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The EA
Nov 9, 2005 10:25:47 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 9, 2005 10:25:47 GMT -1
Gents, interesting as it may be, can we hold the PAAS thing or at least keep it seperate to the isuue in this thread, we need to be 'Bullet pointing' EA Enforcement problems and discussing how we tackle these.
Gwyniadun
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The EA
Nov 14, 2005 19:41:15 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 14, 2005 19:41:15 GMT -1
I have today spoken with Paul Knight Executive Director of the Salmon and Trout Association in London. I assure you that this matter will now move forward, watch this space.
Gwyniadun
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The EA
Nov 14, 2005 19:41:39 GMT -1
Post by highplains on Nov 14, 2005 19:41:39 GMT -1
Well anglers all is that it!
17 votes on this item and the responses have now dried up!
Are you really so content with the state of the policing of your waters and with the service provided by the EA, particularly in North Wales?
If I sound a little 'brassed off' forgive me, but I intend to keep plugging away until the EA police a rivers in the way they are charges so to do and until those poachers who net and poison or rivers are feared to go near them.
If not, there will be fewer and fewer tight lines.
Regards.
Highplains
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The EA
Nov 14, 2005 19:47:12 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 14, 2005 19:47:12 GMT -1
Highplains
Check your pm's
Gwyniadun
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The EA
Nov 16, 2005 12:08:34 GMT -1
Post by JT on Nov 16, 2005 12:08:34 GMT -1
I've just sent the below email to Andrew Flitcroft at T&S - I'd hope they would look into it and raise it as a general concern in an edition...
"Dear Andrew,
As a life-long reader I thought to email you as Editor of T&S in the hope of bringing to your attention the apparent reduction in the enforcement budget by the EA and the wider issue over the numbers of enforcement officers which have dropped alarmingly to the extent that many anglers - especially those after game fish - are desperately concerned. Too many have either had no contact with EA baliffs in years of fishing days on the bank in conjunction with speaking to other anglers regarding all too many rivers where poachers run rife, where Health and Safety legislation prevents effective patrolling and where response times are in days rather than hours to reported incidents.
Whilst we are made aware through EA's PR of the occasional successes with illegal nets, the odd fines of selfish "licence-ducking" anglers and so on there is without a doubt an underlying sense of unease sitting with many game anglers that the EA simply isn't throwing enough manpower at the problem of poaching/illegal fishing and all our hard-earned licence fee cash is being spent elsewhere (albeit to other "needy" areas I don't doubt).
I thought you might find Paul Hopwood's dedicated sea trout website [http://seatroutfishing.proboards34.com/index.cgi?board=Debate] useful to garner some of the opinions out there (as well as being an excellent site in it's own right) but I'm very much hoping that, in addition to all the fine work you've done in championing the drift net buy-outs etc you might also be willing to challenge the EA and champion an increase in policing - possibly even supporting the idea of feeding-back directly to the EA on our annual catch returns with "Anglers demand more Environment Agency bailiffs". Having worked myself at the EA I do believe that the organisation endeavours to be transparent but put simply - effective policing will have a dramatic effect on the quality of fishing licence-holders experience - yet it would appear that a substantial population of anglers fear this area isn't getting the resources required to have the positive effects.
I very much hope that you might find the resources to look into this fully with the network of contacts you have and take a standpoint - too many knowing and honest anglers are desperately worried about this common UK-wide problem for it not to be high on the "political" agenda.
I do hope that as one of the respected voices of game fishing you are able to add your weight to our concerns.
Yours respectfully,
Jon Tripp Fishponds, Bristol"
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The EA
Nov 16, 2005 14:31:42 GMT -1
Post by PB unpluggable on Nov 16, 2005 14:31:42 GMT -1
"I do hope that as one of the respected voices of game fishing you are able to add your weight to our concerns."
Jon - Why didn't you resort to base flattery - really lay it on, get something stuck up there...? The old b.f. thing doesn't work on me, but I've known it to work on others....
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The EA
Nov 16, 2005 14:53:16 GMT -1
Post by JT Unbrownnosed on Nov 16, 2005 14:53:16 GMT -1
Thanks Paul - thought it might help "grease the wheels" rather than use your oft-used "Trite and Salmon" to aid the cause...
Perhaps I should have started along the lines of
"Oi you gits, I don't get enough free gifts with my quarterly subscription which disappears out of my account before I realise that I might not want to renew. So do your bluddy job and start wagging your slightly fishy digit at the penny-pinching Government Agency for more bums on banks...Kappish?!....oh and a new bass bag wouldn't go amiss yer tightwads"
Happy to give it a whirl if you think it might do better...
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The EA
Nov 16, 2005 18:04:57 GMT -1
Post by Hoppy on Nov 16, 2005 18:04:57 GMT -1
Nice one JT, a step in the right direction...!
Hoppy
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The EA
Nov 16, 2005 20:46:03 GMT -1
Post by highplains on Nov 16, 2005 20:46:03 GMT -1
Well, what a difference a day makes.
It looks as though Hoppy has put a rocket just where it was needed. Nice one Hoppy!
I noted on the email that had been sent to the editor of T&S that there was a reference to few bailiffs on our waters. In North Wales we have 5 trained and 2 trainee Enforcement Officers covering all rivers from below Machynlleth to the Dee estuary including Angelsey. Bearing in mind they have to work in two's for health and safety reasons that means three and a half pairs of Enforcement Officers.
Come on, you've started, keep it up. Express your view and add your vote to the poll.
P L E A S E !!!!!
Highplains
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The EA
Nov 16, 2005 22:26:45 GMT -1
Post by Hoppy on Nov 16, 2005 22:26:45 GMT -1
Well done Gwyniadun, JT & Highplains....
Its started now......lets keep it up.
Wherever you can find interested parties let them know of this problem, the more the merrier!
Hoppy
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The EA
Nov 21, 2005 17:48:13 GMT -1
Post by clwydman on Nov 21, 2005 17:48:13 GMT -1
Re. the EA.
I have since August been communicating with the E.A. following sewage outflow into the river Clwyd. In the letter I expressed concerns re. the lack of Bailiffs on the river and various other queries. All the concerns re. sewage and proposed building on the floodplain have been answered by the relevant departments but I am yet to have a response from the fisheries officer, I have emailed again today in the hope of hearing their side of the story as it were, will let you all know if or when I hear anything. Well done to all those fighting the cause for migratory fish in North Wales rivers, the EA need our voices it is up to every angling club to inform their members of such forums as enough voices do mean action in this day and age
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The EA
Nov 24, 2005 17:32:00 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 24, 2005 17:32:00 GMT -1
Three have voted saying that there are enough Bailiffs , would you care to identify yourselves and give a reason for your thoughts. Gwyniadun
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The EA
Nov 28, 2005 22:51:14 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 28, 2005 22:51:14 GMT -1
Strange, no response, could be that they have no valid reason for voting against However, matters are now moving on and a meeting is arranged with representatives of the Shore and Coarse Anglers for the 'Dee' catchment area, to further the concerns that are now lodged with Carwyn at the Welsh Assembly, via Brynle Williams AM. Gwyniedyn
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The EA
Dec 5, 2005 16:36:29 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Dec 5, 2005 16:36:29 GMT -1
One afternoon last week I received a phone call from the BBC at Bangor and I agreed to take part in a Radio discussion in Welsh 'Post Prynhawn' (Afternoon Post) as a result of a piece that had been published in the 'Daily Post' Newspaper, the topic was to be 'The Salmon Stocks in our Rivers'. Briefly, the discussion centered around ''Sheep Dip and other Pollutants" the "Irish Drift Nets", "EA Enforcement" , "Avian Predation" and "Acid Rain" Each party to the dicussion were allowed to air their views and the discussion was well balanced with some interesting and some salient points being made from all sides. It was interesting to be informed some days later that the 'EA Representative' who took part in the discussion was not actually employed in 'Fisheries Enforcement' It is right for us to stand up and be counted on issues relating to 'EA Enforcement' in a civilised and democratic way. We all wish to enhance our rivers and fish stocks and no doubt we will often disagree with certain views and stumble along the way, sometimes we can become impatient and want to fight our way through, whatever, but dogged civil determination in a course of 'action' is what will succeed in the end, we must remain totally patient and purposeful with the 'evidence' that can not be rebutted, we shall win this! Gwyniadun.
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The EA
Dec 6, 2005 11:55:05 GMT -1
Post by Torgoch on Dec 6, 2005 11:55:05 GMT -1
Having read all thats been said on this forum and on two others, I'm beginning to wonder if the EA fisheries department should be co-opted as an Exec arm of MI5. Theres many a phrase that reflects on the issues being highlighted now and maybe the one that comes to mind and fits the bill is " There's lies, Da.m.ned lies and theres nothing like a bit of Manipulation !" How can a person participate as an EA spokesperson on a subject such as Fisheries Enforcement do so when hes not a expert on the business end of what we are now very concerned about that being the the lack of bailiffs on all the rivers in Wales. Would the EA tell us this persons credentials or at least tell the angling representatives of our sport who this person was and why he was selected? I think not ! The EA should come clean on their spokesperson selection policy if nothing else!! The same problems being faced in North Wales are as widely commented on in SW Wales on the Teifi and Tywi where poaching is as bad especially on those river estuaries. Maybe the EA don't know whats going on because they don't have the eyes on the ground anymore to truly know whats happening out there. If thats the situation then thats a disgrace and heads should roll ! Ultimately what every game angler and all other anglers in Wales would want an answer to is this... " Who are the managers responsible for the cut backs in this most important element of the Agency's responsibility and why? were the managers cut back by the same percentage levels or was it a case of self preservation of the Men in Black suits 1st. Anyone who used to watch the TV series, " The X Files" will remember the actor David Duchovny who as Mulder always said " The Truth is out there !" So how do we get to the truth we all wonder !
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The EA
Dec 6, 2005 21:16:23 GMT -1
Post by Hoppy on Dec 6, 2005 21:16:23 GMT -1
What we want - more of this £2,784 FINE FOR FISHERIES OFFENCES IN MOLD MAGISTRATES' COURT 2004 Two fishermen have been fined for fishing in the bass nursery area of the Dee Estuary, making prosecution for this type of offence the first of its kind in Wales. Fines and legal costs totalling £2,784 for the fisheries offence are to be paid by the co-owners of the Three Lasses (OB 303), both of whom pleaded guilty, Mold Magistrates' Court ruled yesterday. Bans are in place to prevent fishing in bass nursery areas to protect stocks. The case was brought by the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), following a joint operation with Environment Agency Wales. Following the prosecution, an Environment Agency spokesperson, said: "The Agency was pleased to be associated with this joint operation. This incident shows the need for continued vigilance to protect stocks of fish in our estuaries more than ever. The Agency welcomes the Court's decision and hopes that other fishermen who may be tempted to breach these regulations will think again before setting out on the river." 1. This case was heard and sentenced at Mold Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 22 April. 2. Fines and costs were set as follows: Fines: Owner 1 - £1000 plus £200 for part value of the fish; Owner 2 - £500 plus £84 for part value of the fish; Costs: Owner 1 - £500 Owner 2 - £500 Total: £2, 784 3. Charges were brought under The Bass (Specified Areas)(Prohibition of Fishing) Order 1990 made under the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967. 4. Information relating to the Dee Bass Nursery Site regulations or the Environment Agency's Sea Fishery Bylaws may obtain copies from the EA Customer Services Department at Bangor - 01244 550124 or Defra's Holyhead office - 01407 765757.
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The EA
Dec 7, 2005 10:17:31 GMT -1
Post by wnion on Dec 7, 2005 10:17:31 GMT -1
I don't know if there is any truth in this, but I have been told that the EA have a boat in the Bangor, North Wales area that is supposed to be used for checking the coast and estuaries for illegal netting etc. standing idle! It has not been out more than a handfull of times in the last couple of years because the people that they had trained to operate it are no longer there or have been moved to other jobs.
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The EA
Dec 7, 2005 17:03:51 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Dec 7, 2005 17:03:51 GMT -1
Wnion,
Don't know if its a rumour going around but I heard something similar to that too, just a passing comment, can't really remember who said it actually, and that the boat had infact been used to go 'Mackrel fishing' , can't be true that can it, surely not.
Hoppy,
Yes agreed more action is needed, do you happen to know who the EA Representative was that followed up on this one?
Gwyniadun
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The EA
Dec 7, 2005 18:46:15 GMT -1
Post by Hoppy on Dec 7, 2005 18:46:15 GMT -1
Gwyniadun,
I would hope that the rumour of fishing in an EA boat is not true, thats not what i want with my licence fee, it is an abuse of authority and an Integrity issue. In most walks of life and certainly in my job, it would be a misconduct offence.
I have checked the defra site again and the bailiff who was responsible for this was someone called Keith Williams. This is the sort of multi-agency approach we want....positive action.
A cracking result for the fish!
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The EA
Dec 7, 2005 19:29:40 GMT -1
Post by Gwyniadun on Dec 7, 2005 19:29:40 GMT -1
I also hope that the rumour isn't true... but there it is...it is a rumour.
I feared when I read the piece about the 'Bass' that it may have been Mr Williams, but saddly his services as a ' Special Enforcement Officer of the EA' with responsibility on the 'Dee Estuary' area, has been dispensed with. I believe it unwise to discuss the reasons for this here on the forum, as those facts are to lead to a 'Legal Redress', it is the biggest blow that could be bestowed on us law abiding anglers and custodians of the River Dee, at the very least we knew that there was at least ONE very capable, experienced, dedicated 'Enforcement Officer', who was highly skilled, enforcing the 'law' and protecting our interest on the Estuary.
Gwyniadun
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