Net Gain: Large Group Meeting Hull 11/02/10

[loopy]

Basically the main objective of the meeting was to consider “What a MCZ (Marine conservation zone) should involve and the Priorities to make it a Success”
The “netgain” area of the North Sea is from Berwick down to Suffolk almost to Clacton on Sea and will be spit into four hubs, North East, East of England, Yorkshire & Humber and Lincolnshire, our regional hub being North East, Berwick down to just south of Hartlepool.
Those hubs will have a panel of representatives from the local stakeholder groups, this may include large corporate groups such as offshore wind farmers, gas and oil, commercial fishermen and associated industries, Conservation such as Northumberland Wildlife Trust then the recreational sector, anglers, divers, canoeist, walkers We then had a brain storming session to see what groups we felt should be on this panel. The four hubs will then be overseen by another panel called “stakeholder advisory panel” (StAP) again a similar exercise was undertaken within the 24 groups in the room made up of tables of four or five all from different user groups, I had wind farmers, commercial fisherman, Seafish (food industry), Wildlife trust. Then the finale, which consisted of each delegate putting coloured stickers on a matrix of stakeholder groups, Sea Angling, Commercial Fishing and Conservation predominated. We should know if we are represented on our local hub and by whom soon as the first NE hub meeting will be at Cullercoats in mid March. The NE was well represented with Mike Edwards (Northern Fed) Sam Harris (Angling Trust) along with other anglers and myself. If any of you have any ideas about areas you think should be in a MCZ this can include intertidal waters up to spring high tide point and tidal rivers up to the fresh water point please let me know. I will keep you updated as the process unfolds.

Les Weller
RSA Rep on the Northumberland Sea Fisheries committee
Sec Amble Angling Society
Angling Trust




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[Mogthemackem]

Having attended the North East one last year I would advise that people attend this one. There's a lot of scepticism about MCZs as people think it will stop them fishing but it's really not like that. The meeting will help them understand the directive a lot more and put their mind at ease. By the way I'm not employed by the Angling Trust at all but went to the meeting feeling the same as most but was surprised by what I heard. I think it will actually help our fishing future

[Red5]

Basically the main objective of the meeting was to consider “What a MCZ (Marine conservation zone) should involve and the Priorities to make it a Success”
The “netgain” area of the North Sea is from Berwick down to Suffolk almost to Clacton on Sea and will be spit into four hubs, North East, East of England, Yorkshire & Humber and Lincolnshire, our regional hub being North East, Berwick down to just south of Hartlepool.
Those hubs will have a panel of representatives from the local stakeholder groups, this may include large corporate groups such as offshore wind farmers, gas and oil, commercial fishermen and associated industries, Conservation such as Northumberland Wildlife Trust then the recreational sector, anglers, divers, canoeist, walkers We then had a brain storming session to see what groups we felt should be on this panel. The four hubs will then be overseen by another panel called “stakeholder advisory panel” (StAP) again a similar exercise was undertaken within the 24 groups in the room made up of tables of four or five all from different user groups, I had wind farmers, commercial fisherman, Seafish (food industry), Wildlife trust. Then the finale, which consisted of each delegate putting coloured stickers on a matrix of stakeholder groups, Sea Angling, Commercial Fishing and Conservation predominated. We should know if we are represented on our local hub and by whom soon as the first NE hub meeting will be at Cullercoats in mid March. The NE was well represented with Mike Edwards (Northern Fed) Sam Harris (Angling Trust) along with other anglers and myself. If any of you have any ideas about areas you think should be in a MCZ this can include intertidal waters up to spring high tide point and tidal rivers up to the fresh water point please let me know. I will keep you updated as the process unfolds.

Les Weller
RSA Rep on the Northumberland Sea Fisheries committee
Sec Amble Angling Society
Angling Trust




.

You know where I would like mate....BTW, did you see the front page of the Gazette on Thursday....Bit dissappointed by the conservatives new shadow fisheries minister cozying upto the commercials.....Not like Mr Wiggin...Nice of the new guy to come up and listen to the voices of recreational anglers, tackle shop owners and manufacturers rather than the trawler skippers and owners.

[sage]

personally i dont think that so called marine conservation zones will make any difference what so ever to shore fishing...
the damage has already been done to the inshore fish stocks.. by overfishing by the commercials.. and not just from this country..
these MCZ's might improve the habitat, nesting sites and various other forms of wild life, but im afraid that the fishstocks have gone for good...
we should have took a leaf out the same book as the icelandic / norwegian countries years ago and had restricted fishing and a strict discards policy..
look at there shore fishing now... without a doubt some of the best in the northern hemisphere.... and there is very few people from other countries coming here to fish our shores....
even now there isnt enough fish in the north sea to accomodate our own fishing fleet due to over fishing... look how many boats have packed in due to it not being a viable profession anymore...
as usual we have missed the boat again so to speak...shut the stable door when the horse has already bolted...done to little too late...
i know its sounds as if i am a looking on the dark side.. but in fact i think i am just facing up to reality...no matter what we do ....MCZ's .... no take zones i think that to increase fish stocks i think a either a very restricted commercial fishing policy or a total commercial ban would possibly be needed...
in the mean time.. i will keep on fishing like the majority of anglers on this coast... i will keep on having more blanks each season like most anglers on this coast ... but like most i will keep on enjoying my trips to the coast... the scenary... the fresh air.. our stretch of the coast is still a beautiful place to be... and thats without Marine Conservation Zones... the only thing missing are the fishstocks...

just one last thought.... if it all fails..and becomes unworkable will each of the stakeholder groups start to blame the other stakeholder groups.... no doubt after there has been mi££ions spent on the organisations/ consultations / implementation ...and the goverment could then say...it wasnt us making the decisions its was those stakeholders who F##ked up the sea around our coast

just my opinion
Paul