[Oblickta]

Received this email today but from what i can gather its word for word copy of what has been sent to all


Dear Mr Gibson

Thank you for your email of 15 May 2006 to the Minister for Environment and Rural Development, Ross Finnie, about recreational sea-angling in Scotland. I have been asked to reply on his behalf.

Mr Finnie has noted your concerns about the recreational sea-angling sector, and would like to reassure you that VisitScotland and Scottish Ministers recognise its importance and are continuing to work to promote and develop sea angling in Scotland. VisitScotland has a section dedicated to sea angling on its website along with two pages about the sport in its Fishing in Scotland brochure. VisitScotland also sits on and part-funds the Angling Development Tourism Group which has been instrumental in the development of the FishScotland webpage. In addition, the development team at VisitScotland contributes towards the funding of the Country Sports Tourism Group which is looking at a number of projects to further develop angling in Scotland. VisitScotland is therefore content that its work is maximising the potential of sea angling to Scotland’s tourism economy, which is why, as Mr Finnie had said, there are no plans for further sector development at this time.

Sportscotland, the national agency for sport, also clearly recognises that sea angling is a popular recreational activity in Scotland, and has recently given £12,500 funding to the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers. For further information on this funding, you may wish to contact sportscotland at Caledonia House, South Gyle, Edinburgh, EH12Â*9DQ, telephone 0131 317 7200.

You will be pleased to hear that John Brown, head of the tourism division within the Scottish Executive, has agreed to meet with some of the key representatives of RSA, to allow for further discussion and clarification of the issues you raise.

I hope you find this helpful.

Yours sincerely



PENNY GEORGE
Tourism Unit