131 offences reported as volunteer bailiffs carry out over 3,650 patrols during coars

[FishingMagic]

The Angling Trust’s Voluntary Bailiff Service took part in one of the biggest crackdowns on illegal fishing during the coarse fish close season, with volunteers carrying out over 3,650 patrols amounting to a total of 8,798 hours.


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[rayner]

Where are these bailiffs, they certainly aren't around in South Yorkshire.
Bailiffs are like Bengal Tigers, you know they exist but never see one in the wild.

 

[103841]

Am I being unfair thinking almost 9000 hours from volunteer bailiffs for a net return of 131 offences isn’t a good strike rate or have we a very law abiding community fishing our rivers and still waters?

 

[theartist]

I know it was a close season crackdown but like many others I haven't seen an EA patrol in season since I was a lad

I've sure fished a few places since then

 

[no-one in particular]

9000 unpaid manhours to get 131 petty crimes. Well, I just think it's stupid but I guess it would be worse if they were paid man-hours. But, then there is the taxpayers money swallowed up in dealing with these petty crimes! Shame they don't put that sort of effort into patrolling our kids playgrounds or something like that.
Maybe they should scrap the close season and just rely on education, most people and anglers are enviromentaly aware these days, encouraged to not fish in the spawning season for enviromental reasons I dont think that many would; it would become a frowned upon excercise and then it would only be a few diehards fishing out of the way places. Its only rivers afterall so its a bit of a joke anyway and most land owners clubs etc would install there own bans if they want to and patroll/police as they saw fit.

 

[theartist]

most people and anglers are enviromentaly aware these days, encouraged to not fish in the spawning season for enviromental reasons

Did you see the HDYGO thread during May/June? There was anglers trying for pot bellied gravid tench back then as there was in many lakes around the country, I watched kids targeting actively breeding bream and carp on different waters on the bank too

Anglers may be environmentally aware but there's a good chunk that are just selfish, I cant see any self policing working either, it would be nice but I think laws are needed otherwise anything goes

 

[rayner]

It seems the close season in my neck of the woods has been dropped, folk fish the Don with abandon. Bailiff's don't make me laugh, is there any need for a close season or a licence, not up here there isn't.
I know several people who refuse to buy a licence and will openly tell you.

 

[Molehill]

I think anyone who volunteers and gives up their time for the good of others deserves a pat on the back and thanks, rather than any form of criticism.

Irrelevant of the strike rate or whether we have seen a bailiff or not, they are better than nothing and once they are known to be patrolling an area then probably the word goes around and illegal fishing (either out of season or without a licence) stops or drops.

Fishing in the close season or fishing without a EA licence are two completely separate offences and not necessarily linked. The fact is we are not going to see EA bailiffs on waters these days (or very rarely), as the good old days of them wandering about the rivers and lakes checking a few licences and chatting are long gone and not cost effective. If they did, then the same anglers would be moaning about them wasting their time, having a nice easy job and achieving nothing important on our rivers.

So good luck to the volunteers and I would like to see more of them about the waterways.

 

[no-one in particular]

I think anyone who volunteers and gives up their time for the good of others deserves a pat on the back and thanks, rather than any form of criticism.

Irrelevant of the strike rate or whether we have seen a bailiff or not, they are better than nothing and once they are known to be patrolling an area then probably the word goes around and illegal fishing (either out of season or without a licence) stops or drops.

Fishing in the close season or fishing without a EA licence are two completely separate offences and not necessarily linked. The fact is we are not going to see EA bailiffs on waters these days (or very rarely), as the good old days of them wandering about the rivers and lakes checking a few licences and chatting are long gone and not cost effective. If they did, then the same anglers would be moaning about them wasting their time, having a nice easy job and achieving nothing important on our rivers.

So good luck to the volunteers and I would like to see more of them about the waterways.

Would you or anyone else actually pay them, either through a voluntary payment, a rise in the licence fee or a rise in the Angling Trust subscription? A pat on the back is not enough-If it is so important and desirable to anglers and these people are so brilliant, which they are; then Anglers/Angling Trust/EA should pay for this service and not just sit back and take advantage of the good nature of others. 9000 manhours at the minimum wage=9p per million anglers. To me its exploitation and I want no part of it.
I suspect if the fee was charged to anglers they would drop thier support in droves.

 

[Molehill]

The problem with any licence is that once you make it compulsory then somehow it has to be checked and enforced. A TV licence, car tax licence, fishing licence, for instance and nobody has come up with a way of cost effectively checking fishing licences.
If every licence purchased included the cost of a single days wages for a bailiff it would hike the cost astronomically, so currently we are working pretty much on trust that anglers purchase.
If we want any enforcement then I can only see it being practical through volunteers, the tackle industry and clubs. For starters I don't think any angler should be able to renew or hold a club membership without a current licence, nobody should be on any commercial fishery without showing their licence when purchasing a ticket and no reason why you shouldn't have to show a licence every time you make a purchase from a tackle shop.
Not saying I know how to achieve these and there are plenty of loopholes, but it is possible. Alternatively we forget about any licence altogether, or we don't moan at anglers who never purchase a licence and ate never challenged, or we pay an astronomical licence fee to have bailiffs wandering the banks and checking.

 

[no-one in particular]

The problem with any licence is that once you make it compulsory then somehow it has to be checked and enforced. A TV licence, car tax licence, fishing licence, for instance and nobody has come up with a way of cost effectively checking fishing licences.
If every licence purchased included the cost of a single days wages for a bailiff it would hike the cost astronomically, so currently we are working pretty much on trust that anglers purchase.
If we want any enforcement then I can only see it being practical through volunteers, the tackle industry and clubs. For starters I don't think any angler should be able to renew or hold a club membership without a current licence, nobody should be on any commercial fishery without showing their licence when purchasing a ticket and no reason why you shouldn't have to show a licence every time you make a purchase from a tackle shop.
Not saying I know how to achieve these and there are plenty of loopholes, but it is possible. Alternatively we forget about any licence altogether, or we don't moan at anglers who never purchase a licence and ate never challenged, or we pay an astronomical licence fee to have bailiffs wandering the banks and checking.

But, would you pay for these volunteers through whatever means to give them some recompense for the good work they carry out on your behalf? And would anyone else?

If the Angling Trust set up a donation page directly for these volunteers; would anyone donate to it?

My guess, hardly anyone and it would become an embaressment.

 

[Molehill]

I suppose that depends on the cost and again how it is collected (voluntary donations?). I do plenty of voluntary conservation work nearly all year round, I could add up the 100s of hours per year I do but can't be bothered just now - they are all recorded - as part of our red squirrel conservation scheme, I am not paid for it nor expect any payment. Is this similar and should I expect payment from the public?
Anyway, have to go now so can't debate further.

 

[no-one in particular]

This is a job with legal training, police work, dangerous, uniformed, employed by a big organization with Government backing, its a serious business not a bit of chariry work in someones spare time.
And backed by a million + anglers except when it comes to giving/offering them anything because they couldn't give a s--- really. Not one angler on here has given it a it a second thought, and I have asked a few times.

 

[Molehill]

My (very controversial) long term view of licencing is as follows:
Every user of inland waterways pays the same annual (with day, weekly alternatives etc.) fee towards whatever agency is looking after our water - keeping them clean, prosecuting pollution, wildlife habitat. So this is anglers, canoes, inland sailing, wild swimmers and every beggar roaring in any sort of power boat/contraption (though I would prefer to ban them altogether!). There may be more.
Much of this would have to be collected at source, through shops and clubs and a minimum number of enforcement bailiffs, whose sole job was enforcement.
I know there are massive ifs and buts and problems there, but ultimately I believe every person that uses the waterways should pay something to their upkeep and cleanliness.

 

[103841]

This has popped up on my Facebook page this morning.

 

[103841]

This has popped up on my Facebook page this morning.

 

[no-one in particular]

Great, we are becoming a Gestapo stooge state, if that's what you want, your welcome to it and still, no one thinks a bunch of good people doing good difficult work on your behalf should get anything for it.

 

[no-one in particular]

Angling has plenty of money, over 30 million in licence fees, the AT get £750,000 of that I believe. Yet these people dont get one penny of that as I understand it. I think that is absolutely shameful. Anglers will spend hundreds on thier gear and clubs but none on these people and thats absolutely shameful as well.
Where does all that money go, club toilets, crucians, golf jaunts, pensions da de da, but not one penny to those who REALLY really deserve and earn some of it and that really is criminal!
But of course, they volunteer so, they don't count and they are worthless.