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Post by Hoppy on Nov 14, 2005 19:55:32 GMT -1
This effects us all.................The level of policing/bailiffing on our rivers at present is worryingly low. Take the Welsh Dee, a river that has a substantial run of fish and where there is not one bailiff! If nothing is done to rectify this, the already low numbers of fish entering our rivers will be greatly reduced. Its time to act. This is a real issue, and we need to act to get things done. The issue is also being addressed at seatrout.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=Viewpoint&action=display&thread=1129970951&page=1and also at flyforums.proboards53.com/index.cgi?board=viewpoint&action=display&thread=1131788752I ALSO AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT WE TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO RAISE AWARENESS IN THE EA, A SMALL TASK THAT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT.
WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR YEARLY CATCH RETURN, CONSIDER WRITING THE FOLLOWING WORDS ON THE LICENCE
ANGLERS DEMANDING MORE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY BAILIFFS.
Please take this seriously, show your support your fish need you!!!
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Post by Torgoch on Nov 15, 2005 12:11:50 GMT -1
There is a very important addition to this debate as some will already be aware and that is the response factor that anglers get from calls to the EA's 0800 807060 call line Its becoming known that some complaints don't get any actual investigative response at all and don't even merit a call back to say what the Agency officers have done to investigate the event. This failure is in complete contrast with the published EA Customer Charter which gives complainants a statement as to what will happen when you make a complaint its apparent that if your complaint isn't dealt with then the Agency's customer service desk should be contacted and a further complaint lodged over poor service ! I think its worthwhile all forum readers thinking back of incidents reported wherever in Wales or England and what the outcome was if known or not and a dossier being collated on the failings of the EA in the issue of poor enforcement of our rivers and lakes " Did the Agency get their man ?" OR NOT ! that is the question Any thoughts out on the floor ?
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Post by elwyman on Nov 16, 2005 17:25:34 GMT -1
Does anybody know if the Welsh Salmon and Trout Association has made representations to the EA about the bailiff situation?
Surely WSTA and other fishing organisations should take the lead and lobby MPs and AMs.
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Post by Diawlbach on Nov 16, 2005 18:36:30 GMT -1
I agree with you elwyman, we have too many organisations representing anglers, it's better to invest in one body and give it some extra credibility. WSTA is the man for the job. Given the amount of extra revenue that the good work of Fishing Wales has brought into our country it's about time that the Assembly protected and enhanced what has proved to be one of it's most valuable assets. Some recognition from the Wales Tourist Board that the bailiffing on our rivers is woefully underfunded wouldn't go amiss, poor fishing obviously deterrs angling vistors (Ireland, need I say more......) so come on you guys.
Over to you Rhys!
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Post by Hoppy on Nov 16, 2005 18:43:31 GMT -1
I agree,
We need a lead, Highplains was having a d**n good go himself to be fair, but perhaps the S&TA can help.
If one organisation takes the lead, they would have my full support and all the help i could give.
Hoppy
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Post by sewinbasher on Nov 16, 2005 19:33:18 GMT -1
I'll certainly write this on my return but I don't think that WSTA is up to the job. They are a bit like the old WRU too much in-fighting, dyed in the wool committee members and turkeys not voting for Christmas.
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Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 16, 2005 19:47:33 GMT -1
Hoppy,
I spoke to Paul Knight (Director) at the S&TA in London, our concerns can be taken forward under the banner of the North Wales Branch of the S&TA.
Brynley Williams AM has been approached, the matter is in hand.
Gwyniadun
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Post by Hoppy on Nov 16, 2005 22:10:51 GMT -1
Sewinbasher,
I think that we should see what action and effect the NW S&TA have....they are taking this forward and we should give them our full and whole hearted support. Lets stand untied here, and move forward, its no good dwelling on what people were like or what we believe they are like (i dont know the facts so i cant comment)...its time to stand up and fight, and we can all help.
Really glad your putting the slogan on your licence!
Well done Gwniadun a great step forward!!!!!!!!!!
Well done Highplains.....keep it up
The momentum has started.....we all have a duty to keep it up!
Keep focussed now on the real issue and thats the Policing of our rivers and the protection of our fish stocks!
Hoppy
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Post by dimebagfromhell on Nov 17, 2005 11:00:56 GMT -1
one way would help would be catch and release, i know guys around here killover 20 fish a year no matter what the size or colour (salmon this is) this is only one person most of them kill everything they get, therefore the fish never get to spawn, and i think this is a cause of the river i fish becoming worse each year. maybe if we decided to do somthing like this a few years ago there would still be sea trout present in our river, unfortunatley there is none! gone! finished!
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Post by keith on Nov 19, 2005 19:26:53 GMT -1
If anyone reports an incident on the EA emergency number, please ask for a reference number from them. If you don't get any feedback on the incident (Usually asking for a ref number prompts the question whether you'd like to be kept informed), then ask your angling club or any bodies that represent anglers, such as the Carmarthen Fisherman's Federation, Pembs river trust e.t.c. to find out why.
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Post by Torgoch on Nov 19, 2005 23:58:55 GMT -1
Keith It may have escaped your notice in other parts of the escalating forums on the EA problems that there is what is known as the EA " Customer Charter" - see the EA website for details this Charter is Granted by the government for the laying down of service levels and timescales to be adhered to when dealing with complaints from the public Should anglers or any member of the public see something that is the responsibility of the EA ie illegal fishing, netting, poaching or stealing fish then a call to the 0800 number is made with urgency! The EA then has to manage and effect an outcome to that complaint and in keeping with the reporting system, the telephone operator at the EA is obliged to ask if you want " Feedback" to your complaint and also give you a complaint reference number. Always say yes and that a response is wanted within 4 hours of your telephone call or the very next morning from the INVESTIGATING OFFICER ! Should you not be given any indication as to the outcome of your complaint, then THE ONLY COURSE to take is to ring the EA on 08708 506506 and make a FORMAL complaint to the customer services dept. I would and only then tell your local angling club or rep about the EA Failings and that you have made a complaint - could they keep their eye on the ball having noted the complaint identity number that you were provided with in the 1st instance. The EA is showing a trait of overlooking complaints from the public and need to be more answerable to their stakeholders and Welsh Assembly Paymasters. Lets make the sytem work to our advantage!
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Post by rwgbridgend on Nov 27, 2005 19:38:59 GMT -1
At a recent committee meeting of the Ogmore Angling Association, the forum pages regarding EA cover on our rivers was discussed. I have been requested by the committee as Head Bailiff to make an entry regarding this.
For many months one bailiff has been available to cover a patch that was previously covered by upto 12 bailiffs. There is a massive poaching problem on the Ogmore system and for the EA to pretend otherwise is laughable.
The Ogmore Angling Association is one of Wales' largest clubs with over 600 members. If the various clubs and associations in wales coordinate an effort, surely the sheer number of members involved would have a bigger effect than the current fragmented effort. Whilst i applaud what is currently going on, the arrogance demonstrated by the EA can only be overcome if all Angling Associations, clubs and individuals club together.
May i take this opportunity to thank the one remaining Bailiff covering the Ogmore system for his dedication and hard work which is respected by all those within the Ogmore Angling Association.
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Post by Gwyniadun on Nov 27, 2005 21:31:02 GMT -1
Thanks for the support 'rwgbridgend', you are very right that joining forces is the way forward, why the 'Enforcement Team' or 'Bailiffs' have been reduced all over Wales is a mystery, as the finance going in has not been reduced, someone will have to answer this eventually, keep up the good work!
Gwyniadun
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Post by Kipper on Nov 27, 2005 21:35:41 GMT -1
Could someone clarify what is meant when it is said a particular river or area has a ‘poaching problem’?
Does this refer to organised gangs of fish thieves who use nets and poison etc? Illegal gilll netting at the river mouth, opportunist locals with snares, gaffs etc. supplementing their beer money, or simply anglers fishing without permits.
Thanks
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Post by Diawlbach on Nov 27, 2005 22:41:32 GMT -1
I'd say that all of the above constitute what I'd define as poaching, each of them pose problems for clubs and bailiffs. It's difficult to apportion a sliding scale of severity to each infringement of club and national byelaws, they all take time to deal with. When workloads on bailiffs become too heavy I suppose some discretion is applied to poachers to save valuable time but in the end all of the activities you mention are undertaken at the expense of the sport. In my experience some of the poaching in the South West of the Irish Republic is so severe that a river system can become pretty well dead as a result , that is is the way it goes if it's allowed to run unchecked. The weird thing is the way that the perpetrators will describe their poaching to all and sundry with glee but then tail off with "Of course there's no fish here now" as if it's a mysterious occurrence. No sympathy for it these days, the jolly poacher my @rse.
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Post by highplains on Dec 4, 2005 17:48:16 GMT -1
Moc Morgan and I believe one of the members of this forum, took part in an hour long program on Radio Cymru last week with representatives of the Environment Agency Wales, which was all about the lack of bailiffs on our rivers.
A pal of mine, who happens to work for the EAW and speaks Welsh, told me the program was well balanced and well presented with both sides agreeing that there is a lack of bailiff's on our rivers. I think that they even agreed that each river system should have its own bailiff!! Sounds great.
Chaps, keep an eye on the forum, we need to make a greater impact on the EAW or they will never make a genuine effort to police our waters. Don't forget their official line is still that illegal fishing is not a problem in Wales!!! Until it is made clear by the EAW and as such, included in its performance indicators that policing the rivers of Wales do have a poaching problem and that it is genuinely doing something about it we must keep banging on and on and on! The EAW must start to talk straight.
I believe there are a few EAW staff who visit this site. Come on chaps/ladies, let's have some of your views. You can express them anonymously or you could put forward an official EAW view. Go on I dare you!!
Highplains
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Post by buzzerman on Feb 28, 2006 17:32:31 GMT -1
there is baliffs on the welsh dee i, know i fish at bangor on dee every week the one baliff [john ----------] does a great job if others were as good ie-checking everyday all our fishing would be in safe hands
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Post by Hoppy on Feb 28, 2006 18:27:14 GMT -1
Im glad you see the bailiff Buzzerman, i haven't ever met one on the Dee. If you're after Sewin then i don't think that Bangor is the best place, but i'm sure there are better waters elsewhere. Hoppy
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Post by Simon on Feb 28, 2006 21:18:19 GMT -1
Fished the Teifi for 4 seasons and have never met or seen an EA baliff.
Simon
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daffydthomas
Parr
see you in the dark love daffyd xx
Posts: 30
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Post by daffydthomas on Mar 1, 2006 1:11:41 GMT -1
there is baliffs on the welsh dee i, know i fish at bangor on dee every week the one baliff [john ----------] does a great job if others were as good ie-checking everyday all our fishing would be in safe hands At Bangor On Dee You must mean a club bailiff not a E.A bailiff
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