form of escapism I have are coming from other anglers.

 

I don't know why I'm bothered, really. I never fish day-ticket waters.

 

I also fail to see how having a fishing licence makes you a responsible angler. It just makes you £26 or so less well-off, surely? Or is there a test you have to pass before they issue the new ones this year?

[gozzer]

I'm think that maybe we are going to have to agree to differ on this one, Elton.

 

I used maggots are an example of the bits and pieces we all need to stock up on now and again.

 

The car hire thing is more like 'leasing' a fishing spot for a defined period. You don't need to MOT or tax a hire vehicle, the company does it for you, and checks your licence for the insurance.

I can see a time when 'fishery' owners will require an insurance 'deposit' to cover you against accidents on their water, like a hire company do.

 

I won't go into my views on commercial 'fisheries', the post would take too long.

 

I only fish day ticket (on rivers and sensibly stocked stillwaters), and, the few free waters I know theses days.

 

A fishing licence doesn't necessarily make you a "responsible" angler, but it does make you a legal one. The monies that go to the EA, are directly from us, and is a good card to have in our hand.

To take it from the public purse would make it vulnerable to the whims of the government of the time, and liable to cuts whenever it suits.

 

I used to be against the idea of a 'test' for anglers, but I'm not so sure now.

 

Maybe a 'test' for commercial 'fishery' owners would be a better idea.

 

 

John.