cost of proposed sea licence

[jamiebrennan]

I know how you feel mark! I just couldnt help myself!
Ive said on the miliband thread that i dont think that they will have the man power to enforce the license and i still dont think they can

 

[davem2005]

Its nice to see a discussion on the proposed introduction of an angling license with at least some positives thrown in .Yep I have given those kids a spinner etc.

What is important is that we stick together and insist that there are changes to the quality of our fishing before we are expected to pay a license fee. For example the introduction of the golden mile for anglers only. An intresting comment what made to me yesterday by a total non angler " does this mean you cant fish a particular area without havig a license?" This made me think that if areas of the coastline were deignated as no trawl or gill netting zones but if anglers chose to fish those areas they would be expected to be in possesion of a voluntary licence ( a bit like paying membership of a coarse angling club ) that would not be unreasonable and would be entirely opt in or out to suit.

The only example of this I can offer is the only 1 mile no trawl zone so far designated in the UK near boulby and local anglers describe this as some of the best fishing in the region. This is despite the area still allowing gill nets as the ban is for trawling only. It would be really nice to see similar areas at regular intervals over our entire coastline.

Its also intresting to note that this no trawl zone was not introduced to improve things for anglers but as a result of conflict between trawlers and potters. In this particular case we happen to have been the benificiaries of actions taken with no regard for us as anglers.

We need to be united on a stance of show us improvements and then we may pay a license fee.

Cheers
Dave

 

[jamiebrennan]

Its a catch 22 situation though, to see an improvement then we will have to pay up front, if we dont pay then who will? Then we have the scenario of, if the fishing impoves will the licence cost go up?

 

[mark]

if the fishing impoves will the licence cost go up?

wouldn't of thought so, certainly never applied to game fish licences, and the salmon fishing has improved tremendously

I'd guess (hope?) thye go up in line with other fishing licences

 

[davem2005]

If they improve the fishing no one would need to pay extra. Simple economics...more fish means more would go sea fishing....so more would buy licenses.

Coupled to this would be the fact that the current annual spend by anglers (estimated at 538 million in the uk and wales by the drew report in 2002) would also increase and so the country would benifit as a whole without raising extra revenue by raising fees. This compares very well with the revenue earned by commercials of under 200 million per year despite an annual subsidy equating to £10,000 per person actually employed on a trawler.

Looking at these kind of numbers, it is no suprise that the marine bill white paper has cross party support based on the fact it wants to increased the number of fish in our seas and sets out a way to actually achieve this. Its unfortunate that it even mentions the possibility of introducing an angling license but it is afte rall a proposal to change what has not been working for many years so any change can only be for the better.

We need to ensure we as individuals respond to defra to say we would accpt the proposals within the white paper including the POSSIBLE introduction of a license if and ONLY IF we see improvements first. Lets not loose sight of the fact that with or without a license the government aleady gains financially from us . Its only now we have the chance to ask something in return for what we ALREADY pay!

Cheers
Dave

 

[treeboa]

after watching last night what i think was a serious gill netting operation on a welsh beach i doubt if the govenment will do anything prior to putting on the pirates hat, no good saying you should report it when the bloody mobile cant connect :casstet: , did this morn when i got use of a land line, you would think that knowing the areas most likely to be targeted that fisheries protection would have something in place, cant say yes there was netting going on but blacked out boats are useually up to no good, cant say the fact that i did not get a bite was due to it, however when you think that theres been good reports for the area for the last few days ??