Dear Bedlington Station Angling Club
Thank you for your e-mail concerning angling licensing and proposals on recreational sea angling (RSA).
Your response will be considered alongside other comments we receive on the consultation on a draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy and next steps will be announced in due course. The closing date for the consultation is 31 March 2008, after which time and in line with Defra's policy of openness, copies of the responses received will be made publicly available through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. I acknowledge that you have not requested that your response is treated confidentially.
At present, there are two main projects that refer to a sea angling licence and other aspects of RSA. To clarify this and hopefully address your queries;
Firstly, there was a consultation on the Marine Bill White Paper last year. We are taking the opportunity to consider equipping fisheries administrators with powers that may be necessary for a more active approach to managing recreational fisheries. This includes proposals to introduce a recreational sea angling licence and the extension of controls to anglers and fishers from the shore, which may include the use of 'bag limits'.
I should clarify that the powers we are proposing in the Bill are enabling provisions only, to introduce a licence and possible bag limits at a later date. Although we expect that any licensing scheme might be broadly similar to that currently operated by the Environment Agency for freshwater angling, the details or possible costs for the scheme have not yet been proposed. If we proceed with measures, there would therefore be further consultation as we develop any scheme to charge sea anglers or to introduce bag limits for a specific species. Clubs and organisations like yourselves would have the opportunity to comment on detailed proposals as and when they emerge. Before any licensing scheme is introduced, we are clear that we need to demonstrate to sea anglers that it can provide real benefits to the sector. Detailed plans are set out in the White Paper, which can be found at Defra, UK - Error page
Secondly, there is currently a consultation on a draft Recreational Sea Angling (RSA) Strategy, and I have recorded your comments in relation to this consultation. This is separate to the Marine Bill, but the concept of licences and bag limits, as well as areas that may be protected for angling use only, are considered within this document, where they would form part of an overall package of measures for sea anglers. At this stage, we are consulting on this 'high level' Strategy, and the concepts outlined in there. Once the consultation has concluded, we will set out next steps on how any resulting measures might be taken forward, and what they would look like.
If you have any further comments on the draft RSA Strategy, we would be pleased to receive them. I will ensure that your club's details are added to our mailing lists, so that you receive news of any future consultations on matters of interest to sea anglers.
Kind regards
Nicola
>________________________________________________
Documents available at Defra, UK - Consultations - Consultation on a Recreational Sea Angling Strategy for England
RSA Strategy Consultation
>Coastal Waters Policy
>Fishing Industry Management
>Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
>Area 2C, Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
>Tel: +44 (0)20 7238 4605
>Fax: +44 (0)20 7238 4699
>
[email protected]
Thank you for your e-mail concerning angling licensing and proposals on recreational sea angling (RSA).
Your response will be considered alongside other comments we receive on the consultation on a draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy and next steps will be announced in due course. The closing date for the consultation is 31 March 2008, after which time and in line with Defra's policy of openness, copies of the responses received will be made publicly available through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. I acknowledge that you have not requested that your response is treated confidentially.
At present, there are two main projects that refer to a sea angling licence and other aspects of RSA. To clarify this and hopefully address your queries;
Firstly, there was a consultation on the Marine Bill White Paper last year. We are taking the opportunity to consider equipping fisheries administrators with powers that may be necessary for a more active approach to managing recreational fisheries. This includes proposals to introduce a recreational sea angling licence and the extension of controls to anglers and fishers from the shore, which may include the use of 'bag limits'.
I should clarify that the powers we are proposing in the Bill are enabling provisions only, to introduce a licence and possible bag limits at a later date. Although we expect that any licensing scheme might be broadly similar to that currently operated by the Environment Agency for freshwater angling, the details or possible costs for the scheme have not yet been proposed. If we proceed with measures, there would therefore be further consultation as we develop any scheme to charge sea anglers or to introduce bag limits for a specific species. Clubs and organisations like yourselves would have the opportunity to comment on detailed proposals as and when they emerge. Before any licensing scheme is introduced, we are clear that we need to demonstrate to sea anglers that it can provide real benefits to the sector. Detailed plans are set out in the White Paper, which can be found at Defra, UK - Error page
Secondly, there is currently a consultation on a draft Recreational Sea Angling (RSA) Strategy, and I have recorded your comments in relation to this consultation. This is separate to the Marine Bill, but the concept of licences and bag limits, as well as areas that may be protected for angling use only, are considered within this document, where they would form part of an overall package of measures for sea anglers. At this stage, we are consulting on this 'high level' Strategy, and the concepts outlined in there. Once the consultation has concluded, we will set out next steps on how any resulting measures might be taken forward, and what they would look like.
If you have any further comments on the draft RSA Strategy, we would be pleased to receive them. I will ensure that your club's details are added to our mailing lists, so that you receive news of any future consultations on matters of interest to sea anglers.
Kind regards
Nicola
>________________________________________________
Documents available at Defra, UK - Consultations - Consultation on a Recreational Sea Angling Strategy for England
RSA Strategy Consultation
>Coastal Waters Policy
>Fishing Industry Management
>Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
>Area 2C, Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
>Tel: +44 (0)20 7238 4605
>Fax: +44 (0)20 7238 4699
>
[email protected]
