Latest Angling Trust news

[Stuie]

http://emarketing.blue-leaf.co.uk/t/ViewEmail/r/1CBB815AD6D48B062540EF23F30FEDED/F15D03278FAEE51C4BD7C9066BE4161D

[Stuie]

Below is the first part of the latest AT news release which invites anglers to contact their own MP's for support in advance of Thursday's Commons Debate on the issues surrounding bass conservation and recreational angling. Links included will assist club members to do so.

 

Angling Trust Campaign Appeal

 

We need your help - urge your MP to speak up for bass and recreational sea anglers at Commons debate

The Angling Trust is appealing to members to support the battle to protect bass.

Last week, North Cornwall MP and keen angler Scott Mann successfully secured a three-hour backbench debate in the House of Commons to highlight the unfairness of the current measures on recreational sea anglers.

We are asking anglers to email their MPs with a link to our latest Fishing Lines briefing on bass and urging them to turn up for the Commons debate at 2.15pm on Thursday, February 11th to support Scott and speak up for angling.

The debate is entitled 'Conservation of sea bass…’ and Scott will be moving the following motion: "This House believes that the recent EU restrictions on recreational bass fishing are unfair and fail to address the real threat to the future viability of UK bass stocks.”

Here's how you can help:

1. Find your MP by clicking here and entering your postcode
2. Send your MP a message urging him to support Scott at the Commons debate and help protect bass. Remember to copy this link http://ow.ly/XWzUD to the Fishing Lines briefing and include it in your message
3. If you wish, you can download a letter we have already prepared here: http://ow.ly/Y0cIL It already contains the link to the Fishing Lines briefing

The Angling Trust and BASS will be supporting Scott in his efforts to highlight the need to create a sustainable recreational bass fishery delivering maximum economic benefit to coastal communities.

Please do all you can to get your MP to help.

[Stuie]

Personal letter sent to my MP Robert Syms.

[Leicester Fisheagle]

Personal letter also sent to Robert Syms

 

Dear Robert Syms,

 

I am writing to you as one of your constituents about serious concerns centring on the recent Bass Ban for Recreational Sea Anglers.

 

I am a member of several local Angling Clubs, the largest of which is the Poole and District Small Boat Angling Club. We have 150 boats, used mainly for Recreational Angling and Leisure use.

 

In this club alone, the boats represent a conservative value of £2,000,000 plus - virtually all have been purchased and many manufactured in the UK. Numerous local businesses benefit from the annual expenditure on the angling activity, marine fees (generally at least several thousand per year), boat storage, maintenance, servicing, upgrades to boats, repairs, tackle and bait sales, transportation, harbour fees and

Marine Trades. All of these add significantly to the local economy and contribute greatly to the local skill base on which many jobs depend.

 

This pales into insignificance when you look at the Angling/Charter Fleets in Poole, Swanage, Weymouth, Lymington etc. where individual boats can cost over £200,000 each. Much of the income of these fleets is based on Recreational Angling Activities and this forms a significant part of local tourism, especially in the Summer months with angling groups coming from all over the country spending locally and often needing accommodation.

 

The recent ban on the taking of any Sea Bass for 6 months represents a significant inroad into these activities. It seems very unfair that the Recreational Sea Angling Sector had a total six month ban on taking a single Bass while the Commercial Sector, for at least part of the year, seems to have had its catch allowances increased.

 

From my personal experience all recreational Angling Clubs and, to the best of my knowledge, all local Angling Charter Boats are very conservation minded and happy to play their part in conserving Bass and other fish stocks to help sustainability. Indeed Angling Charter Boats often have a catch limit of 2 or 3 for most kinds of fish as part of their booking conditions. On my own boat we operate a catch and release policy with only a minimum number of fish per trip being taken specifically for our own consumption.

 

The Bass Ban for recreational Sea Anglers is seen by many as the thin end of the wedge, the recent 2012 Report on Recreational Sea Angling clearly demonstrated the activities economic value to the UK far outweighed that of the entire Commercial Sector. All we ask is to be listened to and treated equitably. I would also suggest that commercial Gill Netting for Bass be banned and replaced by traditional rod and line methods. This would go a long way to restoring Bass stocks and make them a sustainable catch. So too, would an increase in size limit to 45cms. from the current 42cms. as this would increase the breeding stock.

 

Could I please urge you to attend the Commons Debate on Thursday, February 11th at 2.15pm. to support the Motion on Bass Fishing being proposed by the R.H.M. for Cornwall, Scott Mann.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Allan Green

[Neal]

Poole and District Small Boat Angling Club????