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
Some anglers refused to show their licences as they were not fishing at the time ........
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?
See you've removed itI was joking about them being lazy bu**ers!
Lucky s*d! Four of them!Lands end to Bristol to Oxford to Southampton............four E.A bailiffs!
I'm looking forward to buying you a pint Paul, if you ever make it to a fish-in?