Launch facilities on wirral

[Phil Hallsworth]

As and from 2003 the local Wirral Borough Council have decided that only small boat owners with an R.Y.A.level 2 certificate will be allowed launch permits to launch on the Wirral side of the River Mersey. This stipulation will be mandatory. I have tried to take them to task over this, but to date have recieved no reply. Whilst I agree that the certificate is a good thing, I know of nowhere in the country where you must have one to launch. Does anyone else know of anywhere with a similar stipulation? I also know of no law requiring small boat owners to have a certificate of competency. Does anyone else? The permits are issued on behalf of the Leisure Services Department of Wirral Borough Council. It seems to me they're trying to push leisure anglers away, rather than attract them!

[davidP]

It's fairly typical of all governments to want to control everything they can, to assume they know best for everybody and try and protect people from themselves wethere they need it or not. But I'll bet it's also got something to do with lawyers telling them they risk getting sued if someone has an accident on the grounds that the council should have stopped them!

[Phil Hallsworth]

One of my points is, have they got the legal right to do this, or are they overstepping the mark. If they're overstepping the mark, if they are not taken to task, they get away with it, and anglers of the future suffer

[davidP]

If they own it or even control it then they can more or less apply any rules they want to in much the same way as a fishery owner can apply whatever rules he wants provided they're within the law. Councils however seem to take this to heart and apply rules becase they can and not because they're needed

[wirral sea fishing]

Phil Hallsworth:

As and from 2003 the local Wirral Borough Council have decided that only small boat owners with an R.Y.A.level 2 certificate will be allowed launch permits to launch on the Wirral side of the River Mersey. This stipulation will be mandatory. I have tried to take them to task over this, but to date have recieved no reply. Whilst I agree that the certificate is a good thing, I know of nowhere in the country where you must have one to launch. Does anyone else know of anywhere with a similar stipulation? I also know of no law requiring small boat owners to have a certificate of competency. Does anyone else? The permits are issued on behalf of the Leisure Services Department of Wirral Borough Council. It seems to me they're trying to push leisure anglers away, rather than attract them!

Phil,

with your permision and help I will take them to task, WBC are very very aware of my site due to me forcing a back track on the proposed SSCI.

get in touch and we will have a chat and work together, also i have contacts in the Echo so could make a story for them also

[Davemc1]

Go get em Chris ! :mad: