PAC (only those interested please)

[Guest Alan Pearce]

Thanks to Phil Dean for his advice, posters please take note. To Leon and Ray, never let anything come between a good friendship.

 

Alan.

[Guest Leon Roskilly]

Originally posted by Ray Rogers:

All postings that were over the top have been deleted, non constructive postings also in the future cease forthwith !!!

 

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Guest Peter Waller]

Thankfully all seems to be drawing to an amicable conclusion, that is, agreeing not to agree over things that have happened, but lets work towards the future for things taht have yet to happen. Pity that this didn't happen months ago. Perhaps if the major muck stirrers were to do a spot more fishing in the future . . . . . . . . . . . , rather than widening the gulf, then the PAC would be back on track.

[Guest phil hackett]

In reading this thread, I just find the whole issue very sad. As I know two of the three protagonists, I’m not going to make comment on the rights or wrongs of either case.

What I will however, make comment on is that there is an overriding need for an arbitration body within specialist angling. I also hope that all groups take note of this and make it a priority issue for the soon to be formed SAA.

 

I‘ve no wish or desire for anybody to take offence at what I write but I do think, disputes of this magnitude within a group, aren’t always best dealt with by the group concerned. Entrenched positions can and are quickly taken, and the matter becomes acrimonious and bitter.

Sometimes it’s better to let uninvolved eyes see away forward to a resolution!

 

How then could such a body work?

The individual group would make approaches to the SAA to convene an arbitration panel on their behalves. The panel would be made up of well respected, non-partisan members from uninvolved groups. The protagonists in the dispute would have to agree to abide by and with the decision of the panel. Where agreement is not reached a mediation service could also be offered, the findings of which of course would not be binding on either party.

 

I scenically hope and believe that Specialist Angling will move to a higher and more professional level under the SAA. It’s time folks that we grew up and climbed out of the playpen and into the adult world. This may be the last opportunity we get to show to the real world that we are united and a force to be reckoned with. If we don’t the alternative don’t bare thinking about because it’s total marginalisation and oblivion!

[Guest Alan Pearce]

A good idea Phil, lets discuss this at the first SAA meeting with the member groups, I'll put it onto the agenda.

[Guest Alan Pearce]

I was hoping to make the meeting in Cambs tonight but I have to wait in for a client call. Hope and pray all goes well and is constructive, maybe some one can report back here Thursday

 

Alan

[Guest Steve Tapley]

It's time somethings were sorted out as this is spirraling out of some degree of control.

I was responsible for sending out letters to all the Scottish RO's asking if they thought we should consider our position relative to Scotland. The fact that both Frank and Ralston had resigned seperaely was cause for concern, as Ralston has been more than instrumental in keeping the Scottish boat on more than an even keel for the last 15 years, as this is when both Ralston and I set up our regions. My concerns were that our voice with in the higher echelon had been lost as most of us will know that Ralston was the Chairman of the Scottish Federation of Coarse Anglers. The feed back I had received from my regional members was of great concern as well. With this in mind and the fact that I had already spoken to others who were ready to throw in the towel regards to the PAC, myself included. I decided to write and see what they all thought. On returning home from working offshore I was informed of a meeting that would be set up for a chat on the situation that faced us. It was not a meeting to set up another Pike Anglers Club to appose the present one, none of the previous committee

had anything to do with setting this up as I have read and heard so often. In fact the accused were telling the membership 'North of the Wall' to remain in the PAC, and at no stage had they implemented that they wanted mass resignations from the Club.( yes there are people ready to do it) Myself, I have paid my memebership for the year and I will see that out and then look at everything again. I was at that meeting and nothing has been decided, it is as Billy Noon says, it was an informal talk with no chair and plenty of views on things and how they should progress, if they progress at all!!

 

My concern is that Scotland has it's own Executive and decisions will be made on the way we fish in the future by them and not those based 'South of the Wall'. Most of you have read that the SACG and PAC will be dealing with the problems that effect England and Wales as the legislation is different and will remain different. Scotland could even gain full independence in a few years time. In Scotland most of the pike anglers' that have travelled north will know that we have Protection Orders to deal with that are dictated by the Scottish Office in Edinburgh and not London!! I think, and this is my view we will need something to fill the gap now that the PAC Committee has returned to south of the border. In the past things have happened so fast that an immediate reactioon has been necessary, the Loch Tay situation was a classic. I am not suggesting that the New Committee couldn't deal with the Scottish Office, but would the Scottish Office be willing to listen to them when they have been dealing with Scottish based fisherman.

 

I will close by saying there is no alternative Pike Angling Club in the making and as far as I know there have been no mass reignations either. Myself, I have always liked Pikelines and I joined the PAC some 20 years ago just to read the magazine and may be in the future that's all I'll want to do as well........................

[Guest pikelines editor]

Reply to Steve Tapley...

 

Steve, how are you, well I hope.

 

Just for the record, the PAC Committee are looking at this problem at present and have had some very positive ideas and representation from Scottish members

to consider.

 

Hopefully, very soon , we will have a proposal that will be beneficial to all

Pike anglers North and South of

Hadrians wall.

 

Please mail the Committee with your thoughts on this, any bright ideas are warmly welcomed to put into the melting pot. All our PAC RO's and members are welcome to have a say too, we do listen to our members comments.

 

If no-one contributes, then how do we know what members wish us to consider

in the bigger picture?

 

Best,

 

 

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

Steve Ormrod

[Guest Alan Pearce]

Steve, many thanks for your posting and information. I was so ignorant of how things are so different for anglers in Scotland and would welcome further info on this, if you or Ralston have the time. Please keep working with the PAC committee as I'm sure you can all work together in the future.

 

Best wishes

 

Alan.

[Guest pete jones]

I find all this totally amazing. I've been in the PAC for a few years, recently joining S,E, Northumberland region. I joined to natter to like- minded anglers about pike fishing, pick up (and give) a few tips on waters etc, and generally spend a relaxed couple of hours a month on one of my favourite subjects. While I have loads of respect for

a) talented and well known anglers (like Mr Fickling)- based on past exploits, and

people who give great wodges of their time to voluntary organisations (like PAC)

- I don't rate any of them above angling itself. Generally they've got their own axes to grind and the very content of some of these messages indicates the size of their egos.

PAC is supposed to be about pike fishing,not the politics of pike fishing. There is no need for pike fishing politics - as a 'subject' it only exists in the minds of people who enjoy the power of politics and quite frankly I'd leave them to it. The PAC has no role, no mandate , to speak for pike fishermen. It can only speak for people who subscribe to its membership. There are far more pike fishermen outside the PAC than within it- and having seen all this hot air develop in the meetings , with the half the PAC magazine seemingly devoted to it, - I can see why !! I'm not convinced angling needs a voice on a larger stage, all attempts to unite the sport have failed - does anyone wonder why ? Could it be because anglers are individuals who do what they do because they want a bit of space, a bit of freedom from the next man ? Could it be they don't want to be organised? That they have considered the situation , and decided to take what comes ? Having seen the contributions of the main participants in this latest insignificant fiasco(you know the one I mean- a few lunatics paid a fortune to fish a lake where no pike were killed and they got chucked out of the cot by the jealous twin) - I wouldn't want any of that lot to represent me!