Carp Society Reinstate Support For SAA

[malevans]

Interesting that the S&TA have has difficulties recuiting the trout fisherman and yet such troutfisherman join the CA. Must be some lessons to be learnt there.

[Cranfield]

Peter, your antipathy toward the CA, is getting rather "tired".

If, in your opinion, anglers and their associations/organisations etc, shouldn,t join the Countryside Alliance, then perhaps the CA structure, should be taken as a successful blueprint for a "Waterside Alliance", which would encompass all of the various fishing interests.

 

Those of us that are involved in other aspects of the Countryside (no, not foxhunting) and not just fishing, have already joined the CA.

At least they are trying to do something to stop our freedoms being eroded.

[Peter Waller]

I agree Cranfield, angling can learn from the CA.

[malevans]

I think for those that have other country side interests then joining the CA is obviously a positive and sensible move. But they do not represent the majority of anglers and have no mandate to represent us. Therefore any angler who does not wish to have an association with the CA should say so and keep saying so, rather than be considered tired it qualifies in my book as tenacity in support of the future of their sport.

 

But learn from them we can for sure.

[poledark]

Malevans, when you say "they do not represent the majority of anglers" what exactly do you mean?

 

Do you mean the tiny few who are members of the bodies that claim to represent us?

 

Or do you mean the million or more who do not bother to join anything except maybe their local clubs?

 

Seems to me that no one has "a mandate" to represent us

 

Either way the CA is looking after us simply by being there and making it's presence felt and heard in the right places.

 

Despite all the gloom predicted by some I have the very distinct impression from the media that Angling is riding on a very high note, and has a very good "image". Long may it continue so, and at least some of the credit must be due to the CA and its stance on country pursuits.

 

Den

 

[ 04. May 2004, 09:09 AM: Message edited by: poledark ]

[Peter Waller]

poledark:

 

 

  Despite all the gloom predicted by some I have the very distinct impression from the media that Angling is riding on a very high note, and has a very good "image".  Long may it continue so, and at least some of the credit must be due to the CA and its stance on country pursuits.

 

 Den

Den, you and I both have strong feelings on this issue, so lets be generous to each other!

 

You say that 'some of the credit must be due to the CA'. Well yes, in some quarters I'll agree that you are right.

 

Last summer my wife and visited the Holkham Country Fair in sunny Norfolk. We walked past the CA tent where I was surprised to see the very dominant emphasis put on angling by the CA. Very clearly Angling was being linked to the CA, as was the ACA. My wife made the comment that she hadn't realised that angling was connected to fox hunting. She also knows that I am a keen supporter of the ACA, that wasn't so easy to explain away. But, thankfully, I was there to put her right. But how many other people walking past the stand drew the same conclusion as my wife? That Angling and fox hunting wear the same hat.

 

Den, I will accept that some people will have an improved impression of angling because of the CA's involvement. Will you, in turn, also accept that others will see that involvement as damaging to their perception of angling?

 

Where we will have to differ is in the balance. Obviously my heartfelt view is that the damage done far outweighs the gains.