Marine Conservation Zones ins and outs

[pondlife]

sinking feeling

if it was'nt going to be restrictive to anglers they would'nt have asked us owt at all. one things for sure IMO, there will be restrictions from wherever to whenever in some varying degree or other. Its just a matter of how punitive.

[Castaway]

I think we'll end up with various licenses from the Envirement Agency just like our freshwater friends but with additional ones for digging bait as well. It'll be another tax that they think they can get way with. Money for nothing as they say. We can protest, lobby MP's and have petitions etc. but it will just be a question of time before they do it.
We've had stuff in the Magna Carta before, wiped with the stroke of a pen. They'll say its about the security of the country and change the law in an instant.

[Charlton]

just to keep you up to date, was informed by Jamie Davies on Wednesday that he would have answers, to other points I have brought up, today. They did not come.

[pondlife]

hat trick

there's a rabbit away

[sam harris]

Gill nets.

It doesn't seem to be common knowledge, but councils have the authority to pass by laws prohibiting the use of gill nets around the coast.
If enough people badgered their local councils, asking or indeed demanding (after all, we put them there)that they look at the damage being done by these damn things then maybe we would have a start towards some sort of "golden mile" or whatever distance offshore the councils would designate,even a few hundred yards would help.
I have approached numerous councillors myself but I'm only one voice, it needs all of us who are concerned about the future to speak to these people.
I have nothing against people who are trying to make a living,it's the ones who are "fiddling" I object to.
Tight Lines. Sam.

[davem2005]

Sam,
I am not aware of any by law but would love to have a link to a site with the details and would be happy to back you up.

It could be that you are referring to the fact the councils currently have control out to mean low water. That would cover beach set nets. Something that will change with the marine bill and you can be almost certain if the council introduced such a law the SFC ( IFCA after the marine bill) will overturn it.

A classic example of this is where the EA introduced a no netting law in the Tyne playground (and several other areas) and the SFC immediately introduced a bylaw saying except ...and a whole list of reasons how people can still set gill nets.

I keep getting told by the SFC enforcement officers that "not many " commercials are using gill nets but they have not come up with any figures. I will ask the question and see if they actually have figures or just consider "not many" as a correct answer.

Cheers
dave

[Red5]

Now there is a paradox if ever I read one. Whilst your happy to let these people represent you your on a hiding to nothing. You need to get ready to fight for yourselves or else your battle is lost already.

A lot of you have missed the real concept of the video that has been posted. It portrays the outcome if you continue to let SACN, BASS and ANGLING TRUST represent you.

There are tough times ahead and tough decisions to be made but prepare to loose all you currently hold so dear if you dont sack the current bunch of angling MISS-representatives.

Or we can scream and shout without having BALANCED representation and have things enforced on us anyway. I would rather have people represent me who have done their homework, than work on supposition and hearsay. Just like the commercials, we are going to have accept some changes, as everyone elses opinions have to be taken into account when MCZ's are created.

You could also argue that other angling bodies have supposedly been representing sea anglers interests for many years, and on their watch we have seen the rapid decline of catches from both boat and shore over the past two decades. Now that to me seems more like a failure than anything SACN or BASS have done. At least now the government and other agencies know we exist!
How many of these 'representatives' attempted to get their way into the inner circles of SFC's to see how they work or made the effort to publicise the legislation that affects anglers, or to meet with MPs and MEP's? can't say I remember.

Thankyou for your time

[Charlton]

trying to get recogniation in any of the government bodies has been a long hard slog by a few people. I think it has been going on for around twenty years, at first they said we weren't worth talking to as we brought very little to the economy and basically just a bunch of ruffians. They are now realisng their mistake and are listening to our views as they have realised we bring a great deal to the economy. However it will still be a long hard slog to get full recognition, well at least the way we want it.

[sam harris]

Gill nets.

I was given the information by someone at Sea Fisheries regarding councils having the power to bring in by-laws regarding gill nets. I confirmed this with Mike Quigley at the meeting at Eyemouth last week, he agreed that this is correct.
Tight Lines, Sam.