Fishing Season

#1 (**permalink**) 27-03-2007, 12:24

Passed over my local river this morning and saw 2 men fishing, thought 'thats not fair I can't fish as its the closed season and anyway i'm going to work'.
So decided to go and spoil their day also only to be met with abuse as they think the season ends with their licence on the 31 March and will not have it any other way.
Just looked at my licence and no-where on it does it state the fishing season but there is a link to phone number for local byelaws. Surely such information should be very clearly stated as well as when the licence expires, or are the EA only interested in us paying for the licence.

#2 (**permalink**) 27-03-2007, 12:49

Phil,I've got my new licence and it states:

A national coarse fish close season is in place on rivers streams,drains and SSSI's from 15th March to 15th June inclusive....

#3 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 07:13

Checked again and its definatley not on my 2006 licence.

Beecy · #4 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 07:46

Ive said this before Phil about the dates not being on the license, it hasnt been on it for years, not got my new one yet though but if fred says its on then its on.

If you look on the EA web site the dates are also hard to find

#5 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 08:52

Definitely on the new one,definitely not on last years.

#6 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 08:55

I am sick and tired of asking the EA why the Regional byelaws can't be either distributed by the bodies selling the Rod Licence or put out with the magazines the Agency publish each year. I know for a fact that the NE Region publish an abbreviated list on a A5 sized card.
Last year I printed a load off and put them in local PO's. If I/my club can do it, why cant the EA?

One additional sheet of paper in either Catch or Reel Life must be more cost effective than the Agency taking people to court... or is that too simplistic!

But those abusing the close season probably don't bother to by a licence anyway!

Matthew Nightingale (ACA) · #7 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 09:46

The byelaws are available on the Web. Problem is that if you start to abbreviate them, on a card say, people will ignore all the detail. The NW byelaws have a shed load of stuff as well as the closed dates.

We link the NW byelaws to our web site as the safest way of making the info available.

www.radac.org.uk

M

Matthew Nightingale (ACA) · #8 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 09:47

Link to EA byelaws:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk...sion=1&lang=_e

#9 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 10:21

What I find a little offensive is that the licence document itself is so crummy; it's not far short of the cost of a driving licence, yet it is just a scrap of paper.

Couldn't the EA charge another 25p and go to some trouble for us? Credit card thingy? Print it on waterproof paper? Leave a space for a passport photo?

The potential for destruction of this bit of paper - given the vagaries of our climate - surely demands something a bit more robust?

BTW, the closed season is writ large on my licence, Phil.

Macca_EFC · #10 (**permalink**) 28-03-2007, 10:25

You still have a paper driving licence? You could have such a pretty pink plastic credit card sized one :0P maybe that would be an idea for the fishing licence? with a barcode to scan when you renew, and also could be scanned by bailiffs to check if it's current?