Scottish RSA irrelevant - official line

[Ian Burrett]

And it's in todays P & J ( NE Scotlands daily ) - didn't make the front page in banner headlines but it did get 9 column inches in the farming and fishing section.

 

Their response was " Inshore fisheries groups are being established to develop local management plans for commercial fisheries. We would expect their executive committees to consult all important stakeholders in the development of management plans. Formal stakeholder groups will be established to allow this to happen and, where appropriate, sea anglers will be invited to participate "

 

Load of WEASEL WORDS and from the postings re the antics of the ESFJC you can just guess where "appropriate and invited " will get us.

 

This gives another opportunity for those that haven't already mailed their MSP - now you've just seen it in the P & J and you are apalled at what you've just read, Mr Finnie should be ..........

 

Go on, you know it makes sense.

 

 

Details at

 

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/displayNo...e=sidebarsearch

 

The paper also asks for your comments

[Fastd]

As an english angler I sent this to Mr Finnie.

 

Dear Mr Finnie,

 

I am writing to express my astonishment at your comments that RSA is irrelevant as a contributor to the Scottish economy.

 

 

 

I live and work in England, however the majority of my planned trips for this year are all to Scottish waters. I am not a tourist who calls in at tourist offices, I have never heard of Visit Scotland, I just travel to my chosen venue, fish and spend my money in the local economy. In the course of the 6 trips I have planned this year I would estimate that I would spend well in excess of £1000. When you multiply that by the thousands of anglers who visit Scotland every year it does add up to a major contribution to the economy of Scotland.

 

 

To dismiss this as irrelevant to the economy seems foolhardy and shortsighted. I can see no evidence of your claims that RSA is not a major contributor. It seems odd that studies in England and Wales have both reached the conclusion that RSA is a valuable contributor to the economy and as no such study has been undertaken in Scotland I can not understand how you can come to the conclusion that visiting anglers are irrelevant.

 

 

I visit Scotland to fish for species that are unavailable anywhere else in the British isles, and if these species are not offered the proper protection there would be absolutely no reason for me and many thousands of other anglers to come to Scotland.

 

 

People these days have more spare time and a greater disposable income, this is the reason why RSA is a growth industry and it should be high on your list of priorities to ensure Scotland gets its share of the financial benifits in the long term. The minimum action that should be taken is to do a proper study as to the value of RSA to the Scottish economy rather than relying on opinion and hearsay to base your decisions on.

 

 

I will be following this matter closely and look forward to seeing an announcement of a study into the TRUE value of RSA in Scotland in the near future.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

David Morton

 

Save Our Sharks Member

www.save-our-sharks.org

Name and address supplied

 

Maybe some others living south of the border may want to do something similar.

 

Dave

 

Wonder if its any use copying it to my local MP...Mr T Blair

Edited May 16, 2006 by Fastd

[Norm B]

As an english angler I sent this to Mr Finnie.

Maybe some others living south of the border may want to do something similar.

 

Dave

 

Wonder if its any use copying it to my local MP...Mr T Blair

WHO?

[Huge_Vitae]

Seems somebody has noticed...........

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.p...=0entry627990

 

[wurzel]

Surely part of the attraction of going to some where like Scotland is the fact that not too many others do, it could be why the fishing is good.

[corydoras]

Surely part of the attraction of going to some where like Scotland is the fact that not too many others do, it could be why the fishing is good.

A bit , but in my youth I used to fish Loch Katrine. Some days I know I had the whole 8 miles of it to myself. Maximum of 7 boats anyway at that time. This would be about 32 years ago.

Edited May 17, 2006 by corydoras

[Ian Burrett]

Surely part of the attraction of going to some where like Scotland is the fact that not too many others do, it could be why the fishing is good.

 

I don't see the connection Wurzel.

 

On a personal note the reason why our fishing is so good is because we have been returning all inshore Pollack for 10 years and is a sustainable fishery, untill some commercial comes along and wipes them out that is.

 

Other species like the tope, skate, and spurdog are also returned throughout Scotland

[seaside]

Righto an update on the lobbying effort across all forums

 

Emails / Letters to MSPs ----- was 27 ----- now 44

 

Letters direct to Finnie ----- was 02 ----- now 07

 

MSP letters to Finnie ----- was 02 ----- now 08

 

Support contributions from outside Scotland ----- was 03 ----- now 09

 

OK, getting better, but for those that still haven't had a go, don't forget you can find their email / snailmail details at

 

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/

 

for those outwith Scotland, you may consider contacting Mr Finnie direct

 

Ross.Finnie.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

 

Please update this thread with any contact details

Edited May 19, 2006 by seaside

[Ian Burrett]

My local MSP has tabled the following questions for Hoolyrood.

 

how many people participated in Recreational Sea Angling in Scotland in each of the past five years?

 

 

 

 

 

what the value of Recreational Sea Angling is to the Scottish economy?

 

 

 

what percentage of visitors to Scotland participated in Recreational Sea Angling in each of the past five years?

 

 

 

whether it has undertaken any studies to determine the economic potential of Recreational Sea Angling, and if not, what plans it has to do so?

 

 

Hopefully Ross Finnie will be sat at his desk thinking, "not another bloody RSA letter

[seaside]

Update on the lobbying effort across all forums

 

Emails / Letters to MSPs ----- was 44 ----- now 54

 

Letters direct to Finnie ----- was 07 ----- now 08

 

MSP letters to Finnie ----- was 02 ----- now 10

 

For those that still haven't had a go, don't forget you can find their email / snailmail details at

 

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/

 

Support contributions from outside Scotland ----- was 09 ----- now 09

 

No change here for those outwith Scotland, if you fish up here, help us try and get a direct voice to help preserve the great fishing you come for, plenty of good ideas in the thread for content, contact Mr Finnie direct

 

Ross.Finnie.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

 

Please update this thread with any contact details