[Doc]

Hi Guys,

yes I\'m still pushing this, although I agree with you (little response).

The CFO and dCFO are aware of the issue, and I\'ve spoken at length wrt the concerns of local anglers and the impact the netting and potting is having on shore and pier anglers. There is a quarterly meeting of the NESFC at the end of January, which if I don\'t get some committment to act before then, then I\'ll make an formal request at the meeting that the officers making a serious investigation into the problem. I had hoped that they would investigate without having to go public on this as all it does is forewarn the guilty parties and then they move the gear until the inspection is over, subsequently moving gears back after.

The actual allowances for unlicenced fishers is 2 lobsters and 10 crabs, they are also restricted to 10 pots, unfortunately there are no restrictions in where they can put pots, in other words they can place them anywhere, the only restrictions apply to static nets (gill nets) which cannot be placed within the 10m depth contour (at present) or in the conservation areas at the mouth of the Tyne, Tees and Wear(?), not sure about the Wear but will check., and trawling (conservation boxes) off Whitby, Filey and along the Holderness coast.

I\'ll speak to the CFO again (Monday) and if no committment is forthcoming then raise it as an issue at the NESFC January meeting.

Cheers


Doc