Sea Fishing licence.

[Cranfield]

I know its an "old chesnut", but with the progress being made by the various organisations that represent Sea Anglers, it might be an opportune time to consider it.

 

Perhaps if we paid for our recreational use of the sea and its facilities, we would be seen to be entitled to a greater input into its future.

 

As some of us are Freshwater Anglers, we are quite prepared to, not only pay a national Licence, but also pay to join Angling Clubs.

I fail to see why there should be any difference.

 

I,m not suggesting a vast sum of money, perhaps the same as the current Freshwater Licence.

[SandTiger]

Why don't you just make a donation? Atleast you know yer money is going to the right place!

[Cranfield]

I would expect the revenue from the licence to go to the Enviroment Agency or some similar Authority.

Who would have the same resposibilities the EA have, with freshwater.

[chris parker]

What do you get for your license money in freshwater fishing.

 

I can't see sea fishing getting much except balifs, and i get enough of them round as it is

[SandTiger]

Still better off making a donation if ya feels that strongly about it

[waterman1013]

One vision might be for the EA to have responsibility of our seas out to the twelve mile limit, to fund the Sea Fisheries Committees and to control the exploitation of inshore waters by foreign flagged vessels.

 

If sea anglers were paying a licence fee they would have legitimate claims to representation on SFCs, under the CFP and a much better chance to effect change in the management of our sea stocks.

 

Mike

[Alan Taylor]

waterman1013:

One vision might be for the EA to have responsibility of our seas out to the twelve mile limit,

Well said that man.

 

Alan(nl)

[Kieran Hanrahan]

As some of you may know the government tried to introduce a rod licence here on the fresh water lakes and rivers, and it led to a "dispute"... which saw the government lose after two years. I can imagine a similar fracas emerging if they tried to introduce a sea based licence.

 

I understand the idea and it seems fine but how would you efffectively police it? Wouldn't any contribution necessarily be voluntary in nature? They can't properly police the commercial boys so what hope would they have with thousands of much smaller boats?

 

Governments (ex-civil servant hat on here) are not keen on regulations that they can not police as it makes them look silly... as if they need help with that Nice idea though.

[Cranfield]

The point about "policing" a sea licence is always raised.

 

Its a "chicken and egg" situation.

The USA has more coastline than the UK, they have recreational sea fishing licences, size and catch limits.

These are all rigourously enforced.

With the reduction of commercial fishing, their inshore fishing has improved tremendously.

 

The Fish and Game Authorities not only receive funding from their State, but also the licence income.

Any fines and seizures they make, they also keep.

I have always been checked when ever I have fished there.

Not just licences and catch, but also life jackets, flares etc, when we have been in a boat.

 

The Sea Angling Associations in the US are a very powerful lobby. They have been primarily responsible for the banning of commercial inshore netting and long lining.

 

Most of us already make donations to Anglers groups, but that doesn,t give us the political muscle, that a licence fee would.

[spasor]

If by buying a license it would guarantee.

1/ No local authority could dump raw sewage into the sea.

2/ No netting within 3 miles of the shore.

3/ No trawling within 6 miles of the shore.

4/ ALL sea anglers had to buy a license.

5/ Any angler caught breaking standard rules of sea angling (NFSA code of conduct?) would lose their license and all their tackle!!!

If all the above were made law? I`d be first at the office to buy my license.

However, I`m afraid that the cost of policing any license would put sea angling out of the reach of too many people? We`ve got such a huge coastline that trying to enforce any license system would become impractical.

It would be much easier to enforce all current legislation. But even fishing protection vessels can`t afford to cut anchor!! If you`ve ever seen a fisheries protection vessel in action, then you`re lucky!!

Paul.