National Angling & Fisheries Organisations to Speak with One Voice

[Paul Boote]

Peter Waller:

I take it, 'Paul', that you aren't in favour of the CA dabling, uninvited, in angling matters either?

I can't imagine what gave you THAT idea, Peter...

[Newt]

Budgie - the situation in the US isn't really analogous to the one in the UK. Angling politics and national groups like FACT and the various other highly visible acronymish organizations with purposes like I gather yours have, basically don't seem to exist here or if they do, they keep a very low profile since I don't know anything about any of them.

 

We do have conservation-oriented groups but the fishing/hunting ones like Ducks Unlimited and B.A.S.S basically are designed do things to improve conditions rather than lobby the government directly.

 

AFAIK, only a couple of the more militant tree-hugger groups and the anti-gun & pro-gun groups are really politically active.

 

- we don't do National except for ocean past a certain distance offshore. It's all on a State level otherwise.

- we don't split shooting and angling. State government organization devoted to enforcement of the regulations with Game Wardens who are sworn law enforcement officers (guns, badges, can arrest folks, all of that).

- the rules are set forth in state laws and if the pols make or support stupid rules, they aren't re-elected.

- hunting and fishing management is geared toward sustainable stocks of fish and wildlife.

- we have very few 'private' fisheries and all 'public' waters fall under the control of the state Game & Fish commission.

 

State law also applies to the ocean out to a certain distance where the Federal/national folks take over.

 

In federally controlled ocean, the Coast Guard takes care of enforcing regulations.

 

I imagine the commercial and the recreational sea angling folks do lobby for conditions that suit them but I'm unaware of the particulars.

[Peter Waller]

Just comes over that way! Hope I haven't misconstrued the gist of your ramblings !

[Paul Boote]

Peter Waller:

Just comes over that way! Hope I haven't misconstrued the gist of your ramblings !

Ah yes, the (my) ramblings...

 

 

"Though this be madness, yet there is method in it."

 

Polonius's words in William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'

[Dick Dastardly]

Thanks Newt,maybe with the amount of water per angler you have there isnt the same need for one governing body.Sad how most other countries seem to hold angling in a higher esteem than the UK.Coincidence maybe that all of these countries that give angling a higher priority on a national level are countries that still to some extent fish for the pot?

[Peter Waller]

Paul Boote:

Paul Boote:

Just comes over that way! Hope I haven't misconstrued the gist of your ramblings !

Ah yes, the (my) ramblings...

 

Some illustrious anglers tend to ramble, some even to burble! Good constructive stuff though!

[Leon Roskilly]

Newt:

 

I imagine the commercial and the recreational sea angling folks do lobby for conditions that suit them but I'm unaware of the particulars.

We have a lot of contact with the Recreational Fishing Alliance

 

http://www.joinrfa.org/

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Leon Roskilly]

The European Anglers' Alliance serves Europe's Anglers.

 

 

http://www.eaa-europe.org/

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Paul Boote]

Peter Waller:

My one reservation is that, here again, we have another group that has elected itself to speak on my / our behalf. I happen to rather admire DCB and some of his croonies, but it wouldn't matter if I didn't. I have no say in who represents me, nor in what policies that are persued in my name.

 

If, heaven forbid, FACT was to align itself with the Countryside Alliance, arghhhhhhh, then I would have to accept it. I couldn't resign in protest, I would have no say in the matter. It would be a 'fact'!

And one from me now: "Arghhhhhhh!"

 

 

A Press Release

Written By: Jill Greive

On Date: 4/2/2005

 

The Countryside Alliance Campaign for Angling has repeated its call for the Government to radically reform the way that angling development is funded.

 

Sport England has just published its 2005-06 investment targets, in which angling as a “development sport” will receive £135,000, less than half of that allocated to baseball/ softball or orienteering.

 

Anglers funded themselves to the tune of over £18 million in 2003/04 year from rod licence revenues. This money is a ring-fenced source of direct income which is ploughed straight back into conservation via the Environment Agency. The Government has also praised non-sporting, non-Government funded initiatives such Get Hooked on Fishing, which has brought children from all backgrounds into the sport of angling.

 

Campaign for Angling Director Charles Jardine commented: “Sport England’s funding for competition angling as a development sport is addressing only one small part of a huge angling industry. Angling’s worth should not be measured in terms of potential medals, but in terms of the benefits it brings to communities, to the economy and to the environmental health of our waterways. The Government needs to realise that they cannot shoe-horn angling into a model it simply does not, and should not, fit.

 

“Instead, angling should be funded according to its overall contribution. By comparison, rambling* is supported directly and indirectly by central and local government funding. The Government needs to urgently reassess its funding strategy, direct funds properly and unlock angling’s great potential with proper support.”

*An independent poll commissioned by the Countryside Alliance in 2004 found that more people have participated in angling than either rambling or association football. The sports participation poll asked the question “Have you ever taken part in the following?” and the responses were as follows:

 

Fishing or angling 26%

Rambling 23%

Organised association football 20%

Jogging/running 40%

For more information contact the Press Office on 0207 840 9220 or

07775 938792

[Peter Waller]

So?