Seaham Club?

[zztopz]

The piers aren't publicly owned, they are private property. Tynemouth and South Shields are owned by the Port of Tyne Authority and Seaham piers by the Seaham Harbour Dock Company.

In the case of Seaham there is a long standing agreement between the club and the dock company for members to fish the pier and IIRC the club pays the dock company a substantial amount of money for the privilege, they are paying that money to a private company in order to get access to their private property.

Nobody who doesn't want to pay / be a member of a club with access rights is being prevented from taking part in their chosen hobby, there are hundreds of miles of beaches and rock edges on the north east coast that are completely free for public access and provide excellent fishing.

Well said again.

[zztopz]

...and it's always sea anglers who think they should put nothing into the sport but expect everything in return!
Just take a look at the mess (and there are plenty of threads on this site about it) that SOME sea anglers leave behind them...somebody has to clear it up - often other, more respectful sea anglers.
There's more to fishing than just chucking a bait into the water!
Nobody is being prevented from fishing a chosen mark. If you want to fish Tynemouth or Seaham piers it's easy...join the respective clubs for the priviledge and the knowledge that you're covered insurance wise. Small price to pay I reckon while supporting a local angling club.
Just my personal views...

I agree with you matchman wholeheartedly, but are you saying that you have to join a club to get their insurance or could I possibly get my own public liability insurance to fish any pier.

[g.ordon]

The piers aren't publicly owned, they are private property. Tynemouth and South Shields are owned by the Port of Tyne Authority and Seaham piers by the Seaham Harbour Dock Company.

In the case of Seaham there is a long standing agreement between the club and the dock company for members to fish the pier and IIRC the club pays the dock company a substantial amount of money for the privilege, they are paying that money to a private company in order to get access to their private property.

Nobody who doesn't want to pay / be a member of a club with access rights is being prevented from taking part in their chosen hobby, there are hundreds of miles of beaches and rock edges on the north east coast that are completely free for public access and provide excellent fishing.

I honestly though that tynemouth and s/s pier were ulimately owned by the government (tax payer) and that the PTA was an independant organisation commissioned by the government to police it. Maybe wrong but just what I always thought.