Are Commercial fishermen putting in the boot into Recreational Angling? For those who didn’t know, the Sustainable access to inshore fisheries (SAIF) Advisory Group was set up to produce a report advising on, surprise, surprise, inshore fishing. They have produced a report now with their findings.
Report at :- http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/fisheries/documents/policy/saif-finalreport.pdf
Full Defra Site :- Defra, UK - Marine & Fisheries: Fisheries Management - Sustainable access to inshore fisheries
The remit:-
An Advisory Group has been set up to support the work of the SAIF project. The membership of the group is broad and encompasses a wide range of expertise including fisherman from the inshore and offshore sectors, retailers, NGO’s, Producer Organisations and other industries.
Annex 1 – Members of the SAIF Advisory Group
Alan Riddell Chair
Alison Austin Independent Consultant – Environment and Business
Giles Bartlett World Wildlife Fund
Cindy Cahill Deloitte Consulting
Ned Clark Fisherman
Steve Colclough Environment Agency
Hazel Curtis Seafish
Tim Dapling Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee
Stefan Glinski Fisherman
Gary Hodgson Fisherman
John Nichols Fisherman
Tom Pickerell Shellfish Association of Great Britain
David Sales Fisherman
Spike Searle Finding Sanctuary
David Stevens Fisherman
Phil Walsh Fisherman
I see a lot of Fishermen on this group but not a lot of Recreational Anglers.
The report illustrates the current inshore commercial activity situation, followed by the commercial sectors “findings and recommendations”. I will leave it to you to make your own conclusions. However, the relevant passages for anglers are as follows.
3. Findings
“1.18. Many commercial fishermen believe that recreational sea angling can have a detrimental impact on commercial stocks. “
Other issues
“1.59. The impact of recreational sea-angling vessels on stocks should be assessed and Government and IFCAs should consider restricting and licensing the activity of non-commercial boats and sea-angling boats, in areas subject to long-term management plans, where their catch is regarded as potentially significant for local stock management. “
This is a report going into Defra with little or no Recreational Angling input. With recommendations that IFCA committees, possibly biased with commercial fishing interests, might be given powers to force Recreational Anglers as to where and when, they can or cannot fish. Commercial interests, some of whom believe “that recreational sea angling can have a detrimental impact on commercial stocks. “
Report at :- http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/fisheries/documents/policy/saif-finalreport.pdf
Full Defra Site :- Defra, UK - Marine & Fisheries: Fisheries Management - Sustainable access to inshore fisheries
The remit:-
An Advisory Group has been set up to support the work of the SAIF project. The membership of the group is broad and encompasses a wide range of expertise including fisherman from the inshore and offshore sectors, retailers, NGO’s, Producer Organisations and other industries.
Annex 1 – Members of the SAIF Advisory Group
Alan Riddell Chair
Alison Austin Independent Consultant – Environment and Business
Giles Bartlett World Wildlife Fund
Cindy Cahill Deloitte Consulting
Ned Clark Fisherman
Steve Colclough Environment Agency
Hazel Curtis Seafish
Tim Dapling Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee
Stefan Glinski Fisherman
Gary Hodgson Fisherman
John Nichols Fisherman
Tom Pickerell Shellfish Association of Great Britain
David Sales Fisherman
Spike Searle Finding Sanctuary
David Stevens Fisherman
Phil Walsh Fisherman
I see a lot of Fishermen on this group but not a lot of Recreational Anglers.
The report illustrates the current inshore commercial activity situation, followed by the commercial sectors “findings and recommendations”. I will leave it to you to make your own conclusions. However, the relevant passages for anglers are as follows.
3. Findings
“1.18. Many commercial fishermen believe that recreational sea angling can have a detrimental impact on commercial stocks. “
Other issues
“1.59. The impact of recreational sea-angling vessels on stocks should be assessed and Government and IFCAs should consider restricting and licensing the activity of non-commercial boats and sea-angling boats, in areas subject to long-term management plans, where their catch is regarded as potentially significant for local stock management. “
This is a report going into Defra with little or no Recreational Angling input. With recommendations that IFCA committees, possibly biased with commercial fishing interests, might be given powers to force Recreational Anglers as to where and when, they can or cannot fish. Commercial interests, some of whom believe “that recreational sea angling can have a detrimental impact on commercial stocks. “
