ADDITIONAL COMMENTS SHEET - FORUM 2 PAGE 1
Alan Ayre: The Grayling Society
It was obvious that several delegates today weren't as
au fait as they might have been with the topics the
steering group (and AfC before it) has been tackling. It
was a failing of AfC that the angling public was not widely
enough appraised of the work being done on their behalf,
and the steering group seems to be labouring under the same
difficulty. Some information is being made available on the
web site, but many anglers I've spoken with haven't been
aware of the site or the consultation, some having no
access to a PC. Efforts should be made to reach such
people, perhaps through announcements in fishing magazines
or/and fliers in tackle shops etc.
Until recently I hadn't read Peter Maitland's 1997 paper
'A Commentary on the Operation of Pos' that he wrote for
WWF. This provides an excellent introduction to the
problems of Pos and what should be done about them. It may
be eight years old but is still very pertinent and should
be bedside reading for all anglers. Peter might be
persuaded to update it, but even without that it is still a
useful vehicle to acquaint more anglers with ideas on
improving the legislation.
I thought the venue today was excellent.
Steve Tapley: Pike Anglers Alliance For
Scotland
If we consider banning live baiting on the ethics that
it is cruel, how can we justify fishing for fish and
putting hooks into them and then pulling them in, handling
them and then throwing them back.
Legislation must consider pond own from the public.
Using fish from the system that is being fished is
workable. Banning it will not prevent it from carrying on,
it will send it underground unless we can police it
properly on all the waters in Scotland, not just the
popular lochs.
If we are talking about alien fish what do we class
rainbow trout as? As too many lochs in Scotland re being
polluted by these fish, especially when escaping from the
farms, with little come back from the authorities. If it is
acceptable to release these fish into various environments
then why is other live fish such an issue. Rainbow trout
have the capability to eat all forms of salmonid smolts in
these environments.
Where is the evidence that ruffe were used as livebait
as they are atrocious swimmers. How did the other species
get there.
Barbel where is the photographic evidence of this
offence.
Richard McKenzie: Loch Awe Improvement
Association
The LAIA were sorry to be unable to send a
representative to the recent Forum. However our Development
Committee has asked for the following views and opinions to
be forwarded to SEERAD for consideration.
1. Use of Live Bait - Totally prohibited
2. Regulation of Live Fish Movements - Current
legislation sufficient if strictly enforced and
publicised
3. Gaffs, Tailers, Knotted Nets etc - Prohibited
4. Annual and Weekly Closed Times - Remain the same
5. Multiple Rods - As per LAIA conditions - see ticket
enclosed
6. Rod Licences - Presumed purpose to raise money. This
committee's considered opinion is the cost of
implementation would be too high for a Licence fee which
would be politically acceptable to legislate for
Therefore - Against a National Rod Licence
7. Proposed Model for Legislation and Management of
Fisheries in Argyll the formation of an Argyll District
Salmon Fishery Board is being formed to replace small and
fragmented District Salmon Boards. Therefore the following
suggestion is to take the words 'Salmon' out of the title.
This would leave the Board responsible for all species. The
Board would be comprised of all Bodies concerned.
Under this Board local Improvement Associations would
manage all species in the area of their responsibility.
Improvement Associations would continue to charge for their
fishings as now and would therefore be self funded.
The Board and Improvement Associations would use the
services of, in our case, the Argyll Fisheries Trust for
all scientific research, monitoring and management
advice.
There is great concern that under the present Protection
Order system, individuals with fishing rights can opt out
of the P O and sell their permission to fish waters
improved at Improvement Associations expense. These loop
holes need addressing.
Finally, we wish to state that a well run Improvement
Association under the Protection Order legislation can be
successful in maintaining a fishery which is ecologically
and environmentally sustainable, a benefit to fishermen and
to the local community.
80 Representatives from Pike Anglers Alliance
For Scotland
Proposed Legislation on the Method of Live Fish as
Bait
I am writing to you to voice my concerns on the recent
Freshwater Fisheries Forum on the 4th of February. As a
pike angler I feel that this is an important and valid
method and one that should be retained. The speaker
concerned was extremely negative and gave a very biased and
personal view against.
The method of using live fish as bait is accepted in
many countries, especially those in which Pike (Esox
lucius) and relatives are found. Pike as a predatory fish
by its very nature hunts live prey and in certain
circumstances will not accept scavenging for dead fish. The
method itself does not require the transfer of fish as your
speaker inferred.
The use of live baits is one of the most natural
presentations an angler can achieve and is widely practiced
in the pursuit of predatory fish, this is backed up by
scientific research (references can be made available). By
following the Pike Anglers Alliance for Scotland, code of
conduct for responsible live baiting this method poses no
threat to indigenous fish species in turn posing no grounds
for legislation against the method.
Duncan Clark: Auchterarder AC
I have commented at length to previous consultations on
PO review, protecting and promoting etc covering many of
these issues. I presume the Steering Group has access to
these if not I can supply copies.
Alexander Fell: Forth Fisheries
Foundation
I was pleased to attend the meeting on the 4th of
February and very interested in the high level of support
for many matters which might be covered in the coming
Freshwater Fisheries Legislation. However I was most
concerned to hear that future arrangements for the
sustainable management of all freshwater species and the
means of financing them would no longer be included in the
coming Bill.
My colleagues and I believe that it would be preferable
for the proposed freshwater Fisheries Legislation to be
postponed until such time that arrangements for the future
management of all species can be included. We fear that if
the proposed Bill proceeds in 2006/7 there will not be
another opportunity for Fishery Legislation to include
management arrangements for a number of years to come. That
is not to say that we are against items which may now be
included in the proposed Bill, but that if the goal is
sustainable management, this aspect must be given priority
above all other issues. Indeed to change and possibly
expand access to natural wild fisheries in advance of
putting in place appropriate management structures, is
likely to lead to a situation quite contradictory to
sustainable management.
A further matter which concerns me, and which I raised
at the forum, is the fact that we have different
legislation for Sea-Trout and Wild Brown Trout which
current scientific advice tells us are one and the same
species. The current legislation would appear to originate
from an historical misunderstanding and a desire to reduce
Brown Trout to assist stocks of Sea-Trout and salmon.
Surely, if future management is to be scientifically based,
this anomaly needs to be addressed in any proposed
legislation and Wild Brown Trout given the same protection
as Sea-Trout? I appreciate the political difficulty of
facing up to this issue but we are doing future generations
a disservice if we do not frame legislation on best current
scientifically based advice.
I would be interested in your thoughts on these issues.
As previously mentioned from a recent visits to Iceland, I
am most impressed with many of their arrangements and
regulations for the sustainable management and improvement
of their fisheries and we could perhaps learn much from
their experience.
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