7 weeks later I get a reply :P

[skippytheroo]

7 weeks ???? What am i paying taxes for?

 

2 February 2005

 

Dear Mr X

 

 

Thank you for your email of 9 December to Ben Bradshaw about the state of cod stocks in the UK. Your letter has been passed to me for reply. I apologise for the delay in replying.

 

The Government agrees that we must do all we can to tackle overfishing and to conserve fish stocks in the UK. Fish stocks in EU waters are managed under the Common Fisheries Policy. Recovery Plans have been already agreed for cod stocks and much of the UK, including the North Sea. The UK has made the most significant contribution of any EU country to North Sea cod recovery. We have in recent years reduced our fishing effort on North Sea cod by more than 50% and decommissioned more than 250 vessels.

 

Mesh sizes rules have also been introduced in the EU for many years although it is difficult to set the “right” mesh size when smaller and larger fish are caught together. There are also many seasonal closures in place around the UK to protect particular species. In recent years, under recovery plans restrictions on the number of days that fishermen can fish have been introduced to protect the most depleted species including North Sea cod.

 

The Fisheries Council in December 2002, agreed significant reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which put sustainable development at the heart of the policy. It was for example, agreed to phase out European Union subsidies for vessel building by the end of last year. (The UK did not pay such subsidies which could lead to overfishing). Under the new CFP EU Fisheries Ministers committed themselves to a multi-annual approach to management based on recovery plans for stocks outside safe biological limits and management plans for other stocks.

 

The Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit published a wide ranging report called “Net Benefits” in March 2004 on sustainable fishing. Among many issues the report made recommendations on developing the recreational sea fishing sector. The Government will be responding to the recommendations in the report during spring.

 

Yours sincerely

 

P Cotter

 

Patrick Cotter

Sea Fisheries Conservation Division

[tack4]

least you got a reply skippy

i've had to stop holding my breath now as was very hypoxic

[arthurcodsbody]

Severn weeks! skippy, it took em 7 weeks to post you the exact same email as they've sent me and about 3 thousand others, you would think that if you waited that long they'd at least make it semi personal, I think that just tippifies our plight they dont care and dont realise how seriosly we take this issue, they fob us of with a generic reply in a vain hope that it'll satisfy us, maybe they think it'll make us feel important getting a reply from a govt office... pah

This is the problem the commercials have caused this mess and yet they get the biggest say in how the North sea gets managed. Its the same in many walks of life, your average joe ie me, you and the majority go to work pay our taxes stay within the law and die, yet we are the ones that get shat on from great heights day in day out, and before someone says use your vote to change things I say this

1. weve probably got the best of a bad lot at present

2. for as long as we carry on doing what we do (which we will) cos were honest people and lets face it its what the british do, all govts will just keep taking our money and f*"cking us over a big barrel

 

Anyway thats my little rant overwith now into my third week offshore no booze no gambling and whats worse no fishing!!! starting to get a bit stressed.

 

Matt

[Guest stevie cop]

Well done for writing in the first place. Lots of emails and letters get ignored, so hey, at least you got a reply!

 

Keep up the good work.