Marine Bill Consultation - Closes This Friday. Last Chance To Have Your Say.

[Glenn Kilpatrick]

Please see :

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=75484

:thumbdown: :thumbdown:

 

[sless]

to late was the cry

seemingly all these big bods were going to arrange a meeting
after i met with david miliband
what has happened
jack sh1t



get your money out

 

[mark]

I doubt it would of made any difference sless. the exchequer have their eyes set on a few more easily gained quid

we'll end up paying and get feck all in return

I'd be happy to pay a licence if there was anything in return but I doubt it

shows you what a pitiful state this country is in when a few tens of millions is an attractive proposition. Bit like having to raid the loose change down the back of the sofa when your really hard up

meanwhile the likes of murdoch can boast to his MP cronies how he's never paid a single penny in tax in this country depsite earning billions

 

[daren]

does anyone remember when the poll tax was abolished and why im not 100% sure but i think they were sending oap's to jail and stuff like that do you think they would start doing sh*t like that if you dont pay the fine for not having a licence i think the way this whole thing is going we are all going to end up paying in the long run i think my fishing stuff will be sold or in the loft if i dont see any benifit for paying for a licence

 

[mark]

does anyone remember when the poll tax was abolished and why im not 100% sure but i think they were sending oap's to jail and stuff like that do you think they would start doing sh*t like that if you dont pay the fine for not having a licence i think the way this whole thing is going we are all going to end up paying in the long run i think my fishing stuff will be sold or in the loft if i dont see any benifit for paying for a licence

they'll not jail you, just take all your gear off then bombard you with county court judgements to extract more money

the poll tax?? what makes you think it was abolished?? one of the greates bits of PR and spin ever. rename it coucil tax and bobs your uncle, everyone still has to pay, and yes they still send oap's to the chokey for not paying it

 

[sless]

maybe the big bods that wanted the meeting
didnt realy want a meeting
cos they know there will be a well paid job for them when it comes in
and a flash car

i knew i was wasting my time

 

[mark]

don't think you wasted your time, its just gonna be a real uphill struggle to make any headway. The overwhelming response from the majority to paying for a licence seems to be 'over my dead body' regardless of wether they may gain anything or not.

not something that easy to have a rational debate with

plus you can glory in "I told you so's" when the time comes!

 

[sless]

well i did my bit

 

[sless]

maybe its the ones that are high lightening it have the most to lose

 

[Glenn Kilpatrick]

Here's my response. Its a bit negative but that's the way this Marine Bill makes me feel. Please excuse the grammer and spelling mistakes but Im only the average man from the north east and not some high flying boffin . If people want to reply they must submit their thoughts to

[email protected]

Hi There,

I write in response to the marine bill consultation. As a sea angler from the north east of England I would like to express my thoughts about some of the content of the marine bill which specifically relates to recreational Sea angling.

1. I see a sea angling licence as nothing other than a tax on people who fish in the sea. I personally dont care if you made the seas around are country the best recreational fishing grounds in the World (Given past history I doubt your ability) I would still begrudge paying to fish in the sea. The right of an English man to use rod, line and bait to catch fish from the sea predates the magna carte, how fitting is it that a labour government with numerous stealth taxes under its belt seeks to set another, this time at the expense of the nations anglers.

Not only would a sea angling licence take away something that has been the right of UK anglers since time began it could impact negatively on the angling business' across our region. With fewer fish in the sea than ever before, having to pay to fish in the sea could well reduce the number of people who want to participate in this sport. Holiday makers seeing a sign for a fishing trip from many of our local ports could be put off taking that trip by the extra expense incurred by having to purchase a license. Obviously with less people fishing the angling shops could also suffer too.

Be warned that there are roughly 2 million of us "Sea Anglers" and a large percentage are disgruntled and will to express this at the ballott box.


2. Within the Marine Bill and drafts of the RSA Strategy that I have read there is mention of "Bag Limits" for anglers. At first reading I felt this must be a joke. THere is no research evidence that angling has ever damaged fish stocks. The commercial fishing industry for years unpoliced by yourselves has brought the nations fish stocks to near extinction for some species and now you have the cheek to suggest anglers have been part of that equation. This is an insult to my intelligence. Further to this has any thought been given to the effect that a bag limit could have on the countries charter fishing fleet?

The amount of people wanting to go sea fishing could also be hit by the introduction of restrictions of catches. After paying: sometimes in excess of 40 pounds for a days angling from 1 of the north east's charter ports, 20 pounds upwards on bait and lures etc, £30 or more on fuel to get to the port, and the expenses incurred for accommodation and food for those who stay over for the night before trip, the thought of only being allowed to keep a couple of fish for the pan from their days catch could be enough to see a lot of boat anglers retire from the sport. The introduction of bag limits could also impact negatively on the numerous angling clubs which are to be found in almost every town on the coast between Hull and the borders of Scotland.

3. With regard to the marine bill as a whole and the manner in which DEFRA have conducted themselves with regard to the marine bill I am totally disgusted. Upon recieving a copy of the marine bill document "A sea change" my initail thoughts were - My god who is going to want to read that. Fortunatly with the help of friends on the internet I managed to pick out some bits relevant to my beloved hobby. I am horried that this document could impact on the nations angling community yet no real attempt was made by DEFRA to make this document accesible to the avearge person. Also I feel rather let down that except from a little information on your DEFRA website no real attempt was made to engage the countries 2 million sea anglers in this consultation. If I hadnt sought the information myself I would never have known about the marine bill. So what about the rest of the sea anglers who dont even know about your Bill ? Where was the poster in the angling shop ?? where was the flyer at the end of the pier ?? where was the article you placed in sea angler magazine to let us all know about your bill ?? There wasnt any was there. This is a total disgrace and you have let us down.

Regards - Glenn Kilpatrick

 

[Topfly]

Very well said Glenn, Sless, you diddn't waste your time, you only showed them up for what they really are,totally distrustfull. as for timewasting, I will waste their time because i already pay for a game and freshwater licence, but wont ever pay for a seperate sea licence because it is and has been for generations our right to fish in the sea. furthermore no-one has consulted the real ( recreational sea angler ) the millions yes millions of people who just go occaisionally. they will never buy a ,rod,reel,line,hooks,weights,swivells rodrests clips,links,boots,waders,water/windproof clothes etc etc OH NEARLY FORGOT A LICENCE.

 

[davem2005]

Sless,
You have a pm re your post and an update on what happened re that meeting.

Glenn,
Good email and I would urge everyone to formulate a similar reply . the whole point of this consultation is to allow everyone to have a say. Every person reading this thread can reply and have their say. This isnt a new law its a proposal to change an existing set of laws.

The important thing about this marine bill is the point is to put legislation in place to allow these changes to take place in the event that they are necessary in the future. There are no hard and fast proposals for new laws...just suggestions of what may be introduced in the future and each one of these changes would need to be consulted on again before any changes of the law could be actually be brought in. As someone who has actually taken the time to respond to a public consultation you will probably find that you will be contacted by Defra with details of any further consultations. For now its the way the system works. Not many months ago the consultation documents only went to a few people. That number is increasing with every consulation they put out and that is a major succes in terms of the recognition that RSA's are now getting.

You chose to withdraw your membership of the sacn as you did not feel they represented your particular intrests. As their regional co ordinator I was sorry to see this as a reply from a organisation representing a group of anglers is taken notice of far more than from individual anglers. I wonder how many club secretaries reading this have actually taken time to reply on behalf of their membership and in particular pointing out the actual numbers of anglers they are elected to represent. This is what counts as only when anglers or their nominated representatives make their voice heard will will finally be recognised as a group to be taken notice of.

Cheers
Dave.

 

[Red5]

Dave, re: CLub secretaries and their replies....Don't know about other clubs but as Secretary of the Alnwick Sea Angling Club I have responded as an individual angler. Having spoken to club members in the past on this matter, most if not all choose to bury their head in the sand and think it won't happen or just seem really apathetic.
Have found that only a few members are happy to put themselves out to keep the club running. Myself the treasurer and the weighmaster. Other members just want to fish and keep out of politics even tho it concerns them!
I would hope that I have represented what the majority of them feel in my response and mentioned a decline in ASAC club membership due to the current lack of fish, but apart from that I said how 'I' feel about the proposals.

 

[moocher]

pollacks to the licence.we all know thay just want your cash

 

[daren]

iv just been reading the forum in the irish angling website,they have been on about it too there was mention £22 a year for a licence that was in northen ireland but i think it`s going to happen in the republic aswell so you might have to get a licence in ireland for your hoildays ill keep my eye on whats happening over there and keep you posted .but there you go if it does come in (which i think it will :mad2: )theres another cost to your holiday aswell :mad2: i did like one comment on of the lads said"if they do bring a licence in,in Ireland you can call me a poacher "

 

[sless]

you can buy a daily or weekly one just for your holls
you dont have to buy a full license
just as you can with fresh water fishing
if your in northern ireland surley the licence you buy over here will cover you over there