NE Sea Anglers in Ground Breaking Meeting with Defra

Defra are to meet with  Recreational Sea Anglers from the North-East to discuss radical new proposals  which will fundamentally affect all of the region’s sea anglers.

Radical proposals that will  affect the quality of the North-East’s important Recreational Sea Fisheries for  generations to come.

The meeting has been arranged  following the publication by Defra of the Marine Bill White Paper and the  subsequent announcement by Fisheries Minister John Shaw on 6th  November 2007 of a consultation on a Recreational Sea Angling Strategy which  Defra aims to take forward.

Recreational sea angling is one of the most popular  participant hobbies in the North East, supporting many businesses and  livelihoods.  The proposed changes will affect many thousands of anglers  in our region, as well as impacting upon the substantial contribution which  Recreational Sea Angling makes towards the region’s economy.

Many sea anglers have heard about the changes that are  proposed for the way our inshore waters are managed, but many more are unaware  of exactly what is in store.

Possible changes include:

 
• The introduction of a Sea Angling License (which  is viewed by many as a stealth tax with no obvious benefit to participants). 
• The introduction of bag limits. 
• The creation of Marine Protected Areas 
• Restrictions on gathering bait from the  seashore. 
• Reformation of Inshore Fisheries Management with  new bodies replacing the existing Sea Fisheries Committees 
• Inshore netting restrictions and promises of  more and bigger fish 
• Increased access and better facilities for  Recreational Sea Anglers 

The meeting is to be held at

The Bank House Club.
7  Front Street,
Newbiggin by the Sea,
Norththumberland.
NE64 6NU

Tuesday  4th March at 7.30 pm.

Dave  Morton, the Regional Co-ordination for the Sea Anglers Conservation Network in  the North-East said “This is a unique opportunity for anglers to hear the  Government’s plans for our inshore waters and our sport and a rare chance for  ordinary anglers to comment on those proposals direct to the decision makers”.

Anglers  who wish to respond to the consultation have until 31st March 2008  to do so, after which it will be very difficult to influence Defra’s future  policy towards angling.

David Morton
Sea Anglers’ Conservation  Network (SACN)
www.sacn.org
Fighting for Anglers Fighting for Fish