Legislative Options For Angling Methods - SFFF SG
3-2
As you might expect there is a huge variation in
regulations across Europe.
The areas creating most controversy are live-baiting,
keepnets and catch and release.
On keepnets, the EA did some research with the
National Federation of Anglers a few years back.
On live-baiting the Specialist Anglers Alliance
issued a comprehensive code of conduct. I'm sure you came
into contact with them on the Loch Lomond issue a few years
back. Live-baiting is obviously a policy issue. As you know
there are good simple grounds for banning it on fish
health/ introduction grounds. Personally I think it is
morally indefensible, but that leads in to all sorts of
issues probably best avoided. Its already been banned in
Holland. The French will defend it to the bitter end. Those
are the two extremes.
(European Anglers Alliance )
In E&W, these and other issues related to fishing
seasons, angling practices appear to be regulated not so
much by statute as via EA byelaws. EA has the facility to
introduce byelaws at both national and regional level,
which means that variations can be introduced which are
sensitive to local circumstances. Most of the regional
byelaws appear to concern baits or seasons for trout or
migratory species; the notable exception being the
controversial NW Regional byelaw, which prohibits the use
of live fish as bait in six specified Lake District
waters.
The EA regulations set different limits on the number of
rods that can be used for coarse and game fishing in
different waterways, and split the question of the number
of rods that can be used from the matter of control over
them. The following quotes [from EA website] serve to
illustrate how that works:
(Scottish Federation for Coarse
Angling)
"ROD LIMITS The maximum number of rods that you
can fish with varies according to the
type of water and fishing; (see
table). This only
applies to rods actually in use - you
can have as many as you wish set
up. When fishing with multiple rods and
lines, rods must be placed such that
the distance between the butts of the
end rods does not exceed three
metres. A salmon & sea trout licence
authorises only one rod per licence
when fishing for salmon, sea trout or
trout, or two rods per licence when
fishing for coarse fish and eels. A trout and coarse licence
authorises one rod when fishing for
trout or two rods when fishing for
coarse fish and eels." 
|
The English & Welsh equivalent to the anachronistic
requirement in Scots law for the rod to be "…. held in the
hand" is described as follows:
(Scottish Federation for Coarse
Angling)
"UNATTENDED RODS It is unlawful to leave a rod and
line, that is unattended, in the water
or over which sufficient control cannot
be effected." |
I am not aware of any recurring problems which anglers
in E&W encounter with the application or interpretation
of these regulations, though that is not to say the EA
themselves may not have views on that subject. On the face
of it - and this is pure an informed personal opinion - I
think the E&W approach, adapted on the game angling
side according to the desires of the relevant
representative bodies, may offer us a way to meet more or
less all the aspirations around the table.
Incidentally, with regard to some other matters we were
talking about on Tuesday, you may be interested to know
that the EA national byelaws prohibit the use of gaffs in
all freshwater fishing, and prohibit the use of landing
nets (and keepnets) with metallic or knotted mesh. Again,
it may be possible to draw on experience down south when
framing our own regulations.
(Scottish Federation for Coarse
Angling)