Steve S

Winners! Annual flounder comp, the only fish caught of any species by the combined might of PBSBAC!

Our only 'catch' The only fish caught of any species There was a lot of this Early enthusiasm... 2 fish and nobody else had even a bite. I'm going to struggle write a press worthy report out if this!

View in browser | Immediate Release Members Update December 7th, 2022 Sea Angling Internationals England International Championships for 2023 now open for applications Apply now to fish for England in one of the Marine Championships Teams. Applications are now open for the following international events: Links to application forms can be found on the Angling Trust Team England pages: Angling Trust Team England World Shore Angling Trust Team England World & Home International Boat There are also two World Clubs events for Boat and Shore Club Teams. World Championships FIPS M Fédération Internationale de Pêche Sportive – Mer Shore Fishing 39th World Shore Championships Seniors - from 4th till 11th November 2023 Catania/Messina – Sicilia, ITALY 30th World Shore Championships Ladies - from 4th till 11th November 2023 in Catania/Messina – Sicilia, ITALY 5th World Championships Shore Angling Pairs - from 15th till 22nd April 2023 in Arborea (Sardinia), ITALY 6th World Shore Championship for Masters - from 23rd till 30th September 2023 in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, MEXICO *To participate in the Masters competition a competitor must become 55 years-old or above in the year of the competition. Under 21 Shore Fishing 22nd World Shore Championships U21s* (17-21) - 14th till 21st October in Domburg, NETHERLANDS *17 to 21 years between the 1st January and 31st December in the year of the championships Shore Club Championships 30th World Shore Clubs Championship 2023 - SPAIN* *Awaiting further details from FIPS M for dates and venue Boat Club Championships 15th World Championship Boat Angling for Clubs - from 13th till 20th May 2023 in Setubal, PORTUGAL Boat Big Game Fishing 31st World Championship Big Game Fishing (Trolling) 2023 SENEGAL Long Distance Casting F.I.S.L. 25th World Championship Long Casting of Sea Weights (Seniors) 2023 TUNISIA 9th World Championship Long Casting of Sea Weights (Ladies) 2023 TUNISIA *Awaiting further details from FIPS M for dates and venue Home Internationals SALC Sea Angling Liaison Committee 2023 Shore Home International Seniors Pwllheli, N Wales* 2023 Shore Home International Youth U21 Pwllheli, N Wales* *Venue and Dates to be confirmed by SALC in January 2023 All applications to reach Kelly Latimer at the Angling Trust by 13th January 2023

I'm intending to do something of a report of the event to send to the fishing mags. Hopefully winners with their flounders 🤞.

Apologies, I've posted this a bit late. View in browser | Latest Sea Angling News from the Angling Trust Your Sea News Update November 2022 Money, Money, Money! Sea Anglers and Skippers Encouraged to Apply for Funds The recreational sea angling community is among those applicable to funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme which has earmarked £18 million over the next three years for England’s seafood sector. It is open to individuals, clubs, businesses (including charter boats and sea angling coaches), and collaborative partnerships from the recreational sea angling community. For more information get in touch with the Angling Trust's Policy and Advocacy Manager at hannah.rudd@anglingtrust.net READ OUR GUIDANCE Bringing Back Bigger Bass - Angling Trust, Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society and Save Our Seabass Participate in Bass FMP Co-Design Workshops Here's your next update on the ongoing bass fishery management plan developments. The next stage of the Policy Lab process is the co-refine workshops to be held in November before the findings from Policy Lab’s stakeholder analysis are handed over to Defra in December. Check out how you can get involved below. READ MORE Angling Trust & Shark Hub UK Represented at World’s Biggest Shark Conference Last month representatives from the Angling Trust and Shark Hub UK attended the world’s largest conference focused on sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras to champion the valuable contribution recreational anglers and skippers are making to UK shark science and conservation. READ MORE Love Fishing, Love Nature: What Have You Seen At Sea? Love Fishing Love Nature has already gathered momentum since its launch in April showcasing beautiful marine encounters while fishing, from dolphins and whales to gannets and sharks, with some stunning catches alongside. Love Fishing Love Nature also highlights conservation success stories where we, as anglers, have been at the forefront of the work, benefiting both the fish and therefore the fishing. By launching a positive, proactive campaign, Love Fishing Love Nature will help our community to engage positively with policymakers, different communities and the general public as well as respond to consultations to ensure that we remain an activity which rightfully takes its place in being promoted and celebrated. If you want to get involved, whether it’s to share your experiences through photos/videos or you’d like us to highlight any conservation work you’re doing, get in touch we’d love to help promote what you do! Contact Liberty Denman, Environmental Projects Officer, for more information liberty.denman@anglingtrust.net Photo © Hannah Rudd Our Christmas Raffle 2022 - over £4,000 fishing tackle prizes must be won! Fancy £2,000 of Daiwa UK tackle? Our Christmas Raffle 2022 has launched and there are some fantastic prizes from brands such as Korda Developments, Angling Direct and Fish Matrix. Tickets are still just £2 and every ticket we sell helps support our work to protect fish and fishing. Members will be receiving books of raffle tickets with this year's Angler magazine but you can also purchase tickets online now! Cick here to purchase Christmas Raffle tickets Anglers Against Pollution Our seas are suffocating in sewage. Sea angling voices need to be heard more than ever. Pledge your support to our Anglers Against Pollution campaign today. Pledge Your Support Anglers Against Litter Plastics plague our marine environment and we're committed to creating a healthier future for our seas and the fish we love. Pledge Your Support Angler-Led Citizen Science: Spurwatch UK Spurwatch UK is a spurdog-focussed angler engagement project run by Georgie Bull. By collecting catch information from spurdog anglers, Spurwatch aims to identify hotspot areas for spurdog recovery around the UK, as well as any patterns in age/sex/depth distributions. The project is keen to reward anglers and ensure that their contributions are recognised by creating an online community across their Facebook group and blogs. The project is in its early stages, but they are already receiving fantastic contributions from anglers all over the UK, particularly Scotland. Our first angler ambassador (pictured), Liam Gunn has recently shared some fantastic records with us about pregnant female aggregations. The project would love to increase its engagement by recruiting more angler ambassadors like Liam in Wales, Ireland, and England. If you’d like to find out more or start recording with Spurwatch, please get in touch. They have also developed a handling guide that we send out to clubs and boat charters free of charge. If you’d like a copy, please send Spurwatch an email. Get Involved No.1 site for Welsh anglers Fishing In Wales is the no.1 website for Welsh sea, coarse and game angling. Where, when, how and what to fish for in Wales – we have it covered! Take a look for yourself Getting Young People Fishing Two of the Angling Trust's very Active Level 2 North East Sea Angling coaches from Ryhope Sea Angling Club, Joe Lemon and Bobby Surtees, have had a busy summer working in partnership with The Keep Active Sunderland CIC. They have run 6 weekly crabbing and fishing sessions on the River Wear engaging more than 60 children. Linsey Field: How I Got Into Fishing We hear from Linsey Field on her angling journey and why the Get Fishing Campaign is a great way of getting started with sea fishing. Read More Get Fishing at Reel Masters There were some magical moments made at this year's Reel Masters show in Weymouth, Dorset - where the Angling Trust’s Get Fishing team had a great 3-day event with over 65 people trying sea angling for the 1st time. Get Fishing is the Angling Trust’s campaign to get more people fishing more often. Each year we run hundreds of events for all ages and abilities. To find an event near you, CLICK HERE More on Instagram 2023 Competitions Would you like to represent England in an International Sea Championship in 2023? Here are the international events that are planned for 2023, if you wish to apply please use the links below and send your application to kelly.latimer@anglingtrust.net no later than 13th January 2023 International Boat Championships World Championships Boat Angling (Seniors): 2023 CROATIA - 58th World Championship from 30th September till 7th October 2023 at Novigrad (Cittanova) CLOSED Selection now in progress World Championships Boat Angling Youth U21 (16 to 21 years): 2023 IRELAND - 22nd World Championship from 4th till 11th November 2023 at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour World Championships Boat Angling Clubs: 2023 PORTUGAL - 15th World Championship World Championships Light Tackle Boat Angling: 2023 SOUTH AFRICA - 1st World Championship Light tackle Boat Angling in Mosselbay from 11th till 18th March 2023 Application for boat events Team England World & Home International Boat - Angling Trust International Shore Championships World Championships Shore Angling (Men and Women: 2023 ITALY - 39th World Championship Seniors and 30th World Championship Ladies - from 4th till 11th November 2023 in Catania/Messina – Sicilia World Championships Shore Angling YOUTH (U16) - JUNIORS (U21): 2023 NETHERLAND 31st World Championship YOUTH (U16) and 22nd World Championship JUNIORS (U21) 14th till 21st October in Domburg World Championship Shore Angling Clubs: 2023 SPAIN 30th World Championship World Championship Shore Angling Masters (over 55): 2023 MEXICO 6th World Championship for Masters from 23rd till 30th September 2023 in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, MEXICO World Championship Shore Angling Pair Angling (Duos): 2023 ITALY 5th World Championship Shore Angling Pair Angling World Championships Big Game Fishing: 2023 SENEGAL - 31th World Championship B.G.F. (Trolling Applications for shore events use Team England World Shore - Angling Trust International Long Casting Championship World Championships Long Casting of Sea Weights: 2023 TUNISIA - 25th World Championship Long Casting of Sea Weights (Seniors) and 9th World Championship Long Casting of Sea Weights (Ladies) Application for Long Casting events use World Casting - Angling Trust Home International Boat Championships SALC Boat Home International: Senior Boat Championship: 2023 Stornoway, Scotland. 24th July 2023 Closed Selection in progress Home International Shore Championships SALC Shore Home International: Senior Shore Championship: 2023 4th July, Pwlheli, Lyn Peninsula, North Wales. SALC Shore Home International: Ladies Shore Championship: 2023 4th July, Pwlheli, Lyn Peninsula, North Wales. SALC Shore Home International: Junior U16 Shore Championship: 2023 4th July, Pwlheli, Lyn Peninsula, North Wales. SALC Shore Home International: Youth U21 Shore Championship: 2023 4th July, Pwlheli, Lyn Peninsula, North Wales. Supporting Sea Anglers Locally Angling Trust Wyvern Region AT Wyvern Region AGM on Wednesday 9th November at the Royal British Legion, Alphington, Exeter at 8pm. All regional clubs should try and pop along. We are currently looking for committee members to join us. Wyvern Open Shore fishing competition at Slapton Sands, South Devon on Sunday January 15th 2023. Wyvern Presentation Evening at the RBL, Alphington on Saturday 28th January 2023 from 8pm. All our major trophies and fish of the month awards will be made to the winners. Devon & Severn IFCA D&S IFCA would like to engage with various stakeholders to gather information and evidence to better understand how the Skerries Bank Angling Zone is currently being used across all fishing sectors, whether there has been a change in usage since the Skerries Bank Angling Zone and Netting Permit Byelaw was created, and whether there are any management concerns among stakeholders. Complete Survey NOT A MEMBER? JOIN THE ANGLING TRUST TODAY! Zerofit Offer: Free Hat Worth £20 The Angling Trust is delighted to welcome Zerofit as Trade Associate members! The Japanese baselayer brand manufactures award-winning products with their brand leader Heatrub Ultimate Baselayer proven to be five times warmer than a standard baselayer. To celebrate the partnership, Zerofit have a great offer for anglers - buy any Zerofit baselayer and receive a free Thermal Hat worth £20 using the promotional code FREEHATTRUST at checkout. Offer valid until December 31, 2022. Click here to shop for products The Angling Trust's work is supported by our Trade Associates The Angling Trust We are a not for profit organisation, representing anglers, fighting for fish, fishing and the environment. We are recognised by the Government as the National Governing Body for angling in England and partner with Visit Wales and Natural Resources Wales to promote Fishing in Wales. We are a member-based organisation made up of anglers of all disciplines providing a united front to represent, grow and protect our sport. By becoming a member of the Angling Trust you are helping to protect the waterways you fish in and the fish which live within them, ensuring their health and protection for future generations. Click here for more information about membership Angling Trust Limited is a company limited by guarantee, company number 05320350 Angling Trust & Fish Legal, Eastwood House, Rainbow Street, Leominster, HR6 8DQ Telephone: 01568 620447 View in browser | Unsubscribe

I agree Greg with both your points also the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation is having an effect, it's a major reason the tuna have returned to our shores after many decades absence. Cod seem to work to different parameters.

The sea state was fairly fishable. We couldn't miss the chance to lure fish for bass to start with on what was pretty good conditions for them, then going for whiting when the tide was more favorable. Well the bass fishing came good we both caught over a bag limit of well sizable fish all in great condition, very welcome after so few trips in recent months! Well with cod so few and far between and the tide starting to slacken we went for whiting. Motoring around looking for fish on the sounder revealed very little, no obvious bait fish shoals (sprats) and few fish overall. Anyway after seeing fish of some sort on the sounder around Dolphin Sands as the tide started to slacken we put the hook in and gave it a good go, result, not a bite. A move with the tide now on the ebb saw some action, however it was of the dog and strap conger variety and lots of them along with another sizable bass! So no whiting or cod to report but we had good day in super mild conditions for November and some decent bass for tea.

Loobie 1V - Jerry- J2 and Stuie Sun Fisheagle - Allan + Jan + 1 other Sun Samoya - Graham + 1 non member Sunday Slice of Life - Lofty Saturday Illusion - Tom + Bob Sat Tigerfish Steve, Alun

I used New Forest Signs (https://www.newforestsigns.co.uk/ yes really) to do a wrap on my boat in 2017, they were very good and the wrap is still good. I got the blue panel done above the wheelhouse, before no matter how much it was cut back it would soon fade again. Since then I've only had to wash it 🙂.

View in browser | Latest news from the Angling Trust & Fish Legal Members Newsletter Welcome to your Members Newsletter Welcome to the latest issue of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal Members Newsletter. Today we report on the launch of our annual Christmas Raffle which raises vital funds to support our work to protect fish, fishing and the environment; how sea angling can benefit from an £18m fund; our latest trade associate partner Zerofit who have a special offer for members; the fantastic film we have produced of this year's RiverFest final on the Trent; and loads more! Tight lines! John Cheyne, Marketing, Communications & Membership Manager Christmas Raffle 2022 launches - over £4,000 fishing tackle prizes must be won! Fancy £2,000 of Daiwa UK tackle? Our Christmas Raffle 2022 has launched and there are some fantastic prizes from brands such as Korda Developments, Angling Direct and Fish Matrix. Tickets are still just £2 and every ticket we sell helps support our work to protect fish and fishing. Members will be receiving books of raffle tickets with this year's Angler magazine in coming days but if you can't wait you can purchase online now! Cick here to purchase Christmas Raffle tickets Fisheries and Seafood Scheme: Sea angling community urged to bid for a share of £18 million grants The recreational sea angling community is among those applicable to funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme which has earmarked £18 million over the next three years for England’s seafood sector. It is open to individuals, clubs, businesses (including charter boats and sea angling coaches), and collaborative partnerships from the recreational sea angling community. Click here for an overview of the scheme Angling Trust makes front page headlines over campaign to halt government's plan to weaken environment protection The Angling Trust made the front page of The Observer recently in our campaign with other national wildlife organisations to stop plans to weaken environmental protections in the UK. Senior members of our campaigns team spoke to delegates and ministers at the two main party conferences to warn of the dangers to fish and fishing from plans to water down what few protections our rivers and waterbodies currently have in the face of mounting problems from sewage and agricultural pollution. As part of their ‘dash for growth’ the new government has decided to abandon its previous pledges to protect the environment and announced de-regulation plans which will make life easier for developers to destroy precious habitats. Cilck here to read The Observer story online Special offer for members as Zerofit joins the Angling Trust The Angling Trust is delighted to welcome Zerofit as Trade Associate members! The Japanese baselayer brand manufactures award-winning products with their brand leader Heatrub Ultimate Baselayer proven to be five times warmer than a standard baselayer. To celebrate the partnership, Zerofit have a great offer for Trust members. Click here to find out more WATCH: RiverFest 2022 final on the Trent A fantastic weekend of match fishing culminated in Welsh international Lee Edwards winning the RiverFest 2022 championship and a cheque for £14,000. Sit back and enjoy our film of the RiverFest 2022 final in all its glory - bustling barbel, bin lid bream, and reams of roach all play their part as our cameras follow all the highs and lows across the weekend. Free litter picking kits for angling clubs As part of our Anglers Against Litter campaign we've teamed up with Shimano-Fishing to offer angling clubs free litter picking kits. All kits have been allocated for this year, but we are now taking expressions of interest for 2023. If you are on the committee of an angling club and your club is willing to commit to at least two litter picks a year and send us details and photos, then why not apply for one of these amazing kits that include High Viz vests, litter pickers and bag hoops? Click for more information Life Premier membership: Special edition version of the JW Young Classic Heritage Centrepin reel Here at the Angling Trust, we’ve always tried to make membership affordable for everyone, with current adult membership starting from just £30 per year. However, we have also always offered a Life Membership option for those who can afford to front load their membership fee and help boost the funds for our essential work. Now, thanks to a partnership with one of the most historic tackle manufacturers in the world, we have an exciting new option – Life Premier Membership. Life Premier Membership at £850 not only gives you all the existing benefits of being a member of the Angling Trust for the rest of your life, it also comes with something rather special - the first 100 people to join as Life Premier members will receive a special edition Angling Trust version of JW Young Classic Heritage Centrepin reel. Click here to find out more Fisheries Forums Our popular in-person fisheries forums are up and running and we have events in Preston, Exeter and the Midlands in coming weeks. They are free to attend but you will need to register. For a list of dates and more information visit the Angling Trust website: Click for more information All your fishing info on one map! Looking for somewhere to go fishing? The Angling Trust Find Fishing Info map features hundreds of venues for you to explore, including how to get there and permit details. You can also search for information on clubs, tackle shops and coaches - and if you are planning to fish a river you can check on the latest river level. There's also a facility to submit a new entry or amend an existing listing. Click here for the Find Fishing Info map Join us for our Online Fisheries Enforcement Workshop Building on the success of our ‘in-person workshops’, the Angling Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service are holding an online workshop on Saturday, 12 November, to raise understanding of how anglers can support effective enforcement of fisheries legislation. Presenters with a wealth of experience have been lined up and there will be opportunities for audience members to get involved on the day with Q&A sessions built into the programme. Click here to book your FREE place Silver for Team England at World Feeder Championships The Angling Trust Preston Innovations England Feeder team has won the silver medal in one of the toughest World Feeder Champs ever staged. Hosted on a 600 acres lake near Kinrooi in the east of Belgium, the England lads finished with 73 points overall, an agonising two points behind the winners Serbia on 71 points. Much fancied Hungary took the bronze with 74.5. Click here to find out more Fish Legal appeals High Court decision over River Wye Fish Legal has asked the Court of Appeal to look again at the Cardiff High Court decision to refuse to look at the planning decision by Powys County Council to grant permission for an expansion to a poultry unit in the River Wye catchment. Earlier this year, the Council granted planning permission to double the size of the IPU near Builth Wells next to the Wye from 90,000 birds to 180,000. The High Court in Cardiff refused permission for Fish Legal to proceed with a judicial review challenge in a hearing on Monday 22nd August. Click here to read the full story Not a Fish Legal member? Find out more... If your club is not a member of Fish Legal and would like more information on how Fish Legal can benefit your club, contact Nick Simmonds, Membership Manager on 01568 620447 or nick.simmonds@anglingtrust.net

Eek, Tony. Sounds like a new long block will be required, new pistons, some valves. That will be expensive, very sorry to hear it, unusual to get this sort of problem these days. Good luck to those in the bass comp, I couldn't make it sadly.

I normally enjoy taking part in this one, but visitors and a race are making it difficult. If I do get away it will be a very short session early on Saturday before we are invaded!

Bringing Back Bigger Bass – Fishery Management Process Underway Another step on the road to the UK’s new bass fishery management plan has been taken with the completion of the “collective intelligence debate” held by Policy Lab last week. Policy Lab have been commissioned by Defra to conduct stakeholder analysis and engagement as part of the development of the bass fishery management plan. Last week the latest stage of the stakeholder engagement process took place – the collective intelligence debate – which saw c. 500 participants from across the bass fishery voting on a series of statements relating to current and future management. The ambition of the debate was to reach a consensus amongst stakeholders. Recreational sea angling was well represented in the debate with many statements reflecting the sectors interests for more robust management that will deliver more and bigger bass. Thanks to all members of the recreational sea angling community who participated in the collective intelligence debate held by Policy Lab over the last week. The bass fishery management plan is one of the first to be developed – a so-called “frontrunner”. Bass is an important species to many recreational sea anglers, and bass angling is a valuable part of the social and economic contribution that sea angling makes to coastal communities. With bass stocks still in poor shape, the government must seize this opportunity to develop an ambitious fishery management plan that maximises socio-economic benefits, whilst securing the health of the stock for future generations. Here’s what the Bass Sportfishing Society (BASS), Save Our Seabass and the Angling Trust are asking for: A healthy functioning population of bass with plenty of protection Effective and clear legislation, which is rigorously enforced Fair and proportional access to the bass stock. In other words, as stakeholders, recreational anglers should have a decent chance of catching bass. (In 2018 UK commercial bass landings were less than £5 million compared to the c£200 million RSA expenditure on bass*.) Protection of key habitats that support bass stocks More data to be collected to fill knowledge gaps The next stage of the Policy Lab process is the co-design workshops to be held in September/October. We will keep you updated as we learn more and the results from the collective intelligence debate are released. Hannah Rudd, Policy & Advocacy Manager of the Angling Trust said “Bass stocks are a shadow of what they once were and the new UK bass fishery management plan offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to right the wrongs of the past and secure a sustainable and thriving future for British bass stocks. Support from the angling community has been fantastic to see throughout the Policy Lab process so far, but this is just one rung on the ladder and we must collectively continue to keep the momentum up and push Defra to design a bass fishery that delivers for all of society.” Steve Pitts, Chairman of the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society (BASS) said “With the UK Bass Fishery Management Plan now being discussed, we believe we are at a crossroads with regard to bass management and exploitation. We can continue to exploit bass as we always have and suffer the wide ranging consequences when the stock collapses again, or we can evolve our management approach and thinking, whilst we still have fish to work with and recognise that both the recreational and commercial industry can have a sustainable future with healthy bass stocks – Surely the choice is not that difficult?”

Fisheries and Seafood Scheme: Guidance Overview The recreational sea angling community is among those applicable to funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme which has earmarked £18 million over the next three years for England’s seafood sector. It is open to individuals, clubs, businesses (including charter boats and sea angling coaches), and collaborative partnerships from the recreational sea angling community. The following provides an overview of the scheme with key information on general guidance. For further information and guidance please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fisheries-and-seafood-scheme The scheme is administered by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on behalf of Defra. The MMO has a team ready to provide advice and support to potential applicants. The Angling Trust advises all potential applicants from the recreational sea angling community to make full use of this service. Queries can be directed to FaSS.queries@marinemanagement.org.uk If you have any queries about this funding opportunity or would like to submit a bid you can also contact Hannah Rudd, Policy & Advocacy Manager at the Angling Trust (Hannah.rudd@anglingtrust.net) who will gladly assist you. Scheme Overview At least £6 million in funding has been secured every year until 2025 to support projects that enhance the marine environment and develop the sector sustainably. Funding will be available for recreational sea angling that addresses the following outcomes: Creating a more sustainable and resilience sector, including health and safety equipment Improving participation through co-design and co-management Achieving good environmental status through the conservation and restoration of the marine environment Supporting net zero through reducing emissions within the industry Examples of projects that can be considered for funding include improvements to the resilience and sustainability of shore-based facilities, health and safety and marine conservation projects such as litter and habitat improvement. Additional funding rounds will also be announced for a defined period later in the year. Projects that would negatively affect or increase the exploitation of fish stocks will not be considered. For further information on projects that would and would not be applicable please visit the website. For the first time, the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme will now support multi-year projects which can be completed up until the end of February 2025 alongside single-year projects. All projects will be assessed for value for money, benefits to be delivered, affordability and deliverability. Match Funding It’s important to note that this scheme is facilitated through matched funding by applicants. Please refer to the guidance documents to see the latest rates that apply. The amount of money you can apply for will depend on: Your business or organisation type: Small scale coastal fleet organisations can receive up to 80% funding; Public bodies, producer organisations, fishermen’s associations and cooperatives can receive up to 75% funding; Micro-entities can receive up to 60%; Small or medium-sized enterprises can receive up to 50% funding; All other private applicants can receive up to 30% funding A micro-entity is a business that has any two of the following characteristics: a) a turnover of £632,000 or less; b) £316,000 or less on its balance sheet; or c) 10 employees or less. A small business is a business that has any two of the following characteristics: a) a turnover of £10.2 million or less; b) £5.1 million or less on its balance sheet; c) 50 employees or less An SME is a business that has any two of the following characteristics: a) turnover of less than £36 million; b) £18 million or less on its balance sheet; and c) 250 employees or less Ineligible Projects You cannot get funding for: Anything that negatively affect fish stocks that are in an overfished condition; Activities that would negatively affect the exploitation of fish stocks; Operations that increase the fishing capacity of a fishing vessel, or for equipment that increases the ability of a fishing vessel to find fish, except where they meet legitimate public policy goals such as improved safety or sustainability; Fishing for fish stocks managed by a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation or Arrangement to which the UK not a member or cooperating non-member of the Organisation or Arrangement; Fishing or fishing-related activities conducted without the permission of the flag State where required and, if operating in another State’s waters, without permission of that State; Building, purchasing, importing or acquiring fishing vessels, increasing the capacity of fish holds; Carrying out exploratory fishing; The same type of equipment for the same vessel if you have already received support through the scheme; Transferring ownership of a business; Statutory or mandatory undertakings – items and services that are statutory or mandatory requirements of law and bylaws cannot be funded; Preventative or scheduled maintenance costs; Maintenance and mandatory costs for any vehicles; Purchasing or leasing of vehicles that are not used exclusively to provide a direct contribution to the project; Your business’s operating costs, unless the MMO has told you otherwise in your offer letter; The re-payments of loans on any item(s) you have purchased; *The costs of any item(s) bought with a loan until the loan is repaid (this does not include leased items if your offer letter allows funding for them); Any costs that have been fully or partially funded through an alternative grant; Any costs that you could recover in part or in total by making a claim on an insurance policy or by seeking compensation or damages; The cost for any items purchased prior to receiving acknowledgement of receipt of your funding application by the MMO. Applications The information required to process an application will depend on the value of the project and what is being funded. The following must be provided: Copies of your photographic identification documents (driving licence / passport) or two recent utility bills, only for sole traders/individuals. The past three years of your financial accounts (audited or non-audited); If your organisation is less than 3 years old, you only need to provide the accounts for the financial years you have been in operation; If your organisation is less than a year old, you will need to provide a cash flow forecast for a minimum of 5 years (Please contact the Grants Team at the MMO for a template); If your organisation is currently loss making, you will need to explain carefully in your business case or application form the steps you are taking to make your organisation financially viable, including the contribution you expect your project to make to this. A letter signed by all partners to show proof of authority for joint applications from partnerships; Company or charity and Value Added Tax (VAT) Registration numbers, if applicable to your circumstances; Organisation headcount numbers, if applicable to your circumstances; Suitable quotes (see below for more detail) A business case for any project £30,000 and above. Please contact the Grants Team at the MMO for a template If your total project cost is £150,000 or above we recommend that you contact the grants team prior to applying, as you will also be asked to provide a cash flow forecast ( Please contact the Grants Team at the MMO for a template). A full financial and economic appraisal will be conducted on your evidence and you may be asked for further information. Your project will be assessed by a panel of experts. More information on panels, including deadlines and dates will be published on our website. Quotes You must provide quotes for all goods and services that are part of your project in order to verify the costs and to demonstrate value for money. Individual items with a value (excluding VAT) Number of Quotes or Tenders Up to £1,500 At least one quote £1,500.01 – £5,000 At least two quotes £5,000.01 – £60,000 At least three quotes Equal to or over £60,000.01 At least 3 quotes (photocopies/printouts are not acceptable) or evidence of tender must be provided including; A detailed specification of the works to be undertaken. Evidence of the scoring used to select the company. A suitable rationale for the decision to select the chosen company. The full winning tender submission. Quotes supplied must include: a detailed and itemised breakdown of costs, the supplier’s address, phone number and a contact name, the supplier’s VAT number, if they are VAT registered and they have included VAT on the quote, the supplier’s company registration number, if they are a limited company, date of quote. The quotes and tenders you submit must: come from suppliers that trade independently of each other and do not share any ownership, be from the last 3 months and be valid, be comparable in terms of the quality, size, quantity, and type of product, if you are using multiple quotes to show you will get value for money when buying a product, come from independent companies – and not from suppliers you are related to or that your business is linked to. Quotes should be sent by: Email, showing the email trail from supplier to applicant; Electronic copies/scanned images of publicly accessible catalogues or websites which contain the specification of the item. The original signed quote by post or electronic copies/scanned images Documents that prove you have issued a formal tender, scoring and decision- making details.

Well done Steve, great catch.

Well done Wendy!, that's a mighty big thornback for round these parts

8lb 14oz Thornback

I thought is was a spotted, caught on mixed muddy, shale ground but I stand to be corrected.

Tigerfish: Super day out, lots of fish caught and even 3 of the target species. Plenty of mackerel around of all sizes if you worked at it. Steve: spotted ray: 3lb 4oz Graham: thornback ray: 8lb 14oz

Tigerfish: Steve S and Graham S, Sunday

Very good, that's the next step for me I think.

I was an early adopter of solar panels, so what I get paid (56p per Kw generated) is far higher than you get installing a system now, on the plus side installations are much lower cost now. You can sell what you don't use back to the grid, however, using it to heat your hot water or charge a powerwall for use at night makes more use of it and the payment to feed into the grid is quite low compared to what you pay to buy electricity. You would need to get it all costed up from a reputable installer, given the ever increasing cost of electricity and gas it's getting more and more attractive but it is still a long term investment, solar installations tend to be very reliable, unlike the sun!

We have had a smart meter for at least a couple of years, no need to send in meter readings since, one less job. As for the display it has been used to check how much an appliance is using occasionally, particularly when on standby. The most satisfying thing is see it say 0 watts used when boiling a kettle on a sunny day, we have solar panels! FYI over the year the solar panels generate more electricity than we use.

A tip, when testing the voltage load up the circuit while doing so. I use an 18w bulb with some wires attached. You don't even need a volt meter just touch the wires from the bulb across the circuit, if it doesn't light up brightly you have problem with the circuit somewhere. If you feel you need to know the voltage only do so with the bulb attached. Next after checking for obvious possible corrosion points is to go back along connection points to breakdown which part of the wiring has the problem. The problem with using a voltmeter is they require such low current to operate (very high impedance) even if the wiring is only connected by totally corroded through copper the full battery voltage will still be shown! only a completely open circuit will indicate 0 volts. This results in much wasted time as you think the problem lies elsewhere.