Members of the Sea Anglers Conservation
Network (SACN) recently received the email below regarding the
Recreational Sea Angling Strategy Consultation being undertaken by
DEFRA. As this potentially affects all sea anglers, we’ve published it
here. Anybody can respond.
If you wish to join the SACN for free,
please visit http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/membership.htm
To all SACN
Members,
Just a reminder
that there is just 2 weeks left to respond to the RSA Strategy
Consultation being undertaken by DEFRA.
(Details at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/sea-angling/index.htm
)
The responses received by DEFRA will
be used to determine the strategy that the department will take in
future with regard to the development and regulation of Recreational
Sea Angling in the years ahead.
It’s
important that as many sea anglers and sea angling organisations as
possible respond, letting them know what you like, what you don’t like,
and what you think is missing from the proposals.
Once the consultation closes, there are
likely to be announcements made by the Minister (probably in April) on
some of the issues raised within the strategy proposals, and work will
be taken forward on some issues.
Once
the framework of the overall strategy has been decided upon, there are
likely to be further consultations on the detail of some of the
proposals that DEFRA intend to take forward, but this is the
opportunity to influence what will be dropped, what will be given
priority and what else needs to be included.
After 31st March it will be very difficult
to meaningfully input into the overall strategy that DEFRA will adopt,
so every opportunity should be taken to let them know your views in the
next couple of weeks.
And if you have
already responded, but have more thoughts to add, write again asking
them to take those ideas into account as well.
This is probably the most important
consultation that Recreational Sea Angling in the UK has ever had to
deal with, and the opportunity to influence the eventual outcome is
running out fast.
Regards, Leon Roskilly
Sea Anglers Conservation Network
http://www.sacn.org.uk