Whilst I agree with most of what Barrie states in this article, there is however, a slight inaccuracy in the section on the river close season. Barrie you stated,
“There were, understandably, great cheers from the pro-close season lobby when the MAFF decided against the Review Committee and Moran Committee recommendation of scrapping the close season on rivers.”
I should point out to you and the readers of this and your article, The Moran Committee did not recommend the scrapping the close season on rivers.” In fact it recommended that the close season on rivers should stay.
The recommendation for a close season on rivers to stay was a proposal from the SACG and was fully accepted by the Moran Committee.
Before you dive in Barrie, I have attended all but the last two SACG meetings and have before writing this spoken to Tim, who as you know attended the committee on behalf of SACG. Tim has confirmed to me that the above is correct.
Sorry to have to make this point but as the article is entitled Angling in the Real World, lets keep Real!