pike fishing day!

[smudger]

My question wasn’t rhetorical, I have really wondered what the police would be looking for at a fishing contest? Would it be lures and live fish?

I thought that this thread might develop, so I have left it a couple of days, but it has been nagging away at the back of my mind, ‘why are so many people apparently pleased at the prospect of the police ‘randomly searching’ then while out fishing? I have nothing to hide, but wouldn’t really want to be the subject of police interference while out engaging in what is really recreation.

So far as I understand it, in Scotland the police can only search a person if they have reasonable grounds for suspicion. Fir example, they can search you if they reasonably suspect that you are in possession of an offensive weapon, stolen property, (alcohol if you are at certain major sports events or on public transport going to the event), after an offence under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, if you have about you of £1,000 or more and that this is the result of criminal activity, and/or fireworks that you intend to use anti-socially.

Police can search you under Section 44 (anti terrorism) whether of not they have grounds for suspicion, in places where s44 searches have been authorised. Or they can also search you for a weapon under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act,( but only in places where this power has been authorised). Section 60 may be imposed where police believe serious violence may occur.

How does this fit in with the Rozzers coming to the pike event?

 

Is the money from the event going towards paying the police overtime?

 

Please tell me the whole thing is a 'wind up' and I have mised that.

Would think the police are there to back up the bailiffs if the bailiffs are EA (happens on the Thames alot) for the bailiffs protection, otherwise???may be the water owner might have asked for them to be present whilst licence checks go on??

[Renrag39]

Maybe make it part of the day out? Pike fishing plus cavity search? Only problem is, is from the look of a previous post, Budgie would turn up for the search but 'forget' his rods

 

They can ask politely though can't they? Surely if you've read the rules and the conditions for fishing require obeying the rules and it states your tackle may be inspected, what is the problem?

 

Renrag

[Emma two]

Would think the police are there to back up the bailiffs if the bailiffs are EA (happens on the Thames alot) for the bailiffs protection, otherwise???may be the water owner might have asked for them to be present whilst licence checks go on??

 

After being employed as a Water bailiff, employed by the NRA (a forerunner of the EA), I find it worryingly strange that the police would be called out to support something as routine as licence checking.

The team I worked with certainly never had to do that, and ‘our’ beat was considered the toughest in the country and was the subject of a television documentary in the early 90s. We concerned ourselves mainly with salmon poaching, by those using illegal methods, nets, lime, explosives, gaffs etc and not so much those using legal tackle but on water where they had no business being, that was considered the business of the owners, syndicates and associations who often appointed their own ‘river watchers/keepers’ a position which seems to be called elsewhere (like in here) ‘bailiff’ .

 

We had to contend with direct violence, one of the team was severely injured and hospitalised twice during bank side incidents and others attacked at home. Walking naively into the wrong pub would have been a dangerous mistake. One gang even used a .22(ballistic not 'air') to providecover fron high ground, we knew who the culprit was, a fprmer soldier who understood a bit about the principles of low level tactics. Licence checking was definitely considered ‘light duties’. When we needed back up we called in colleagues from neighbouring areas (and vice versa), we carried handcuffs and truncheons and had to be trained in the relevant areas of PACE. I know that the legal situation in Scotland is different, when seconded to the north of the county we worked on the border ‘tween England and Scotland and sometimes ours and the north of the border counterparts would cross. Where a water bailiff is defined in the Salmon and freshwater act as any person appointed as such under the Act by a District Salmon Fishery Board or by Scottish Ministers. (Scottish government) The production by a bailiff of his or her warrant, or any badge or device indicating the appointment, is sufficient authority for the exercise of the powers. Those powers are that A water bailiff may, without warrant, seize and detain any person found committing an offence against any provision of the 2003 Act or any salmon-related offence under the 1967 or 1984 Acts.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/11/20316/47363

 

So why do the police get involved with what amounts to a low level fishing competition?

 

Is it the case that the expected anglers are liable to react so violently to the bailiffs that the police need to be present too?

If the above is the case do the police accompany ‘bailiffs’ about their duties when the job is really liable to turn spicy, like at 3 am in some wild place when confronted by a netting gang?

 

Is the use of police officers for such duties sanctioned by the police authority?

 

If the above is the case, does no one argue that the police have better things to occupy their time with?

 

And still, (my question) ‘what’ are the police looking for in their ‘random searches’ (as I have already forwarded such actions would be of very dubious legality anyway).

 

What if someone has forgotten lure or spinner in their bag or car, (mine turn up in the strangest places that I have forgotten about).

 

Why would anyone want to attend an event where they might be the victim of ‘random’ police interference?

Edited September 3, 2011 by Emma two

[Emma two]

if you've read the rules and the conditions for fishing require obeying the rules and it states your tackle may be inspected, what is the problem?

 

Renrag

 

Not especially a problem, I find it interesting that so many people are ready, even enthusiastic, seemingly enjoying being rigidly controlled, and see it as a feature of contemporary life.

[Renrag39]

I know no different Emma. Sad but true.

However saying that I'm not currently a member of any club etc (like yourself) so thankfully I don't have to contend with such restrictions, merely the rules of the EA with regards to licensing etc.

 

Renrag