Specialist Angling Unity

[Guest Alan Pearce]

All this nonsense about a new body to represent all angling interests. What do you think the National Angling Alliance is for.

 

I respectfully suggest that some of the posters here should re read some of the postings from the past four months concerning angling representation before making comment.

 

Alan.

[Guest 'eelfisher']

Dear Alan

Please explain the above to those you are speaking to...perhaps they do not know what you're on about!!!...it would seem so in the light of some of the above.

Steve.

PS..I think that your statement is not aimed at my posting??????

See you soon, OK.

 

[This message has been edited by 'eelfisher' (edited 01 April 2001).]

[Guest nigelsimpson]

Has Steve Pope gone to the Vatican? Being he has not responded to certin points they may be true.

Apart from over popularising barbel fishing.

And enabling a few "select" members to travel about the country on expenses.

Has anyone any idea what this "society" has achieved.

[Guest Leon Roskilly]

Originally posted by 'eelfisher':

I shall await some positive emergence of a proposed new body to look after angling into and beyond 2001.

 

Easy let's do it. Let's start the 'Anglersnet All Anglers Association'

 

Sorted!!

 

er, except that there is still all those other bodies out there

 

Hmm!! If we ask them nicely, do you think that they will hand over all of their interests, memberships and funds over to us?

 

(The good fairy grants us our wish, waves her magic wand and voila! - Angling Unity - we have it!!)

 

Except a few blokes in the dales aren't happy, that we aren't representing their gudgeon stalking needs effectively, and are talking about starting a group

 

Hang on, we've got one of the world's best diplomats as a member - He manages to persuade them to stay, but as an AAAA special interest group

 

Then, along come the Stillwater Chubbers, then the Bull-Head appreciation group and then..............

 

Oh bl***y hell! I think I'll just join the Burbot Society , and let them represent my specialist interests through the SACG and the NAA. All comes out the same in the end

 

Now that's the anglers sorted, onto the ball game players!!

 

Do you think it might be as easy to get the rugby players to play on the same size pitch as the soccer guys, and let the tennis players use the waters er, field during the week?

 

We can unify around our common interests; fight our corner for our specialist interests; and settle our differences amicably (mostly). We cannot agree about everything; please everyone all of the time; get it right always.

 

Only those prepared to play their part will have their say. The one's who take their ball home will have to play alone in their small backyard, listening to the rest of the crowd getting on with the game together.

 

That's sort of how it's worked since man first began to communicate. We have a name for it now 'Politics'. It's an inescapable fact of society, at every level.

 

Bet you it's still the same in a thousand years time - if we are still fishing then!

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Guest ed mundy]

Originally posted by nigelsimpson:

Has Steve Pope gone to the Vatican? Being he has not responded to certin points they may be true.

Apart from over popularising barbel fishing.

And enabling a few "select" members to travel about the country on expenses.

Has anyone any idea what this "society" has achieved.

 

Nigel, where have you been?

The BS has achieved many things,it has allowed SP to become a personality

like the ones on TV no talent no personality, I here he has been invited onto big brother to replace vanesa feltz.

 

They saved the close season single handed, they have stopped all stocking of barbel into still waters, they the commitee have kept it as a dictatorship, the commitee have kept thier jobs for over 5 years even though they were not elected.

 

They have critisised nearly all other forms of angling, condemed all who fish Adams Mill guess who are fishing it now?

 

But thier greatest achievment has been to cause most other single species groups to lose patience with them they clearly have no wish to be part of the SAA for what ever reason.

 

Idid pose SP some questions but he seems not too want to answer.

 

All of us no matter what branch of the sport we follow need to pull together, we should embrace our brothers of the angle forget that he may use live bait, four rods, a bivvie that is his chioce, and that is what we must protect our choice to go fishing.

 

The SAA is the ship we should all board and steer a course towards angling unity,may I hummbly suggest that the SAA waste no more time on SP or the BS they have caused enough unrest, it's time to vote off the weakest link and with plenty of votes SP you are the weakest link goodbye.

Ed

[Guest Elton]

Ed et al,

 

So unity is about ditching those who don't tow the line, eh?

 

That's more of a dictatorship than you've described above!

 

I'm not saying that Steve is right or wrong, but as far as I know The Barbel Society members, in general, are very happy with the society and those of us who have met Steve have found him friendly, knowledgable and helpful.

 

His views are none of my business, but I take people as I find them, and I'd gladly sup a pint or fish a river with Steve and many of his "opponents".

 

It seems to me that whenever someone is prepared to stick their neck out in angling, we're all here waiting to have a go at them. Lately, I've seen John Wilson, Matt Hayes and various other 'names' being slated on these forums by people who don't even know them. How the hell any website is supposed to attract any writers is beyond me - I certainly wouldn't bother if it was me. And people wonder why so many 'names' come and go on these forums...where you around when Ray Walton was posting here?

 

Tight lines,

 

Elton

 

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

Anglers' Net

Keeping It Virtual...

[Guest trent.barbeler]

Galls and Guys,

 

WOW!

Strong stuff.

Just when the trail goes cold as they say.

 

Its hard to know where to start this time.

I am walking on glass now so I will apologise now before I start if what I am about to say gives any offence.

 

Please believe me when I say that because it is extremely hard to appease every one at the same time.

 

Once again, because I do not possess the skills of Waterman and many other wordsmiths posting here, my response is long because I need to use more words than do my peers.

 

In the past I have been openly critical of some aspects of BS policy in my own clubs magazines. Steve Pope has always been aware of this fact as have some other BS committee members.

 

Over the last few weeks, Steve and myself have exchanged e-mails and telephone conversations where we have talked about the future SAA, its proposed rivers group and other areas of BS concern.

 

As I go on, the key word here is "Talked".

 

I have given Steve my personal perceptions of the SAA and its rivers group and in return Steve has given me his.

 

We have BOTH gone to some length in trying to find some common ground in which we could work on. By that I dont mean Steve and myself but the BS and the SAA.

 

It is plain from my conversations with Steve, that the BS will probably not be coming into the SAA at the start.

 

Steve and the BS committee still have certain reservations. It is for Steve and the BS to state what those reservations are but they are widely known. In this area I will not speak on their behalf.

 

What I can say, is that I care not one jot for what has gone before. Its all water under the bridge as far as I am concerned.

 

What concerns me now is the future and how we respond to each other in the times ahead.

 

Not just the SAA and the BS, but all of us.

 

Let us all just imagine for a moment that we are all a few weeks into the future.

Let us assume that the BS decide to go their own way and do not join the SAA.

Regrettable perhaps but not the end of the world for either parties. What happens after though is VERY important.

 

Before,and now, we have seen a fair amount of sniping from both sides. What useful purpose does that serve? Absolutely none. God knows, such behaviour has been the main reason why angling has not united before in past years despite everyones best efforts.

 

Gentlemen and Gracious Ladies, is now not the time to stop all this nonesense?

In the pit of our souls, does anyone feel we are acheiving anything with a continuence of this pointless feud?

 

Laying blame at anyones door will not lay the foundations for a mutual trust but talking will.

 

As I have said,"Talking" is the key word in all this.

 

If the BS go their own way, surely the SAA can still talk to them. Cannot the BS do the same.

 

Whats so fundimentally wrong with supporting each other when we can as we travel along differet paths towards the same shining light.

 

Yes I know there are issues which we probably won't agree on but whats wrong with agreeing to disagree. Both state our case and move on.

 

We all have a long journey to make in uncharted sea's. Never before have we sailed this far. Do we now turn back or sail towards the Sun?

 

Irrespective of our differences and any future BS involvement in the SAA.

Steve and myself have reached out for each others hand.

 

Separate? Perhaps. Talking? Always.

Finally together? Surely.

[Guest lyn]

I felt that after the NEC, where a lot of of people spent a great deal of time talking that we had moved on, on this thread.

 

Oh dear, here we have another one bitching & back biting. As I said before enough. I suggest Ed Mundy, that as you feel so stongly about Steve Pope why don't you email him.

 

I also said in an earlier posting that I would hope that you are man enough to sort this out face to face. Obviously not!

 

No one is impressed with your backbiting.

 

lyn

[Guest ed mundy]

Originally posted by Elton:

Ed et al,

 

So unity is about ditching those who don't tow the line, eh?

 

That's more of a dictatorship than you've described above!

 

I'm not saying that Steve is right or wrong, but as far as I know The Barbel Society members, in general, are very happy with the society and those of us who have met Steve have found him friendly, knowledgable and helpful.

 

His views are none of my business, but I take people as I find them, and I'd gladly sup a pint or fish a river with Steve and many of his "opponents".

 

It seems to me that whenever someone is prepared to stick their neck out in angling, we're all here waiting to have a go at them. Lately, I've seen John Wilson, Matt Hayes and various other 'names' being slated on these forums by people who don't even know them. How the hell any website is supposed to attract any writers is beyond me - I certainly wouldn't bother if it was me. And people wonder why so many 'names' come and go on these forums...where you around when Ray Walton was posting here?

 

Tight lines,

 

Elton

 

Elton sorry if I sound like a dictator, I just feel that enough time has been wasted on SP & the BS.

 

Steve has argued with most of people cocerned in the formation of the SAA and it seems clear to me that the BS will not be a part of the SAA.

 

Thats a pity are you sure all the members are happy with the way the BS is run have you seen the results of a vote?

 

I think leon has it right in his post, if they do not wish to be a part of it they must stay in thier own small backyard, they should not be allowed to jepodise any move towards angling unity.

 

My veiws may not mean much to you but none the less they are my veiws and I stick by them.

cheers ed ictator

[Guest DCB]

I've stayed out of the 'Unity Thing' because it seemed to be just going round and round and was in danger of disappearing up its own exhaust pipe.

But, let me give you how I see the future.

The government want to deal with one united body. Angling has been held back for too long because the sport dealt with the politicians piece meal and consequently only received scant recognition and a pitifull financial input.

The National Angling Alliance exists.

The Specialist Anglers Alliance will exist

We have a unified body - far from perfect but on it's way.

The whole scene is a democratic as it can get.

The individual angler or groups of anglers can access the NAA through it's constituent members.

The National Federation of Anglers

The Salmon and Trout Association

The National Federation of Sea Anglers

The Specialist Anglers Alliance

The National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives

The Angling Trade Association

The choice is yours.

Now as President Johnson said: Better to have your enemies on the inside **** out than on the outside **** in.

That said, the opportunies are there for everyone to get involved in working for a unified to give us a great future.

Give a bit to get a bit/

Make no mistake that if you ain't on board the good ship Unity you or your organisation will be marooned in isolation and impotent to achieved any realistic ambitions for you or your members.

This is not a threat its a reality.

As a representative of the Angling Trade Association on the NAA I can tell you that we are getting there.

The SAA reps are in there doing a good job for the big fish groups and its a pleasure working with them.

In or out its your choice. If your get left behind it's your problem not the SAA's or the NAA's or mine.