EA set to abandon rod licence checks

[Dick Dastardly]

Well!

 

http://pikelines.blogspot.com/2011/02/ea-s...nce-checks.html

[TrevBoy]

I honestly cant remember the last time I had to prove I have a licence - without a lie it must have been when I was a kid, 35 years ago. What a joke.

[Steve Burke]

It's certainly worrying but it's not as bad as the title makes out. The report doesn't say "abandon" but "cut back". Or should that be further cut back, as it seems as though this has already been happening for several years?

 

The EA is in a difficult situation with its funding being cut. However if it's public knowledge that it's cutting back on licence checking then the number of licences being sold could be expected to fall, thus reducing its revenue even further. This would be especially so if there were no prosecutions. It's all a question of whether the savings in cost will be greater than the loss of revenue from fewer licences being sold. Somewhere there will a optimum amount to spend on enforcement, but I wonder what this is.

 

And I think I'm correct in saying that the EA doesn't even get the fines from licence dodgers as these go straight to central government. In other words the same situation as speed cameras.

 

Anyone know for sure?

 

If this is so, might it not be in the government's best interests to make extra funding available to the EA for this express purpose?

Edited February 25, 2011 by Steve Burke

[lyn]

I've never had mine checked in all the years I've been fishing! The only time I've ever seen the EA was on the Thames and they were in a boat.

 

lyn

[FishyFraser]

Well!

 

http://pikelines.blogspot.com/2011/02/ea-s...nce-checks.html

 

I wish they would beef up the checks to be honest. It annoys me when fishing rivers in particular that groups of people come along with no idea how to fish or behave on the bank and you know they haven't got a licence!

[Tigger]

I don't know about checking lisences but they need to start montioring the water quality and prosecuting some of the polluters....a bit more important than prosecuting a few anglers without the soddin lisence. After heavy rain last night the river near me rose up a couple of foot ; now dropping it's revealing a few remains of the crap which has been so obviously discharged/dumped under the cover of the rising murky water levels. I know sewage works etc have discharge rights but it's supposed to be treated...surely ???

There where several blood stained sanitary products, tissue, condome etc etc all deposited in just one short stretch.

 

IMO this is the reason for the decline of river fishing - not the poor birds/ pred's that are just trying to survive.

 

I'm disgusted with the EA, they just don't seem to care as long as they gey their money !!!

Edited February 26, 2011 by Tigger

[Dick Dastardly]

I don't know about checking lisences but they need to start montioring the water quality and prosecuting some of the polluters....a bit more important than prosecuting a few anglers without the soddin lisence. After heavy rain last night the river near me rose up a couple of foot ; now dropping it's revealing a few remains of the crap which has been so obviously discharged/dumped under the cover of the rising murky water levels. I know sewage works etc have discharge rights but it's supposed to be treated...surely ???

There where several blood stained sanitary products, tissue, condome etc etc all deposited in just one short stretch.

 

IMO this is the reason for the decline of river fishing - not the poor birds/ pred's that are just trying to survive.

 

I'm disgusted with the EA, they just don't seem to care as long as they gey their money !!!

 

In all fairness Ian in flood/high water conditions a lot of sewage gets into the water systems and its not the result of direct discharging. BUT I agree it does need some attention.

[Tigger]

In all fairness Ian in flood/high water conditions a lot of sewage gets into the water systems and its not the result of direct discharging. BUT I agree it does need some attention.

 

 

In this instance it must be a case of direct discharging as it's a regular occurance on this river. The river is treated like an open sewer which sickens me.

[Ken L]

No license checks means no detection of poaching - whether it's the odd fish for the pot or netting a large section of a lake or river. An odd choice at a time when the level of poaching has never been higher or a more volatile issue.

So exactly what do honest coarse anglers get for their money ?

Oh, let me guess.......

Properly maintained salmon rivers ?

Features ripped out of banks in the name of flood defenses ?

Screwed ?

Edited February 28, 2011 by Ken L

[jimmyh]

No license checks means no detection of poaching - whether it's the odd fish for the pot or netting a large section of a lake or river. An odd choice at a time when the level of poaching has never been higher or a more volatile issue.

So exactly what do honest coarse anglers get for their money ?

Oh, let me guess.......

Properly maintained salmon rivers ?

Features ripped out of banks in the name of flood defenses ?

Screwed ?

 

I had my licence checked once, who proceeded to get really shirty when i questioned why this was the first time i had ever been checked!