Pay to fish plan slated

30 March 2007

At long last the Government has come clean on its plans for making sea anglers pay to fish.

In a White Paper up for discussion and consultation Labour's Environment Minister David Milliband has revealed he intends to introduce a whole range of sea fishing licences including one for beach anglers, boat anglers and charter boats, writes Roy Webster.

The proposal has been universally criticised by the National Federation of Sea Anglers, the Sea Anglers' Matchmen's Federation and the Countryside Alliance.

All of them referr to rights granted to the people under King John's Magna Carta that sea fishing is free to the general public below the mean high water mark, otherwise known as the foreshore.

The Bill, which is expected to be put before Parliament before 2009 suggests that the new funds raised from anglers will be used for improved research and data to help the management of fish stocks, protect and improve shore access and car parking, provide small boat launch sites and create artificial reefs.

Countryside Alliance director of campaigns Robert Gray is just one of many who greeted these proposals with less than lukewarm enthusiasm.

“The licence revenue plan does not seem to extend any further than simple enforcement and administration.

“It will be almost impossible to police because England and Wales has over 2,500 miles of coastline. Commercial fishing is the biggest threat to marine conservation, so it's hard to see any benefits (from a licence),” he said.

As reported last week, local sea anglers are fiercely opposed to paying for their fishing in seas whose fish stocks have been devastated by industrial trawling and long-lining.

The NFSA has repeatedly emphasised that it is the European Fishery Ministers who form and control policy for the management of sea fish stocks, impose quotas on most species while also overseeing research.

Anglers have not been slow to point out that the creation of artificial reefs such as those already in place between Sea Palling and Waxham are for flood defence and had absolutely no input as far as fishery management was concerned, and it is completely unacceptable for anglers to now pay for more of the same along local beaches.

Richard Ferre, NFSA chairman, declared: “DEFRA has plenty of time to realise that sea angling's contribution to coastal economies is vitally important and it should back the sport rather than create a deterrent.”

Although conservation policy on all North Sea fishing is formulated in Europe and not by our Government, anglers are nevertheless invited to state their views and reaction to the Marine Bill by emailing direct to marinebillconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk or writing to Marine Legislation Division, DEFRA, Area 2E, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HH before June 8, 2007.

There are compelling reasons for opposing the introduction of a sea licence for rod and line activities, not least the miserly returns that anglers are experiencing right now.

Last Sunday just one small codling of 2lb 3oz was sufficient to win one local match while the town beaches have produced little or nothing in return for perhaps £15 worth of bait.

Boat anglers fishing up to two miles out have caught a few decent cod but this is a rich man's sport and the bread and butter action is along the beaches where the dreadful returns certainly cannot justify the cost of a £25 licence for the privilege of catching nothing fit for the pot.

By contrast freshwater angling is showing a welcome upturn this spring with match and pleasure catches rising.

At the Burgh Castle Fishery Richard Silverwood won the final open of the Winter Series with 25lb 8oz followed by Kevin Southey with 24lb 6oz and Robert Silverwood with 21lb 8oz. Robert Silverwood was top man of the series and pocketed £200 put up by the fishery boss Darren Squires.

Elsewhere, Ormesby match man Stephen Rouse won the midweek Mill Farm Lake event with 38lb 11oz and finished third on the same venue on Sunday and Monday respectively with catches of 26lb 2oz and 54lb 5oz.

Stalham, whose new chairman is Bill Watts replacing the retiring Barry Burlton, and whose president Len Reeves is temporarily carrying out the duties of match secretary, visited Melton Ponds.

Barry Rilings won with 42lb 5oz then Robert Farmer 40lb 6oz and Ray Kent 23lb 4oz.