No Sea Angling Licence

[Elton]

Couple of interesting news releases just added to our news section!

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/

[ColinW]

After what he did to the bass MLS plans as practically his first ministerial action my mistrust of Mr Shaw is so great that I'll have to read the draft proposals before I believe anything he says!

So far we haven't had one sprat thrown in our direction, while he seems to bend over backwards at the slightest whinge of the commercial fishermen.

[Ken Davison South Wales]

After what he did to the bass MLS plans as practically his first ministerial action my mistrust of Mr Shaw is so great that I'll have to read the draft proposals before I believe anything he says!

So far we haven't had one sprat thrown in our direction, while he seems to bend over backwards at the slightest whinge of the commercial fishermen.

 

I think you can believe what he says simply because he never said he would keep the bass mls deal.

 

However until the marine bill is cast in granite I to have sever reservations about the final outcome.

 

Being a tadge on the cynical side maybe the current world fiscal problems may result in a penny wise government grasping an area of income which with a little bit of common sense and not a lot of money could be a good investment i.e. the Golden Mile.

 

Just trying to find a rainbow somewhere

[big_cod]

A victory for sea anglers in this country sense prevails .

[glennk]

Great News.

 

Funny to see the NFSA and SACN press releases claiming its their victory. If they hadn't dreampt it up in the first place there would have been no problem. This is a victory for all those who contacted their MP's and attended those meetings. Word got back about the feeling on the ground and DEFRA had no other option. It could have cost labour the next election.

 

This in no way signifies the end though, so dont be fooled into a false sense of security. Sea angling still faces many battles. Closed zones (like the one proposed for Flamborough), Bag limits, and bait digging restrictions are still on the cards.

 

My thoughts on a bag limit.

 

1. Its an erosion of man's right to catch and take fish with a rod and line.

2. It could spell the end for charter fishing, fishing clubs and fishing festivals.

3. Everytime ICES research shows an increase in fish stocks (even a very slight one) DEFRA simply hand extra quota to the commercial fishermen - letting them take those extra fish in the next year. This years 10% cod quota increase and increase in days at sea is a direct outcome of last years ICES advice that the cod breeding stock had slightly increased. DEFRA know full well where the blame lies for fish decline but they fail to sort that out, giving us bag limits just hands the extra few fish to the local trawler fleet. Is a no win situation.

 

So its a good result but don't be fooled into thinking they have gone away, because they haven't and we need to be very vigilant and keep an eye on the next trick they have up their sleeves.

[maidstonemike]

Like I said, unenforceable, unpopular, unlikely, and I was right.

Now they don't have to ban trawlers from inshore waters, they don't have to improve the angling , how were they going to do that?

They don't have to provide improved facilities for anglers.

They don't have to upset the commercial fishermen.

I think they probably feel that they are off the hook.

Edited March 19, 2008 by maidstonemike

[barry luxton]

Like I said, unenforceable, unpopular,

 

http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.p...ence_move_.html

 

It has upset the shell fish association. Don't know why, it had s@d all to do with them.

[Steve Coppolo]

It is good news, but take a step back and look at exactly what has happened. As Glenn said, it's a victory for anglers, and it's thanks to those who made the Minister think again by expressing their views on the licence. Well done to everyone who wrote letters, initiated and signed petitions, attended Defra's roadshow meetings, posting their views on the forums, etc, etc. But let's not get carried away. We've gained absolutely nothing. The government have just removed a threat that they put there in the first place, and are now trying to give the imnpression that they've given us something. They haven't. Taking away their threat of a sea angling tax has done nothing to improve our fishing. As you are all aware, they have been known to do this sort of thing before, i.e, create a threat so that they can take it away and give the impression that they've given something worthwhile. Now that the licence has gone away, (for a while), look out for all the other rubbish contained within the RSA strategy that will still be heading our way.

 

We can't relax yet.

Edited March 19, 2008 by Steve Coppolo

[wurzel]

A victory for sea anglers in this country sense prevails .

 

Quote

 

Labour’s Angling Spokesman Martin Salter MP has backed Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw in his decision not to proceed with a sea angling rod licence at the present time.

 

And Quote

 

Mr Salter said:

 

“Whilst I remain committed to the principle of a rod licence for all forms of recreational fishing"

 

 

 

I don't see that any thing has changed, it's just political speak saying they have just changed the agenda a bit but the out come will be the same and the time scale is still within their vision for angling.

[H.A.]

Funny to see the NFSA and SACN press releases claiming its their victory. If they hadn't dreampt it up in the first place there would have been no problem.

- Glenn

 

I'm sorry matey, but that's total crap!

 

Anyway -

 

Statement from Jonathan Shaw:

 

I met sea angling representatives at the Angling summit on 18 February where a number of concerns were raised with me regarding the introduction of a chargeable licence for sea angling. I have also discussed the issue direct with anglers around the coast, as have my officials. In view of the concerns expressed, including the extent to which sea anglers expected to see benefits from the charge, I have decided not to proceed with enabling powers in the Marine Bill to introduce a sea angling licence.

 

I will, none the less, continue with a package of other measures that aim to provide benefits for anglers, including a review of nursery areas for the protection of bass stocks and of inshore netting, and a pilot study on area-based restrictions to support sea angling. I have also recently announced measures to increase protection of tope, a key species for anglers.