Press Release
Information from
the Sea Anglers’ Conservation Network (SACN)
Contact:
Leon Roskilly – 9
Iversgate Close, Rainham,
Email: LeonRosk@aol.com
Phone: 01634 231682
No Sea Angling Licence
SACN welcomes yesterday’s statement by Jonathan
Shaw MP, the Fisheries Minister, that he will not be introducing a Sea Angling
Licence.
At the recent ‘Angling
Summit’ held within the Parliament Buildings in Westminster, SACN repeated to
the Fisheries Minister the advice previously delivered to DEFRA officials that
now is not the time to talk about introducing a sea angling licence.
Having seen little but
decline in the UK’s Recreational Sea Fisheries over the preceding decades, and
following the Minister’s decision not to proceed with the introduction of a
higher minimum landing size for bass (an important recreational species) there
was a growing distrust developing amongst the country’s sea anglers towards the
Government’s proposals contained within the Recreational Sea Angling (RSA)
strategy consultation, which was being increasingly overshadowed by the
proposal to introduce a sea angling licence.
SACN is pleased to see
that not only has the Minister taken our advice to remove the distraction of a
sea angling licence proposal from the wider debate which the RSA Strategy Consultation
deserves, but that he has committed to take forward measures to benefit the UK’s
Recreational Sea Fisheries.
With over 1 million
participants in England and Wales, and a contribution to the economy worth over
£1 billion, the Recreational Sea Angling Sector is capable of delivering far
greater growth, generating business opportunities and supporting thousands of
livelihoods as well as improving the sense of well-being and improving
significantly the quality of life of people from all walks of life and in all
regions of the UK.
But to deliver that,
the sector needs a quality product with more and bigger fish available to all
anglers, as previously experienced within living memory.
The Minister is to be
congratulated on listening to the concerns that have been put to him, and on
acting upon what he has heard, and we look forward to working with him and his
officials to deliver UK Recreational Sea Fisheries that can be amongst the
finest in the world, and of which he, the Government and all of the people of
the UK could be justly proud.
Speaking to Leon
Roskilly of SACN, and to Richard Ferre of the National Federation of Sea
Anglers, Martin Salter MP, the Government’s spokesman on angling said “I want
to personally congratulate you both (and your organisations) on the forceful
and professional way in which you have made your case to Ministers on this
issue and I really do believe that you have proved the value of regular and
honest dialogue with MPs and Government Ministers.”
Leon Roskilly said “It
is a relief to get the distraction of a sea angling licence off the agenda so
that we can talk positively and with confidence about the delivery of benefits
and a better future for Recreational Sea Angling in the
-End-
Sea Anglers’ Conservation Network
(SACN)
Fighting for Anglers Fighting for
Fish
Notes for Editors
-
SACN is a
campaigning organisation of Recreational Sea Anglers (RSA), drawn largely from
the RSA angling internet community, with a direct membership approaching six
hundred, many of those being clubs, federations and other organisations.
-
Details of
the Recreational Sea Angling Strategy Consultation, which closes on
-
The
Statement by the Minister is contained in Parliamentary Written Answers for
March 18th, published in Hansard. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080318/text/80318w0004.htm#08031877000048
Angling: Licensing
Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to proceed with the introduction of a sea angling licence; and if he will make a statement. [194586]
Jonathan Shaw: I met sea angling representatives at the Angling summit on 18 February where a number of concerns were raised with me regarding the introduction of a chargeable licence for sea angling. I have also discussed the issue direct with anglers around the coast, as have my officials. In view of the concerns expressed, including the extent to which sea anglers expected to see benefits from the charge, I have decided not to proceed with enabling powers in the Marine Bill to introduce a sea angling licence.
I will, none the less, continue with a package of other measures that aim to provide benefits for anglers, including a review of nursery areas for the protection of bass stocks and of inshore netting, and a pilot study on area-based restrictions to support sea angling. I have also recently announced measures to increase protection of tope, a key species for anglers.
I will reconsider the arguments for introducing a recreational sea angling licence at some stage in the future in the light of progress on the aforementioned measures.