heres what it says
Very Important News from BASS 8th August 2005
In early April, just before Parliament was dissolved prior to the general election, members of the BASS restoration team and NFSA conservation group met with the Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw at Whitehall, London.
The purpose of the meeting was to progress the proposals contained within the Bass Management Plan (BMP) and to ensure that the Minister was fully briefed on the benefits of implementing the BMP, both for sea anglers and for licensed inshore bass fishermen.
After the Minister had quizzed the team on various aspects of the proposals and conferred with senior Defra staff who were also in attendance, he decisively gave instructions for legal work to begin on preparing the statutory instruments, which are required to bring into effect the changes that we consider will improve the sport of sea anglers, not only for bass, but for a range of other important recreational species too.
With the foundations for these changes underway it is now likely that there will be a public consultation period, to ensure that all stakeholders are given the opportunity to comment on the BMP and to ensure that its introduction is both fair and well-supported.
It is therefore crucial that, if we are to be successful, the sea angling sector gives its full support to the BMP and participates fully in the consultation. Just to recap; we are asking for ?
1 INSHORE GILL NET RESTRICTIONS & NET-FREE ZONES OUT TO 1 MILE
2 MORE PROTECTION FOR BASS NURSERY AREAS
3 A CLOSED SEASON - TO PROTECT SPAWNING FISH
4 BASS DAILY BAG LIMITS - TO AID CONSERVATION
5 INCREASES IN THE MINIMUM LANDING SIZE
6 LICENCES FOR COMMERCIAL BASS FISHING AND CARCASS TAGGING - TO CURB ILLEGAL LANDINGS
We need to prepare well ahead if this chapter of our campaign is to be a success and it would help if we could count on individuals or groups who will share some of the workload.
We have a real chance at starting to change things, and remember that many of these measures will positively benefit not only bass, but many other inshore species.
We therefore ask for your help in a number of ways ?
1 Are you prepared to write to your MP, especially if you live in a coastal constituency?
2 Are you prepared to put information posters up in your local tackle shops / clubs?
3 Are you willing to respond to the consultation document when it is published? (we estimate that this will be held in late-summer and we will provide lots of assistance)
If you want to play your part, please complete the section below with your choice(s) of action and return by email to: Steve Pitts
steve@pitts18.freeserve.co.uk
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Please Paste this section into a new Word document, type an X against the item(s) you are happy to help with, attach the word document to an email and email to Steve.
___ 1. I?ll write to my MP - asking him to support the Bass Management Plan
___ 2. Send me some posters and I?ll visit my local tackle shops / angling clubs
___ 3. I will participate in the public consultation by sending a written response (please keep me informed and let me know when the consultation period begins)
Name...........................................
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tel or email (optional)................................................................
