Keith's Angling Boycott

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Chub King

Guest
Don't know if anyone spotted my story on Keith's call for a boycott on angling and buying a licence during the first two weeks in April?
Definitely a contraversial topic. The general concensus is that a boycott wouldn't effect government but could damage angling. But how else do we ensure that any new Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act provides legal protection for our mature breeding stocks (whenever it eventually gets passed)?
The review reported to Government in 2000 and we're still waiting for Parliamentary time to pass the legislation. Matt Hayes has nowe got behind Keith and is calling for a full licence boycott, which is tantamount to inciting civil disobedience, so we're on dangerous ground.
Angling Times will be asking visitors to Go Fishing 2006 to sign a petition (wording below) in an effort to get our message accross to Defra. It is Defra who are drafting the bill, the EA can only advise them. We need to convince them and our politicians that our stocks need protecting now.
Do you agree to this petition?
"We, the undersigned, believe mature coarse fish need to be protected. We would like to see a change in the present byelaws making it an offence, except in specific and agreed circumstances, to remove fish longer than 20cm/8ins from natural waterways for any reason."
What does everyone think?
Spread the word. Let's make angling heard!
 
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Steve Spiller

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Good stuff Greg,

Would it be possible to create an on-line petition, for everybody that can't make it to Go Fishing 2006?

You've got my vote.
 
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Wolfman Woody

Guest
I've often thought if everyone refused to buy a licence on (or before) April 1st and waited a month or so (as we used to in CS days) would anyone in Government start to panic wondering if we'd all just packed in.

The problem being, it would hurt the fisheries people of the EA, probably, and they are the ones we should keep on our side. So perhaps not such a good idea.

I support the statement, but will not be attending Go Fishing in any year. So if my vote is to be recorded there has to be another way as Steve says.

I'd also like to see the EA Fisheries Department privatised so that we can fund it directly. Now there's revolution!
 
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Frank "Chubber" Curtis

Guest
"I'd also like to see the EA Fisheries Department privatised so that we can fund it directly. Now there's revolution!"

There'll be too many fat cats taking their share before any goes on the fisheries. It'll be "jobs for the boys and buddies" with large golden handshakes for those turfed out for incompetence.
It'll also have to be run as a profit making organisation with shareholders expecting dividends and every service, at the moment free, having to be paid for. Just look at what happened to Water, Gas and Electricity, once public services now only profit driven.
The only ones that will suffer is anglers and fishery owners.
The EA may not be perfect but the thought of it being privatised is enough to give me nightmares.
 
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Chub King

Guest
I suspect that Matt is calling for a boycott of licences, not fishing! Very dodgy ground, but potentially necessary if we are to make sure we don't have to wait another 30 years for more fishweries legislation because the issue isn't dealt with this time around.
With regards an online petition, unfortunately Angling Times doesn't have the online capability. Perhaps Graham and Fishingmagic could champion it? That would depend upopn whether they support changes in byelaws on fish remnoval.
For example, I'll bet that most anglers didn't realise that you're legally allowed to catch and kill six specimen barbel on any given day if fishing in Yorkshire! Now that can't be right, can it?
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
I agree with the idea in principle. Certainly by refusing to buy a licence and not go fishing is breaking no law.

But I have got a number of fishing trips planned for early April. And the waters I fish then will be inundated with EA bailiffs, it happens every year.

What solid evidence do we have that Eastern European Immigrants are taking fish? What methods of fishing are they using? If the authorities are powerless to stop them taking fish, perhaps we can stop them based on the fishing methods they use.
 
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Chub King

Guest
Long lines, foul-hooking, nets, etc are all already illegal Ron. What we're talking about is legally catching fish on rod and line and legally being allowed to kill them for food. This is archaic and unnecessary in this day and age and most British anglers would be against allowing the capture of coarse fish for food (especially specimens and prime breeding stock). If it was illegal it would set a precedent and provide a deterrent.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
And there is nothing to stop anyone getting in a boat, fishing a river and killing as many fish as possible.

Tell me if I'm wrong.
 
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Mark Hodson

Guest
What a great idea, people are taking fish left right and centre so lets all stay off the banks by not fishing and give then even more opportunity to do so. Stay on the banks, stay fishing and if you see anything you deem to be illegal then phone the police and the EA, the weight of calls will give the authorities the kick up the backside thats needed to take action.

One of my larger local clubs is already talking about working parties turning into a vigilante style enforcement group to encourage any one stealing fish to stay away in future. If this starts nation wide things could turn very nasty.
 
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Chub King

Guest
That's what we're hoping to avoid Mark because that kind of publicity will make all anglers look very, very bad indeed.
By signing a petition, however, we come across as conservationists, as opposed to neo-Nazis!
Ron, you are wrong. Present byelaws vary by region but do tend to place numerical limits on catches. Whether the EA can enforce any of these rules, new or old, anywhere is another debate entirely! Firstly, we need new laws put in place. They will act as a statement of angling's intent to conserve and protect fish stocks and they will deter and help educate those from other cultures that you can't plunder Britian's wild fish stocks (or those stocks in lakes that belong to the owner).
We need the rules to be changed and this forthcoming act is the only chance we have in the next 30 or so years to make the changes.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
I thought I would pose the question Greg as quite frankly I wasn't sure. I read something somewhere that the water in a river, together with it's contents belongs to no-one.

We certainly need some new laws.

Vigilante type actions will certainly make anglers look bad in the eyes of Joe Soap.

I can picture the news on the latter being read by the usual hand wringing plaintiff voiced news presenter that seem to be popular these days
 
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Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA)

Guest
If you have an online petition you could ask the anglers to put their name and license number(s) so that the signatories to the petition could be authenticated. That would give it more clout.

For it to becomme a truly national story requires some kind of public interest angle. One way to achieve that would be for all anglers to wear something visable for a month like an olive and red arm band to signify their disatisfaction with the proposed legislation.
 
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Steve Spiller

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Mark I agree, staying off the banks will do nothing. Reporting cases to the police and the E.A will take years to generate enough evidence for any change in the law to happen.
Anglers should carry on reporting anything they deem illegal, but we also need to petition our feelings as well.

I don't know if Graham is up for it, I hope you are Boss.
I'm sure 20,000 votes would carry a bit of clout.

At the end of the day we have to protect OUR much loved pastime, if the law isn't changed very soon we will ALL be blanking a lot more than usual...!!!
 
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EC

Guest
"a boycott on angling and buying a licence during the first two weeks in April?"

No problem with the reasons behind the political lobbying, but has anyone given thought to to the potential damage to the smaller local tackle shops and fishery owners through decreased numbers of people going fishing?

Seems to me like we would be kicking our own in the bollocks!
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
Agree with Mark. What's a licence boycott going to achieve..?

You'll still need one to go fishing, whether you buy in April or May has zero impact on anyone in authority.
 
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Chub King

Guest
The boycott was proposed by Keith Arthur. It isn't the only way we can make our feelings heard. Andy's suggestions for the petition are good ones, as is his suggestion of anglers wearing something recognisable at the beginning of the new season as part of a united protest the public can recognise.
Matt Hayes is now calling for anglers not to buy a licence, continue fishing and instead pay the money into a fighting fund that would pay your fine if you got caught! If we block up the courts with dissatisfied anglers then the Government would HAVE to take notice. Any monies left over in the fighting fund after we have won the fight could then be donated to the ACA. Or at least something along those lines. We must make sure that this issue is satisfactorily dealt with by the new legislation.
Anglers have the power to make this happen if we all pull in the same direction. We MUST obtain legal protection for wild fish stocks, if not ALL stocks. Government grant-in-aid presently funds EA protection and conservation of salmon, sea trout, brown trout and eels. But no government money goes into coarse angling, your licence pays for everything. If we pay then we have the right to insist that our stocks are legally protected.
It's illegal to kill or catch for food over 95% of British wildlife, why not fish too?
 
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Big Swordsy :O)

Guest
I am pleased that AT is showing some teeth!

AT is a great vehicle for political lobbying...I will support anything which promotes and improves our sport in general but we should not hurt our own in doing so.

If anyone fancies a bus trip down to London in full gortex battle dress then I am in!
 
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Chub King

Guest
Lee, can I quote you there? And thanks for the vote of approval.
Graham, how do you and FM stand on this - the petition that is, not the boycott?
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)

Guest
Greg,

If I get caught without a licence and prosecuted, it will mean that I might get a criminal record. Irrespective as to how good the cause might be.

That would mean that my little business would fold. I would lose my right to earn a living!

What would I do then?
 
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john ledger

Guest
Pay my licence by direct debit but will be ringing the bank up to cancel it.
 
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