Your sport needs you

[kirkby john]

Following on from Leon's thread asking for details of sites or areas where angling has been banned.

It seems this is spreading around the country with more of our favourite venues being denied to us.

As most of you will be aware there is a court case in progress in Liverpool where two anglers were arrested for fishing from Mersey Docks and Harbour Company land. Long running case but about to be tried before a stipend.

A fund to cover legal costs has been established administered by MWASAC.

I believe we have to fight to retain our rights of access and the more victories the better. Perhaps the case in Liverpool will set a presedent making other access cases easier to win. I would therefore ask each and every one of you, if you are able, to contribute to this fund.

Donations may be sent to:

Mr A.Marklew

Secretary NWASAC

27 Corona Ave.

Lydiate

L31

Merseyside.

Donations accompanied by a SAE will be returned to the sender if not required ( we win all costs) , any anonymous donations not required will be passed to RNLI.

Further information available from me or Dave Parker of Sefton Sea Anglers

( seftonseaanglers@blueyonder.co.uk)

I hope we can rely on your support.

Cheers

John.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[kirkby john]

Does nobody care?

No comments?

[Jaffa]

Sorry KB, i did read your post but these days I feel bombarded with stuff. Any chance of a quick summary of the case and the tack being taken by the defence?

[kirkby john]

Hi Jaffa

A long winded story but in a nutshell there is a right of access into the docks protected by law which the Mersey docks have stopped us using. Two anglers were arrested last September and charged with fishing without permission under a bye law dating back to 1848. At first the anti terrorist laws were cited but the Dock Co. soon dropped that when they realised how rediculous it was.

The solicitors are positive we will win.

A fuller transcript can be found at

http://wsfsouth.co.uk/forum/phpBB2/viewtop...opic.php?t=2086 which is the forum of wirralseafishing.co.uk

Thanks for the interest

John

[Jaffa]

Cheers John, I'll give it a read.

 

Chris

[Leon Roskilly]

See: http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/sacn/latest/i...ex.php?view=190

 

Keep up to date at:

 

http://www.castandcatch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=25

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

[ 09. February 2005, 08:33 AM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

[sam-cox]

I care, I thought we all had the right to fish from the foreshore.

I also thought that trespass laws needed a court order to remove the tresspasser, which takes a while.

This case is interesting and a wish the anglers involved all the best of luck.

Please keep us up to date with the plite of these anglers.

[Leon Roskilly]

Wednesday, 02 February 2005

 

There comes a time when we all need to stand up and be counted and, as Lord Kitchener said, “Fight for Freedom”. Now is that time.

 

Steve Davies and David Irvine were summoned to court charged with fishing from the Alexander Dock wall in Liverpool. This area has been fished by generations of local people and is land that is encompassed in Acts of Parliament as being an area of promenade and recreation.

 

Mersey Docks and Harbour Board decided to cancel, without consultation, the system of passes which had been in force for over twenty years which allowed people to fish these waters. The only way to fish these waters now is to apply ten days in advance with parties of 8 or more.

 

As we all know, angling is a sport which normally involves one or two ‘mates’ deciding at the last minute that the weather is right, the tide is right and they are in the right mood to fish. Who knows that ten day in advance or can drum up seven mates to go with them.

 

We believe that the previous pass system was more than adequate to account for who was on the dock estate and the dock board is merely using security as an excuse to rid the estate of anglers, birdwatchers and ramblers which may have some relevance to the fact that a £700million bid has been made for the business. It is always easier to sell without sitting tenants.

 

We have spoken at length with the solicitor acting for Steve Davies and it is his opinion and experience that this case will not be won in the Magistrates Court but Steve is determined to take the case to its ultimate appeal. His solicitor is confident that this case will ultimately be won.

 

Because of our current system of Legal Aid, funding for a top barrister is not available in the magistrate’s court but would be available for any appeal courts. It is obviously better for the barrister to deal with the case throughout. No costs will be incurred other than for the Magistrates Court.

 

We are launching an appeal to all rambling, bird watching, angling clubs, other interested bodies and individuals for monies to pay for the defence of the two lads from Bootle who are heading up the battle for the rights of all who wish to use the natural facilities of the area.

 

When the case has been won, costs will be awarded and we are putting in place an adequate paper chain to ensure that any monies donated will be returned to the donors and any monies that can not be returned (public collections etc.) will be donated to the RNLI. No individual will profit from these donations.

 

Clubs and Associations should support the ‘Bootle Battlers’ and look at donations as a ‘loan’ to be repaid when the case is won and your rights have been restored.

 

We will also be holding various other fundraising efforts hopefully including one of the largest shore fishing match that Merseyside has ever seen.

 

The North West Association of Sea Anglers has agreed to handle all donations and to be responsible for passing these on to the defence team and ultimately to returning them to the donors.

 

The address to send donations to is:

 

NWASAC

Alan Marklew

6 Corona Avenue

Lydiate

Merseyside

L31 4DX

 

Any queries, questions etc. can be dealt with by myself .

 

David Parker

 

Fund Co-ordinator Sefton Sea Anglers.

 

seftonseaanglers@blueyonder.co.uk

 

0151 474 6007

[Jim Roper]

I thought a person could elect to by-pass the court of summary jurisdiction (Local Beek) and go straight for a judge and jury trial.

 

It's over 40 years since my law studies, so I might be wrong!

 

[ 10. February 2005, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: Jim Roper ]

[kirkby john]

Sand tiger and westie will know, what about it fellas ?