Angling not in top 20 sports

[Brian Crawford]

trent.barbeler:

Licence must be shown when buying tackle, bait etc and when buying permits to fish. (this is the only effective way around EA none policing and ensures every angler contributes)

Lee,

 

I totally agree with you on this but cannot see a way this could be made compulsory. I cannot see tackle dealers turning a sale away just because a customer has not got a licence with them - what about mail-order tackle firms?

 

I hate saying this as after 5 years living in France, I really believe their licencing system is far, far superior to ours. However, I could not see it happening here.

 

If you wished to fish in France 10 years ago you just bought a permit for your local Department (similar to our county). Part of that fee went to the Government as a tax, the rest went to the Department Fishery Committee (DFC)(similar to our consultatives). They controlled all public waters in the Department, all rivers, canals and lakes connected to any river or canal system, with free access to all these waters, even on private land.

 

Clubs/Associations based on towns and villages "controlled" the parts of waters within their boundaries, aided by the DFC and "policed" who fished these waters. It worked quite well. I was able to fish all these public waters in my Department for a fee of £40 per year to include angling licence and permit to fish with up to 4 rods at any one time except on a few game waters which had a 1 rod rule for game fish or 2 for coarse fish. No close season on any water except for pike, perch and zander, 31st January to about 25th May, plus game fish close seasons.

 

A couple of years ago, this changed as almost every Department in France decided to unite and share "public" waters. My licence then cost £50 but it meant I could fish all rivers, canals and waters connected to them in most of France if I so wished. A few Departments kept control of a few popular waters so they could increase funds. All Departments sent representatives to a National Angling Assembly.

 

Now Lee, if you could tell every coarse angler in England and Wales that if they paid £30 per year they could fish all rivers, canals and all waters connected to any river or canal with nothing extra to pay, with total right of access, then they might be interested. However, because of the way angling is set up here with so many heads deep in the sand, somehow I cannot see it happening.

 

Still it was nice trying to imagine some of the responses of our angling clubs to such an idea!!!Good job I have such a thick skin!

 

Having said that, the BCU and Ramblers Association appear to be getting more than that for much less and the Angling Clubs appear to have no say on that issue.

 

Pehaps Blair might consider Nationalising all waters in a similar way to the French!

 

That's what we get for not being in the Top 20 sports!!!!

 

Brian

 

[ 23. November 2003, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: Brian Crawford ]

[AndyM]

the thing that conserns me more than the fact that Sport England are limiting their funding and the fact that fishing isn't one of the select few, is the fact that there is no mention of funding disabled sport, which is surely just as important.

I might be wrong but I think one of Sport England's sloggans used to be "Sport for all" and fishing lends itself well to less able bodied ppl. I for one would not mind one bit if a case for Angling was put forward to them for a grant to improve access and factilities on a greater number of waters for this group in our community, as it would as a result benifit us all I feel.

[kleinboet]

Hear, Hear! It's about time Our dirty washing was brought out into the open and ironed.

WE are supposed to be represented by the likes of NFA but it would appear to me that that sort of money would be better spent with an organisation that are going to 'fight our corner'

as anglers fighting for other anglers and not as organisations.

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Jim Roper]

Brian Crawford:

 

Pehaps Blair might consider Nationalising all waters in a similar way to the French!

And give Joe Public the right to roam on them???

 

Does a passtime become a sport when competitions are introduced, perhaps.

 

No mention of a bill to ban hunting in the Queen's speech!

 

[ 26. November 2003, 03:02 PM: Message edited by: Jim Roper ]

[Brian Crawford]

AndyM:

the thing that conserns me more than the fact that Sport England are limiting their funding and the fact that fishing isn't one of the select few, is the fact that there is no mention of funding disabled sport, which is surely just as important.

I quite agree with this issue. However, disabled anglers in particular, are trying to get their act together with support from grants and various forward-looking angling clubs. There is a National Disabled Anglers Association, a National Disabled Angler's fishing match, several waters established mainly for disabled anglers, etc.

 

I was most impressed when living in Telford at the efforts put in by the local Angling Association, led by Malc Kelly and many others to ensure disabled anglers were not discriminated against in their quest for decent angling and its access. The new disability access laws coming into function next year have repercussions for many angling clubs who have to provide access for disabled anglers on all waters on day tickets. I just wonder how many clubs will stop day tickets on waters with difficult access!

 

As far as I know, and I confess to being a little out of touch :confused: , disabled anglers still do not get enough support from Sport England or the NFA, game angling or sea angling.

 

As an example, the BCU www.bcu.org.uk £28 per year, appear to do far more for their members.

 

Regards,

 

Brian

[Dick Dastardly]

Just one thing,if angling was to recieve outside funding where/on what would you see it spent?

[trent.barbeler]

Dear Brian,

 

Spot on.

 

Dear Budgie,

 

When you pose your question I am assuming that you mean any outside funding given to angling would be in the direction of NAA??

 

If so, this could be a tricky one.

 

To my knowledge, the NAA hasn't got a treasury team in place to administer any such reality. Although I must say they might have. But I haven't read anything on this subject.

 

Trickier, is the overal make up of the NAA where no matter what anyone says, "does" have a structure that "would" prove ineffective in some case scenarios. I believe that outside funding in any substancial amount would prove a splitting issue for the NAA as its structure stands now.

 

Three big fish and three little fish once swam in a pond. And when the fish all got hungry, guess which fish got ate first?

 

Self funding for angling eventually builds true equality within its national umbrella. Then all anglers within it become as one. Just as important as each other no matter what they fish for.

 

And joining a national organisation without having the need or requirement to do so without labouring under the label of Pike Angler, Carp Angler, Barbel Angler, Sea Angler, Game Angler, Course Angler, Match Angler, etc, will mean angling rids itself of the millstone which has held it down for generations.

 

Brother of the Angle. Thats all that matters. And the sooner angling rids itself of these labeled terms, the better off it will become in my opinion.

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Alan Pearce]

Great postings from both Lee and Brian.

 

Alan.

 

Ps One simple reason why angling does not get external funding, it doesn't ask!

 

Alan.

[kleinboet]

I am glad someone mentioned disabled angling. I think that the disabled side of it is well organised. If you are disabled you can become a member of British Disabled Angling Association at no charge and no membership fees. Take a look at their site at http://www.bdaa.co.uk They have teamed up with with the English Federation of Disabled Sport as their sole spokesgroup for disabled angling.

[Dick Dastardly]

Thanks Lee although you make a good point it was not realy what I was after.I was being more simplistic.Would people use the money to promote angling? develop waters?fund the national team?reasearch?conservation? What do you all see or think?