Marine Bill outlaws fish theft

[Chris Bishop]

Moves to outlaw the killing of fish caught on rod and line are included in the Marine Bill which was part of the Queen's Speech last week.

The Environment Agency is now believed to be drafting a national catch and release by-law.

"Catch and release must become the norm in freshwater with exceptions available in clearly defined circumstances such as put and take trout fisheries," the notes on Defra's website say.

Click here for a bit more.

 

[Fred Bonney]

Is this the signs that a Government department is listening...or something else?

 

[Nobby C (ACA)]

How are Defra going to enforce it? Interesting.

 

[JIMMY---PAAS]

Yous will just have to wait and see.

 

[trev (100M bronze)]

what about livebaits then ?

 

[Ric Elwin]

I don't think we need any legislation as regards this. OK, there may be a small minority of immigrant anglers who don't currently 'buy into' the catch and release culture we have.

No doubt some of you can relate examples where this minority has had an adverse effect on some local fishing. This is the exception, rather than the rule, I'm convinced of that.

We now have Salmon anglers returning half their catch, this is growing year on year. Wild river Trout are often returned as well.

So, our catch and release culture is a growing one.

Do we really need this government, with the sweep of a pen, to change an improving culture? Do we need to make someone who kills a fish because it wouldn't survive if returned, or dare I say it, takes an occasional one for the table, a criminal?

I don't think so.

Deal with any local problems at a local level I suggest. It's also important that we, as anglers, embrace and educate any immigrant anglers, rather than treat them with the suspicion that exists right now.

This government has made far too many new laws already, we don't need any more, thanks.

 

[Gorgeous Bob Bradford]

As a volunteer club bailiffI feel you are assuming an awful lot Ric,

"Takes an occasional fish for the pot"? is that the full extent of the damage some Eastern Europeans are doing to our fisheries thenRic? what are you basing such a sweeping statement on?

Trywholesale commercial netting, set lines and traps.

The current by-laws are a mess, impossible to police and prosecute.

Does angling need the new laws? yes! it's a no brainer mate.

 

[blankety blank]

I'm with Ric. This is just another pile of sh*t from a bunch of t*ssers who have completely lost the plot.

When we look back on this useless bunch of thieving incompetant lying gits and the huge damage that they have done to our once great country (which we will be paying for til kingdom come) the one thing we won't say is that they didn't make enough new criminal laws.

Sorry, but I'm really going to kick off in a minute.

 

[trev (100M bronze)]

are you on about the eastern europeans or the government blanky ?

 

[blankety blank]

the Gov. The Eastern europeans have been welcomed with open arms because they are prepared to do the work that the likes of Shannon matthews and her ilk cannot be arsed to. Brown and his crew are content to just keep shovelling my tax money down these peoples gobs while making more and more criminal laws so as to make themselves feel better. Believe me, banning fishing for the pot is one step away from banning catching livebaits and deadbaits.

 

[Peter Waller]

Lets forget the anti government paranoia. Apart from saying that Thatchers lot make this lot look like angels!

There have to be powers to prevent fish theft, plain and simple. From my perspective the theft of specimen fish from rivers in order to stock commercial fisheries has to be a number one target for the EA. Large pike and carp are being removed from Broadland Rivers, and, at the moment, those who do it openly brag, knowing that they won't get caught.

 

[Ric Elwin]

Bob I didn't say there wasn't a problem, just that it's a local one. You are clearly unlucky enough to live in an area where a problem exists.

When I referred to taking an occasional fish for the pot I meant native anglers, not immigrants.

If people are stealing fish from your waters you can deal with it under the current legislation. You call the Police (if you get the opportunity) and the perps can be prosecuted under the Theft Act.

A new law wont make a blind bit of difference to the above. All it will do is further limit law abiding individuals freedoms to enjoy their lives.

The government doesn't care about happiness, it only cares about statistics. Apart from the growing numbers dependant on anti-depressants to get through their lives, that doesn't seem to matter a jot.

 

[Gorgeous Bob Bradford]

"If people are stealing fish from your waters you can deal with it under the current legislation. You call the Police (if you get the opportunity) and the perps can be prosecuted under the Theft Act".

You are wrong in that assumption too Ric, to prosecute anyone, you first have to prove who owns the fish, so tell me Ric, who owns the fish in your local rivers?

Peter is bang on the money, this is nothing to do with Government....any Government, it is all about protecting public waters from thieves, thieves that think nothing of destroying hugeshoals of fish and publicfisheries up and down the Country, if you are talking about privately owned fisheries then that is an entirely different matter altogether, here the OWNERS can prosecute for theft,loss of earnings etc, I know of one local commercial fishery owner that would show them a double barreled shot gun if they dared touch HIS live stock, until the laws are changed the EA,Police and voluntary Bailiff's like me are hamstrung, the best that can happenis to prosecute them forfishing illegally IE; with long lines or nets, and the fines dished out by the magistrates are paltry and insignificant, there are plenty of recently documented examples of this.

Please do not jump on the wrong bandwagon, all you will end up doing is cutting your nose off to spite your face mate.

 

[Ric Elwin]

Ah well Bob I'd assumed that you bailiff for a club that owns the waters in question, in which case the Theft Act applies already.

As regards the level of fines handed out by Magistrates at this time, are we right to assume that these will increase if a new Act is brought in? If so, what evidence is there to support this?

I'm not jumping on any bandwaggon. I'm basing my view on what I see and hear, then thinking a little. I think the only bandwaggon that exists is an anti-Eastern European one. You might not agree, but maybe if you read through the many recent threads on this website that are very much anti-Polish etc, you might see where I'm coming from.

Another thought; what will happen to the many put and take trout fisheries up and down the country? Will they be forced to close their businesses, and the anglers that use these waters be denied their enjoyment? How about the very significant Salmon fishing industry in Scotland? Is it sensible, especially in these difficult times, to wipe many zeros off the values of fishing estates, with all the further unemployment that will cause, not to mention the knock-on effect to general tourism and other related industries?

I do sympathise with you, you must feel like you're banging your head against a brick wall in your local area. All the same, I think the best solution is to try to educate and include Eastern Europeans, rather than criminalising somebody who wants to take a Trout for the pot. It's certainly not a no-brainer, it needs very careful thought.

 

[Gorgeous Bob Bradford]

Ric, it is obvious you know very little about the bill and the proposed new laws, yet you are condemning it because you are not a fan of the current government, I find that sort of logic slightly odd.

The bill caters for Trout fisheries, it caters for Salmon fisheries too, it caters for Pike anglers etc etc, so you see,a great deal of thought has been applied to the bill, I suggest you do some home work, as your assumptions are yet again in error.

My club do not own the 12 miles of river it holds the lease on, it has a strict catch and release policy, if any angler (regardless of nationality) removes fish for any reason , they will be expelled from the club, they will have been in breach of club RULES, but will not have broken the LAW, so cannot be prosecuted unless they were/are fishing illegally or with illegal methods, I hope that clears the issue for you, RULES are one thing, the LAW is another.

 

[Peter Waller]

Unfortunately it isn't just theft that ruins a fishery, bad angling practice does too. Pike angling is now a shadow of what it was before the present pike fishing explosian.

 

[stephen webb]

It is not just the laws that need the change though!

Fines etc. need to be made higher, hopefully with the new laws magistrates etc. will be able to impose higher fines/punishment on offenders!

 

[Ric Elwin]

Don't hold your breath Stephen