Why Should You Join The SAA ???

[Guest TheDacer]

At the end of a long day sorting out an IT mix-up - I read this thread.

 

Bloody 'ell! (Sorry, I mean Blinkin' eck!)

 

I'm not a member of any organisation for the simple reason I don't have a clue who to join!

 

I've no time for the Fox Blood Brigade at the CA. I don't like the idea of the ACA (?) advocating a link with the CA. Who or what are the SAA again?? And how do they differ from any other AAAA's I may have missed out.

 

Maybe I should just buy my EA licence and club cards and leave it at that?

 

Yours, Confusedly, Dacer

[Guest Leon Roskilly]

-Maintenance (in some cases restoration)of the marine environment.

-Protection of species and fish populations in competition with others exploiting common natural resources.

 

-The continued legality of new and traditional angling practices.

 

-The very right of anglers to continue hooking fish.

 

-Promoting the many benefits of angling, countering the arguments of those who would see the sport consigned to history.

 

- And much more besides.

 

Deep, passionate, arguments and discussion.

 

On the bank and in the pub, at Angling Club AGMs, on newsgroups and the Anglersnet forums.

 

All so much wasted hot air!!

 

To make a difference, these issues, these arguments, these discussions, have to be put persuaviously to those with power and influence.

 

Powerful people who are usually not anglers.

 

And the voices of those putting the arguments have to compete with other voices for attention.

 

Other voices putting forward the needs of children, prisoners, patients, car-drivers, pensioners ………

 

Sure, your letters, letters of individual anglers, to your MPs, the EA, DEFRA, newspapers, add to the volume.

 

But when those with power and influence have our attention, they want to speak to our representatives, and to hear the combined collective voice of the few people who represent angling.

 

And what a thankless task that is, trying to represent the many, varied and contentious views of anglers.

 

But from within our ranks, and particularly the ranks of anglers who post to Anglersnet, there are those who are prepared to put in the effort.

 

Those who put aside the responsibilities and duties of family and business, forgo days on the bank, pay from their own pockets their own expenses, to travel long distances for meetings ………… and provide a voice for all of us anglers in the places, and to the people, where what is said has a better chance of making a difference.

 

And when they go into that important meeting. That meeting which will determine the future of your fishing, the quality of your fishing in the future, your right to fish.

 

It's not the logic, or the strength, or the ethics or morality of the arguments which are presented on your behalf which will carry the day, but the whispered question, before the meeting. ‘Who are we meeting now? And how many anglers do they represent?’

 

You may have your own view of all the important issues on angling, so what?

 

You may espouse to your angling friends what they should be doing, so what?

 

You may post views to the Anglersnet forum, (er, sorry Elton), so what?

 

You may even make the effort of writing a letter to AT, so what?

 

When you pay to join an organisation such as the SAA, you start to make a difference.

 

When your champions within the SAA listen to you, and take your arguments to the people they have worked so very hard to convince that they have something to say on your behalf, you start to make a difference.

(Ah Elton! the forum does make a difference )

 

When you do more than simply join and send in your subs, when you start making the kind of unpaid sacrifices that guys sitting around a table in Leicester have made, you start to make a real difference.

 

The guys putting in the effort, the guys running the SAA aren’t perfect. They have real disagreements, even amongst themselves. They are just ordinary anglers, putting something back. I certainly don’t agree with everything they say, everything they do (and I keep a very close eye on some of them!).

 

But they are the guys, ordinary anglers for the most part, who are prepared to put in a bit of real effort to make a real difference. And they can only do that with your support.

 

Neil Plumbley, writing in the Autumn issue of Lure Angler, writes (referring to the possibility of the LAS joining the SAA) ‘I’m sure that over time they will sort out where they are going, but for now we would be better waiting. We aren’t the only ones, the Barbel Society see it this way too’

 

..they, sort out where they are going….?

 

‘they’ are just anglers, trying to make a difference for other anglers. Anglers depending on other anglers to help them make a difference.

 

Let’s all take the same stance as Neil, shall we? See where that gets us, Eh!

 

And then when others have put in the work to ‘sort out where they are going’, then we’ll join, Eh!

 

No thanks, I’m in.

 

I’m helping them to make a difference

 

And do you know what, those guys in the SAA, S&TA, NFA, NFSA aren’t always right, but they are the ones making a difference.

 

And now they sit down together around the table of the NAA, they make more of a difference than ever before.

 

But they can do bugger all without your demonstrable support … Oh! And your subs!!!

 

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Guest Cranfield]

A very eloquent post Leon and I respect your views.

 

There still seems to me to be the fundamental problem of too many organisations/alliances chasing the anglers to become members.

Hence the confusion !

 

Look how many you mentioned in your post.

I have never heard of the LS, who are not going to join the SAA at present, nor are the BS.

 

Combine this confusion with the dummy spitting politics evidenced earlier in this thread and you start to get my point.

 

I believe we do need a national angling federation/alliance/organisation.

 

We need one !

 

When this organisation goes to meet whosoever

the question asked before the meeting won,t be "Which lot are these ?, how many do they represent ?"

They will know that they are meeting the representatives with a strong mandate from the majority of the anglers in the UK .

 

Cloud cuckoo land ?

Probably !

 

There appears to be too many vested interests and personal agendas at work here to ever let it happen !

 

Sorry for the long post.

I am sure you will forgive me for not joining , but you see, I have principles to.

 

Pint of Spitfire isn,t it ?

[Guest Peter Waller]

I think we have gone full circle on this one. The problem with all organisations is that the spokesperson does not, and can not claim to speak on behalf of all anglers, only for those who 'belong'.

 

Very often that 'spokesperson' has manouvered himself, unasked, into that position. It is inevitable that there will always be those who resent someone claiming to speak on their behalf, when clearly that can never be the case.

 

This was especially apparent with the old SACG, a body that many of us felt foistered itself, and its sometimes unwanted policies, upon us anglers.

 

But things have changed in that the SAA does now have the backing of a far wider spectrum of anglers than the old SACG. There is an emerging political structure in uk angling, there has to be if we are to protect angling.

 

Provided the SAA 'listens' to anglers rather than just 'telling' them then we are on the right track.

[Guest Steve Burke]

I agree that with the number of organisations it can be confusing, especially after the recent changes with new bodies being formed. I may be confused myself, but this is my understanding.

 

Most of the organisations form a pyramid, with the NAA at the top representing angling at Government level.

 

Various bodies are affiliated to the NAA representing for instance coarse, sea and game anglers. Within the specimen hunting world for example we have the SAA. Match/pleasure anglers, who sometimes have different views to specimen hunters, are represented by the NFA.

 

One level further down we have single species groups and local angling clubs.

 

Thus everyone gets a voice, with the NAA co-ordinating our views and representing anglers at government level. This is something that the Government demanded so that it didn't have to waste time dealing with lots of smaller and divided bodies.

 

Hopefully members will see it's not umpteen organisations pulling in different directions. Rather it's umpteen organisations coming together to tackle common problems.

 

We all have a voice - provided that is we belong to one or more of the organisations that represents our particular concerns. If you don't belong you don't get a voice!

 

I believe this system is long overdue and at last we have the chance of real unity within angling. Yes, there are differences of opinion and personality clashes, but then there always are with any new organisation.

 

Give the new structure time to settle down and I think we could be pleasantly surprised at what can be acheived. Without unity I fear that angling is vulnerable to a successful attack from a more organised opposition.

 

Unfortunately, it seems as if many anglers are unaware of this new pyramid structure. Would it be feasible perhaps for something to go out with our rod licenses? This would currently reach everyone except sea anglers at present. I'd suggest that this be in diagramatic form to make it easily understandable. It would also be useful to have contact details.

 

Perhaps it might be helpful if we had something like this here on Angler's Net as well?

 

------------------

Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

[Guest Leon Roskilly]

Originally posted by Cranfield:

Pint of Spitfire isn,t it ?

 

Only when the London Pride is off Brian

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Guest phil hackett]

Originally posted by Steve Burke:

 

Steve bang on as usual mate!

 

Two bodies to represent coarse angling. The third body representing all angling disciplines at the highest level.

 

NFA - match, pleasure and individuals with interests in these areas.

 

SAA - single species specialist groups/individuals members interests

 

NAA - for all angling sea, game and coarse with a unified voice at Government level.

 

Seems pretty straightforward to me!

 

[This message has been edited by phil hackett (edited 17 November 2001).]

[Guest phil hackett]

Originally posted by Graham E:

Not too difficult was it Phil?

Ooh Sarcasm!

I suggest if you or anybody else would like to see the “Bigger Picture” you join, attend meetings, give up valuable fishing time as other do and make a difference.

The chose is yours!

[Guest Graham E]

Phillip

My comment was simply a reply to the way you attacked me after my first post saying I had trust in two of the SAA people I have conversed with. And that I was considering joining. Your reply was sarcastic.

 

FYI I have been Chair/Committee for a 750 membership angling Club for a number of years. Giving of the free time you mention. Your sudden conclusion/insult? was rather undiplomatic to say the least.

 

I think you representing anything/one with that attitude worrying to say the least.

Still Phillip, let the subject get back to the original sensible postings without rudeness shall we.

 

[This message has been edited by Graham E (edited 17 November 2001).]

[Guest phil hackett]

Originally posted by Graham E:

Phillip

My comment was simply a reply to the way you attacked me after my first post saying I had trust in two of the SAA people I have conversed with. And that I was considering joining. Your reply was sarcastic.

 

FYI I have been Chair/Committee for a 750 membership angling Club for a number of years. Giving of the free time you mention. Your sudden conclusion/insult? was rather undiplomatic to say the least.

 

I think you representing anything/one with that attitude worrying to say the least.

Still Phillip, let the subject get back to the original sensible postings without rudeness shall we.

 

[This message has been edited by Graham E (edited 17 November 2001).]

 

You clearly missed the responce to Eelfisher then Graham?