Angling Trust North-West Regional Forum - really impressed

[davestocker]

I attended what I think was, technically speaking, the first AGM of the above yesterday evening. I went as an individual member of the Angling Trust, with no idea of what attendance was going to be like, and, boy, was I impressed!

It was almost standing room only, most of the big clubs, fishery associations and rivers trusts in the region seemed to be there, and Mark Lloyd, CEO of the Trust, was there too. But what struck me most was the optimism and positivity of most of the folk in attendance. I left with the feeling that if this represents the future direction of angling, then our sport will be in good hands.

More than ever, the £20-25 that individual Trust membership costs annually looks like it will be money well spent.

 

[904_cannon]

Fortunately the NW was already well established under the old NAFAC Regional/Area Consultative structure ably led by Fred french and Steve Griffiths etc.
Here's hoping it goes from strength to strength. Minutes of the Inaugural meeting held in August can be found HERE

On the plus side the EA RFERAC Chair, Dr Judith Clarke, is also heavily involved; I cant ever that see that happening in the NE. The one 'angling' meeting the NE RFERAC Chair attended outside of his EA 'comfort zone' (the Tyne Anglers Alliance) ended with him walking out after refusing to answer questions

There was a SE/Thames Forum recently, anyone heard how that went?

 

[The bad one]

All must be fine in the NW region for the Specialist Angler, as there's nothing there for them.
Game angling issues seem to dominate the agenda and issues raised along with matches for the region.
Now given that Specialist anglers are the majority of anglers in the NW why no issues on the agenda or issues raised?????

Same old same old looking at most of the attendees. Regurgitations of the NW regional NFA.

Now remind me why I was never a member of that body.... Oh yeh, they were cr*p and never did anything for Specialist angling and Anglers.

Looks like ATr is going the same way in this region AGAIN!!!!!!

 

[Eric Edwards]

I attended the inaugural meeting in August but I couldn't make it to the latest one.

What was discussed?

 

[904_cannon]

Phil/Eric,

Specialist Anglers.

Outside of the Angling Trusts internal structure, in the guise of the 'Specialist Angling Freshwater Group' committee, I have yet to see a single word of recognition of Specialist Anglers/Angling. Surprising as the SAA was the 2nd biggest contributor (in hard cash terms) to the ATr.(and one of only two organisations within the merging bodies to be financially viable)

I've just been looking back through the last publication from the SAA, 'Specialist Angling Matters', so many promises and what a bright future SA had within the Atr and how SA would be at the heart of decision making Even the late Barrie Rickards was optimistic, but he did mention how SA had been badly let down in the previous attempt to get 'unity'

There was a SAFG meeting last weekend, from the feedback Ive had from the CSG delegates who did attend the same old stuff was gone over again, again. Predation, promote SA within the ATr, SA web site presence etc etc. Everything in fact that was being talked about almost two years ago.

In one e-mail I received from Mark Lloyd after banging my head trying to get SA recognised with the ATr he replied 'please rest assured I am well aware of the presence of Specialist Anglers'; Sadly £uck all has changed

I would widen the view about SA being the majority in the NW, I would say the entire country, except for perhaps in the NE, and that is only because the EA/NRA have historically only ever promoted game angling.

Everything seems rosy in the NW, but please don't ask about 'dormant' bank accounts

 

[The bad one]

Eric I'm going off the minutes of the inaugural meeting you attended, as the mins of the last meeting (2nd) haven't yet been published.

Now don't get me wrong here on the Bigger Picture issues in my view the ATr have it about right.
BUT and there's always a but, as far as SA is concerned they are failing badly in my region and I suspect every other region, in my view.

Now the retort would be I suspect, Well there's always the FWG to attend for SAs.......in Nottingham?

But is that really good enough? Where's the regional, sub-regional structure? Great emphasis is placed on responding to regional, sub-regional, local issues by the Trust but the vehicle isn't there for the SAs to get involved in them. Nop, they have to travel to Nottingham if they want to raise them. And that can't be right in my view.
It is only the absolutely dedicated that are going to do that! And before anyone thinks this is just a whinge, well I did that for nearly 20 years through NASA, SACG, SAA. But part of the plan as I remember it was to create these structures to cut the travel and cost down.

Whether the Trust realise it or not, if you want member participation and growth of the membership, you start at the bottom and work up. And today's world means you provide the vehicles regional, sub-regionally and local for them to get on board.
Failure to do that and you get the perception, real or otherwise, that there's remoteness, detachment and aloofness of the body you are funding.
And that erodes membership of any organisation that gets tared with that brush!
First rule of any NGO is inclusiveness of those who choose to fund you.

So are you meeting that test???????????

 

[yourinmyswim]

I attended the last meeting of the NW Regional Forum in Lancaster

Why shouldnt specialist anglers attend? Surely the clubs with a game fishing emphasis who attend are in essence specialist angling groups - with their own agendas?

Surely specialist angling groups such as PAC northwest etc should have their feet under the same table as the rest of us?

In fact, there is nothing to preventing them from attending on a club level, or as individual members of the AT.

I for one would welcome their presence at what i consider to be a bit of a Wheel Tappers And Shunters Club.

The most important issue of the evening (imo) was the reduction of angling representation on the EA/DEFRA committee which decides how rod licence money is spent.
£24,000,000 is alot of dough which we contribute and decisions as to its allocation shouldnt be settled by groups such as the Atlantic Salmon Trust, The Association of Rivers Trusts, or the Wild Trout Trust who are all charities and not allowed to lobby and dont really represent anglers interests - maybe the RSPB will be the next group to be invited onto the committe to settle how rod licence money is spent? There is to be a reduction in the input the AT has on this allocation of rod licence money - and that is just plain wrong.

This committee is now only going to meet on a national level, rather than a regional basis (maybe because fewer awkward questions will be asked).

So now as anglers - we have taxation without representation!

This should have been one of the main talking points of the evening - but as ever apathy reigns.


This information was presented by David Hinks of the Ribble Consultative and seemed to get lost or ignored in the evenings general concern with administrative and fighting individual corner issues.

Mark Lloyd has one hell of a job on his hands unifying us moaning anglers - and if you really care then dont sit on the sidelines moaning - get involved and state your case/opinion no matter what branch of angling you come from.

My view is that it will all settle down and once commiittees are in place, and agendas and actions agreed, then the regional forums will be a real force for the administration/communication/promotion of the sport we all love.

It makes no odds what our favourite branch of the sport is - when we cross a bridge we all have a look below to see if we can spot a fish or two - mullet, trout, salmon, carp, pike or chub makes no difference - each one is a treasure and exciting. That desire to take a peek over the edge is what unifies us all as anglers.

Now I'm not even going to go into the county angling group (ADB) and local catchment consultative committee pros and cons - that would be a can of worms too far

 

[The bad one]

Nah I'll wait for the ATr plane crash. Then as usual it will be the Specialist Anglers that pick up the wreckage and put something back together.
That Specialist Coarse Anglers btw Ergo, the big fish course anglers.
The ones who stumped up a large amount of cash to get the ATr up and running. And have systematically been ignored by the ATr because they're in a love-in with Kyakers......all 800 of them according to the Chair.

 

[904_cannon]

Kayak anglers claimed to be 3000-4000 strong when they made their deputation to the ATr, and got special concessions, and hadn't contributed a single penny.

Angling Trusts Marine Committee Meeting

14. Kayak Fishing:

​

DM had been approached by the Kayak Fishing Group as to whether they could becomes individual members of AT, and gain Safety recognition through the AT. They had some 3000 to 4000 members, and the cost of providing them with a Safety Course would be more than out weighed by the membership fees that they would be paying. They would also be covered by our current insurance. The group had in the past been using the RNLI as a source for their Safety Courses, but the RNLI had been approached by the British Canoe Association saying that they had jurisdiction over safety course for canoeists. AT would approach the Royal Yachting Association to see whether they could provide a Safety Course for Canoeists, or the RNLI.


I received a rather discouraging e-mail recently re SA, the SAFG and the ATr. I'll not reproduce as I don't wish to spread fear and despondency.

My own club and the CSG renewed, not because of the sterling work by the ATr, but more along the lines 'we 'aint got anything else now'!

You kind of get to know you've been taken for a ride (Specialist Anglers) when the ATr CEO signs off his e-mail with:-

"I can assure you once again that I am very aware of your (specialist anglers -or it could be just me )existence. I think of you whenever I get depressed.
Mark"

So there we have it friends, straight from the horses mouth

As for the ADB ......