an idea to stop fish being taken by eastern europeans

[Peter Sharpe]

gudgeon at one time were very valuable and used as faux mother of pearl by our victorian ancestors/quote]

 

Err, it was bleak actually, although gudgeon were considered a bit of a delicacy.

 

I do wonder though if Lidl are to blame for most of the illegal fishing that goes on. If everybody was forced to go to a tackle shop for their fishing gear, they would be far more likely to be made aware of their responsibilities.

[Marginmaster]

Has any one actually read the first post in this thread, you have all taken it completely off track. The question was whether Anglers could act as Voluntary Community Baliffs in association with the EA.

 

I'D BE UP FOR IT any one else want to answer the actual question ?

[ColinW]

I think the reason we British stopped eating freshwater fish is quite simple, we didn't need to. Given the choice, nobody who could afford to buy seafish would eat freshwater fish in preference. ANY seafish (well except wrasse) is better eating than any freshwater fish. The problem (local to me anyway) is caused by illegal immigrants who are not able to get any benefits and get paid well below the minimum wage to work as farm labourers. They can't even afford to buy cheap farmed salmon, so when they see a drain running through the field they are working on and realise it is full of the fish they regularly ate back home it is only natural for them to stick a few night lines out and get some free food.

These people are NOT stupid. Even though they are working as farm labourers the chances are they are brighter than the average Brit (they managed to get here after all) and they know full well that they shouldn't be doing what they do. But so what? If you are living with ten other guys in a run down terraced house, what have you got to fear?

Getting back to the original question, if you fancy arguing with a gang of non-english speaking labourers armed with who knows what then feel free. I certainly don't.

[rambo]

"to stop fish being taken by eastern europeans"

do you not have enough fish to catch?

[gozzer]

Has any one actually read the first post in this thread, you have all taken it completely off track. The question was whether Anglers could act as Voluntary Community Baliffs in association with the EA.

 

I'D BE UP FOR IT any one else want to answer the actual question ?

 

Er, I believe I did

 

The fact that you have a licence or yearbook for the water, gives you the right to ask to see the licence or permit of anyone (regardless of nationality), fishing the water. So you are already a kind of bailiff. As to whether the EA would act on individual cases is another thing.

 

I have asked on a number of occasions, and been asked myself by fellow anglers, it got to be known as "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours". It used to be done by some, if someone was fishing the swim they fancied when they got to the water. But you should always ask to see their licence/yearbook before showing yours. Hence the name.

 

Budgies right though, many anglers don't know the rules and regs of their local waters, never mind the EA rulings, (as proved by some of the posts on here). How many actually read the yearbook or permit before going fishing. I feel it would be the same if it was printed on the licence.

If an official voluntary force was created then the anglers concerned would have to have some sort of training. Who would pay for that? Who would pay for the insurance that they would no doubt need?

There have been reports of violence from anglers, throwing people in, even waving shot guns in the air. Would you like to see this kind of person patrolling our waterways, with even the smallest amount of power? I certainly wouldn't.

[Steve Walker]

ANY seafish (well except wrasse) is better eating than any freshwater fish.

 

I agree with the rest of what you said, but I can't quite agree with that one. I'd rate perch, pike and eel up with the best sea fish. Certainly above, say, whiting.

[Anderoo]

I agree with the rest of what you said, but I can't quite agree with that one. I'd rate perch, pike and eel up with the best sea fish. Certainly above, say, whiting.

 

Zander and pike for me! Yum

[MikeT]

I have only been a member of this forum for a short time, but I have seen what an emotive and contentious issue this is.

 

For what its worth, I will add a couple of quick points.

 

There are two issues here, which inter-relate.

 

1. The illegal taking of fish.

2. The perception (right or wrong) that it is a particular group of people doing it.

 

As anglers, we should concern ourselves with the former (the latter is hardly relevant, despite being a great cause for our inflammation). It is easy to become distracted by the latter, and lose sight of the importance of the former.

 

The illegal removal of fish is a truly serious issue- none can deny this.

 

Unfortunately, however, it seems unlikely that anglers, as a group, are able to do much about it.

 

In order for progress to be made on issues of concern such as this, there needs to be both adequate resources and political will.

 

There is, apparently, very little of either.

 

This may change, of course, as the situation develops, but at present the angling world has insufficient lobbying power to generate the political will to raise resources to deal with this issue. This, in itself, is perhaps rather surprising- since so many people are anglers in this country (something like 6 million, I think- which represents a large proportion of the electorate).

 

Until there is sufficient political will, the illegal taking of fish will surely continue. Such is the way of the world.

 

Let us hope it will not be too serious for the fish.

[carpstar]

How many times are you all going to go over the same points and come up with the same conclusions?

[Kappa]

I refuse to get drawn back into the old immagrunts taking all our fish argument again because it gets me cross and I'll offend someone.

 

However I did actually once contact the EA as I felt my local waters were being abused by bloody white middle class English men (sorry couldn't resist that). I asked if I could become a volunteer bailiff in my free time as I was perfectly willing to patrol waters for free so long as if I found someone breaking the rules/bylaws I could actually do something about it (i.e. had EA bailiffs' powers).

 

To cut a long story short... the EA said thanks but no thanks.

 

Rich