Neil Maidment
Moderator
For the first time in 8 years!
Two of them came round at Avington this afternoon, very suprised to see them!
:wh
Two of them came round at Avington this afternoon, very suprised to see them!
:wh
EA Checked My Licence!
- Thread starter Neil Maidment
- Start date
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
I got checked 3 weeks ago at a commie in Berks. Last year I got checked at the Lower Thames champs (at the draw). The weekend later I was fishing an open match at Tring ressies and got checked again.
All 3 times it was the same bloke...
All 3 times it was the same bloke...
Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)
Senior Member
I've only been checked once and that was twenty years ago...
Between us Neil that's not a bad average for the EA!
A couple of seasons back they did actually have a dedicated licence-checking launch out on the Severn, not a concerted effort of course...
They did surprise the odd muppet and delight a couple of concerned and delighting honest anglers... But I never managed to get my fully-licenced collar felt despite being a weekend regular.... gutted!
I would love to be re-assured that they take illegal access seriously.
Between us Neil that's not a bad average for the EA!
A couple of seasons back they did actually have a dedicated licence-checking launch out on the Severn, not a concerted effort of course...
They did surprise the odd muppet and delight a couple of concerned and delighting honest anglers... But I never managed to get my fully-licenced collar felt despite being a weekend regular.... gutted!
I would love to be re-assured that they take illegal access seriously.
Steve Spiller
Well-known member
Blimey Neil 
But they do target com's, I heard they are lazy bu**ers and don't like walking miles along a river looking for me or others. Not gonna hit their targets on rivers :wh
They probably wouldn't see another angler on the river....I don't
But they do target com's, I heard they are lazy bu**ers and don't like walking miles along a river looking for me or others. Not gonna hit their targets on rivers :wh
They probably wouldn't see another angler on the river....I don't
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Maybe thats why we were checked at the draw inside a hotel on the LTC last year.
140 anglers and about 4 miles of river.
Some anglers refused to show their licences as they were not fishing at the time ........
140 anglers and about 4 miles of river.
Some anglers refused to show their licences as they were not fishing at the time ........
Steve Spiller
Well-known member
Some anglers refused to show their licences as they were not fishing at the time ........
Fair play to em Peter, I would have refused too........and hoped I pulled peg 140
Fair play to em Peter, I would have refused too........and hoped I pulled peg 140
cg74
Well-known member
No doubt the same anglers that groan on about how little the EA do for them but if the EA officer had half a brain he/she could have insisted on seeing their licences because they clearly had intent to fish and I do believe thats enough.
Has to be said though, the EA do themselves no favours. I was fishing on a lake, where in the morning I woke up to find a large number of roach dying.
The EA came out to investigate but not one of them bothered to ask too see my rod licence.
Steve Spiller
Well-known member
No doubt the same anglers that groan on about how little the EA do for them but if the EA officer had half a brain he/she could have insisted on seeing their licences because they clearly had intent to fish and I do believe thats enough.
Sorry CG I must be one of them, haven't seen an E.A bailiff in years on my local? Even during the closed season this year when I reported illegal activities to the hotline, gave my number and and e-mail address, but nothing???
They target commercials where they can hit their targets, end of.
Rivers have been abandoned, cos they can't cover them......
How many E.A bailiffs are there now? Cut backs..............
If it's true what I've been told, you will never get 'tugged' on a river in the South West!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lands end to Bristol to Oxford to Southampton............four E.A bailiffs!
That's quite a big area!
I welcome any comment from the E.A.
Sorry CG I must be one of them, haven't seen an E.A bailiff in years on my local? Even during the closed season this year when I reported illegal activities to the hotline, gave my number and and e-mail address, but nothing???
They target commercials where they can hit their targets, end of.
Rivers have been abandoned, cos they can't cover them......
How many E.A bailiffs are there now? Cut backs..............
If it's true what I've been told, you will never get 'tugged' on a river in the South West!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lands end to Bristol to Oxford to Southampton............four E.A bailiffs!
That's quite a big area!
I welcome any comment from the E.A.
Last edited:
Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
Can I just clear up a couple of points whilst everyone is having a bit of a moan about the EA Enforcement officers.
They target commercials because that's where most licence avoiders fish - FACT!
Checking licences on rivers is difficult and does mean they could walk miles and not see anyone - on their side of the bank. If they see soemone on the opposite side, how are they going to check their licence effectively? Can't say "Oy, just wait there mate and I'll be round in another two hours when I can get over the next bridge!" - Impossible, the guy would have gone if he were an avoider.
You call out the EA people for a pollution investigation and they may not be licenced enforcement officers - you have to attend a course on charging people in the correct manner, one word slip-up and they're off the hook.
If you don't have any tackle and are not goign to fish then you don't have to show a licence. If you are found taking tackle to a fishery or are caught within half an hour (I believe that's the limit still) of leaving a fishery with tackle then an Enforcement Officer can legitimately ask to see your licence. A bit of common sense prevails here.
It OK running these guys down and wanting to ridicule them, but they are trying to stop people fishing who don't buy licences whereas the rest of us law abiding people do. Is that fair or is that unfair?
I tell you what, if you engage one of them nicely in conversation they'll perhaps tell you a lot of the shortcomings themselves, mostly financial constraints, but what you will find is that they are just ordinary blokes like you and me trying to do a job on our behalf. So why knock them?
They target commercials because that's where most licence avoiders fish - FACT!
Checking licences on rivers is difficult and does mean they could walk miles and not see anyone - on their side of the bank. If they see soemone on the opposite side, how are they going to check their licence effectively? Can't say "Oy, just wait there mate and I'll be round in another two hours when I can get over the next bridge!" - Impossible, the guy would have gone if he were an avoider.
You call out the EA people for a pollution investigation and they may not be licenced enforcement officers - you have to attend a course on charging people in the correct manner, one word slip-up and they're off the hook.
If you don't have any tackle and are not goign to fish then you don't have to show a licence. If you are found taking tackle to a fishery or are caught within half an hour (I believe that's the limit still) of leaving a fishery with tackle then an Enforcement Officer can legitimately ask to see your licence. A bit of common sense prevails here.
It OK running these guys down and wanting to ridicule them, but they are trying to stop people fishing who don't buy licences whereas the rest of us law abiding people do. Is that fair or is that unfair?
I tell you what, if you engage one of them nicely in conversation they'll perhaps tell you a lot of the shortcomings themselves, mostly financial constraints, but what you will find is that they are just ordinary blokes like you and me trying to do a job on our behalf. So why knock them?
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2004
- Messages
- 3,906
- Reaction score
- 4
Well said. But then there is always the ever-vociferous, libertarian (rules are for others, not Me) Clarkson School that is s-o-o-o quick to whine about lead-swinging proles unlike themselves...
Steve Spiller
Well-known member
I aint knocking them Jeff, I was joking about them being lazy bu**ers!
What I am knocking is the system! The E.A system, it's pathetic! Value for money? Nah.......and we all know that!
The 'hotline' is a joke! I've had no response at all????
You remember the post Jeff and the advice you gave.....a dwelling 5mtrs from the bank.........nothing!
And we all have to pay towards the E.A licence and they are making cut-backs, but we are still paying......aren't we?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff, do they have to hit targets like traffic wardens?
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2004
- Messages
- 3,906
- Reaction score
- 4
I look forward to seeing the new, privatized, Brave New World -1984 / 2011 New Speak ["We're all in this together" (Not!)] alternative...
Neil Maidment
Moderator
The two I met today were both very amiable, both appeared to know a fair bit about the venue but had turned up late afternoon when very few anglers are left at Avington.
I told them, in a polite way, that this was the first time for many years I'd be asked. They reckon they were regular visitors but so am I (over the last year).
All details were recorded, they said it's "process", and I would guess it's about "targets", but I have to say their recording books looked rather empty.
Nice guys, just doing their job, no need for stab vests down at posh old Avington tho!
I told them, in a polite way, that this was the first time for many years I'd be asked. They reckon they were regular visitors but so am I (over the last year).
All details were recorded, they said it's "process", and I would guess it's about "targets", but I have to say their recording books looked rather empty.
Nice guys, just doing their job, no need for stab vests down at posh old Avington tho!
Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
See you've removed it
Lucky s*d! Four of them!
Oxford (Lechlade I think) to Southend/Margate down to Brighton and most everywhere else - 3 bailiffs and they must go out in twos now because of health and safety. We did have four but one had a stroke and couldn't continue.
I remember the 5 mtr thing and it is true, but that's about planning and stuff for the domicile. But did you get any follow-up on what these guys were in fact doing? Did you chase it with the EA.
I'll be frank (cos I'm sick of being Jeff), most people criticise these forces, police, ambulance, etc. because they don't know what's going on in the background. We all (yes and me) complain about the lack of uniformed bobbies on the beat and the plastic police they send around having no powers. Trouble is, little Johnny Crim ain't that stupid and avoids all the areas where coppers might patrol for one thing. The other thing is, having enough officers to cover all the areas all at the same time.
It's not fair to criticise another man or his job until you've walked a mile in their shoes. I get to hear about the EA and what the EOs do because we have an EO come to our meetings every so often. Listening to him is an eye opener and I do wish they could do more, but they have to rely on us who pay the rod licence fee for their funding. Charging the avoider isn't really cost effective, but that's a matter for the courts and I wish they would get tougher.
Last edited:
Steve Spiller
Well-known member
I'm looking forward to buying you a pint Paul, if you ever make it to a fish-in?
You never know Neil better safe than sorry, even at posh Avington!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why should I chase it Jeff? I reported it and they didn't get back to me? They should have got back to me!!!
The E.A is sh!te, their employees do the job they are paid for that's it! The E.A will never loose our contribution, they'll make sure of that!
My job is cr*p too, I just get on with it, same as them................
They don't give a to$$, it's a job and they are lucky to be employed, same as me!
You never know Neil
better safe than sorry, even at posh Avington!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why should I chase it Jeff? I reported it and they didn't get back to me? They should have got back to me!!!
The E.A is sh!te, their employees do the job they are paid for that's it! The E.A will never loose our contribution, they'll make sure of that!
My job is cr*p too, I just get on with it, same as them................
They don't give a to$$, it's a job and they are lucky to be employed, same as me!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2004
- Messages
- 3,906
- Reaction score
- 4
I'm looking forward to buying you a pint Paul, if you ever make it to a fish-in?
Fish-in? Is that one of those occasions similar to a spotty teenage party when a load of can-fondling blokes who were all after the same girl desperately tried to be pleasant to one another?
Nah. I always got the girl, without talking to them. Still do.
Stick_Float
Well-known member
I had mine checked last year by a very nice bloke, on a lake that is very unusual to see a person at all - scared the hell out of me, but not as much as when the first look through my wallet didn't produce my licence - the new ones do have a habit of sticking onto the card in front!
I've never been checked in all the years I've been fishing.
I have only ever seen the Enforcement Officers once in fact, and that was at Witherington Farm Lakes when I was in the tackle shop buying bait for the next day.
I had a nice chat to them and they were really nice chaps to be honest. They told me that they do check the local beats on the Hamsphire Avon but not too regularly due to distance and so few anglers on the river.
They even offered to check my licence and we had a joke about the fact that as I was only buying bait and had no tackle with me that I didn't have my 'books' with me.
I did think at the time though that it was a shame that they have to wear stab vests; what a sad indictment of today's society!
I have only ever seen the Enforcement Officers once in fact, and that was at Witherington Farm Lakes when I was in the tackle shop buying bait for the next day.
I had a nice chat to them and they were really nice chaps to be honest. They told me that they do check the local beats on the Hamsphire Avon but not too regularly due to distance and so few anglers on the river.
They even offered to check my licence and we had a joke about the fact that as I was only buying bait and had no tackle with me that I didn't have my 'books' with me.
I did think at the time though that it was a shame that they have to wear stab vests; what a sad indictment of today's society!
Last edited:
Only ever been checked once by the EA, a nice old guy, I was fishing 3 rods at the time and under the old legislation had 3 rod licences, he stayed with me for a while and I made him a brew and we had a chat about angling in general. The only other time I`ve been pulled was in the car park at balderston on the Ribble this was under the old Lancashire River boards, two bailiffs, retards, we had been dropped off by a non-angler and they pulled us on the car park, we showed them our licence and they demanded to see the drivers licence who didnt fish and didnt have any tackle with him anyway, he refused point blank to give them any details and they took his registraition number and tracked him down with a summonds a few month later. He wrote to the courts and explained that he wasnt a fisherman, didnt own tackle and only went down to the river to pick us up, he explained that he had told the bailiffs this at the time and the bailiffs were fully aware that we only had two sets of tackle in the car, we were all prepaired to go to court with him, he also sent a copy of the letter to the LRBA. In short the case was dropped and he recieved a written apology from the LRBA