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Post by Hoppy on Jul 25, 2006 20:31:06 GMT -1
EA SPOKEPERSON IN WESTERN MAIL
"In recent years stocks of salmon and sea trout have been in decline and poaching efforts have therefore reduced"
Is this not a case of foxes & rabbits?
Lots of Rabbits = leads to loads of foxes (Good supply)
Lots of Foxes = reduces the number of rabbits.
Reduction in Rabbits = reduction in foxes!
This is a very telling statement, my interpretation is that the EA are saying,
Fish stocks are declining, therefore there wont be as many poachers (This is different to the Economic Foxes/Rabbits principal - Foxes dont sell Rabbits!), therefore we dont need as many bailiffs.
This is stupid....reduced fish stocks means that poachers have to be out longer, probably catching more fish - they aren't worried about fish numbers.
Reduced fish stocks necessitates MORE bailiffs to protect the few fish we do have.
This statement really needs challenging - it projects the image that the EA just aren't taking poaching seriously.
The bailiffs are doing a great job, but surely they must be feeling undervalued with Spokespersons coming out with such profound statements.
Hoppy
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Post by Paul Dunstan on Jul 25, 2006 20:46:49 GMT -1
EA SPOKEPERSON IN WESTERN MAIL "In recent years stocks of salmon and sea trout have been in decline and poaching efforts have therefore reduced"Interesting - where's the evidence to support this statement? At the very least this is a self d**ning statement that says, in effect, "We've failed to take any meaningful measures to protect or enhance fish stocks in recent years to the extent that it's not worth poaching the rivers." But we all know that's not true - I think I'm right that at least four illegal, fixed nets have been taken out of the lower Teifi this year alone and if anything it seems to be an increasing problem. Statements like this beggar belief. Are they saying that "If we do absolutely nothing and allow fish stocks to dwindle to the point of exstinction, then we've 'cured' the poaching issue,"? |
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Post by Hoppy on Jul 25, 2006 21:04:09 GMT -1
Paul i agree, constant problems on the Teifi - Diawlbach will support this, and constant blatant daytime netting on the Cumbrian Esk, these are jsut two rivers.
I cant get over it these are rural areas....in the more urban fisheries in South Wales, there are virtually no bailiffs!
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Post by Gwyniadun on Jul 25, 2006 22:43:38 GMT -1
Who are these people in the Welsh Assembly and EA who are issuing these statements?
Gwyniadun
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Post by Hoppy on Jul 26, 2006 21:22:15 GMT -1
Im glad to see the EA are singing from the same hymn sheet...
From an EA Press release dated 26/7/06
‘Salmon stocks in Dorset Rivers are at a critical level and it is vital these fish are allowed to continue their migration without being caught. Our local sea trout population also needs to be protected from illegal exploitation,’ said Kevin Parsons for the Environment Agency.
Within days there are conflicting messages....wasnt it on Tuesday they were saying poaching is decreasing? Yet on 26/7 from the same press release, this comment -
Environment Agency officers in Dorset have caught their third gang of poachers in as many weeks in the latest crackdown on illegal netting
Unbelievable.
However a big well done to the staff on the ground/bailiffs involved in catching the poachers.
Hoppy
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Post by karatehamster on Jul 27, 2006 20:05:26 GMT -1
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Post by rwgbridgend on Jul 27, 2006 20:40:48 GMT -1
Gentleman if you thought that the response from the Assembly in the Western Mail article was amusing, you should read the response given by Chris Mills, Director, EAW on todays letters page.
My anger soon turned to laughter and amusement!
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Post by karatehamster on Jul 27, 2006 21:18:10 GMT -1
I see what you mean..... The letter is here |
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Post by karatehamster on Aug 7, 2006 15:45:16 GMT -1
Interesting article (in the Sun, of all places) here"Between April and June, the agency dealt with 1,200 cases of illegal fishing — dishing out £145,000 in fines. The problem has tripled in just three years." (italics not mine) Hmmmmm..... |
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Post by kwilliams on Aug 24, 2006 13:54:28 GMT -1
One needs to reflect on the level of serious fisheries crime.
most of the fines were for Rod and lines evasion and very little for the more serious aspects of fisheries offences such as netting, gaffing, snaring etc.
the demand for this information to be broken down in to offence categories, areas and river sub-districts is paramount and if by being broken down will show where the work is being done and by whom and where nothing at all is being done to deal with problems that we all know is happening so be it!
for many years managers have told the public and staff that fishery offences are decreasing due to the level of reports being received, well staff often told managers that the level of complaints had gone down because of a lack of confidence in the EA to deal with problems....... what did the managers do- They buried their heads in the Office table and ignored the warnings and continued to issue the equivalent to the "Little Red book" and continued with the propoganda statement that all's well in the kitchen.
far from it. the problem of poaching has always been significant and the intelligence service is quite bluntly a failure and will never prevail while there is a lack of understanding at the highest levels as to what poaching really means to a river system.
How about a manager spending night after night out in muck and rain for a few months for him or her to eventually grasp reality ... methinks not!
Who Guards the Guardians !
keith Williams
Former EA Wales Special Enforcement Officer - Dee Estuary
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Post by mikeT on Aug 30, 2006 9:48:01 GMT -1
I think we may all be wasting our time trying to get the EA to actually do anything about poaching. They seem to have learned the main lesson of Blair's time in office, that if you all tell the same lie loud enough and often enough, people will believe it.
I had occasion to ring the EA hotline some weeks ago to report an illegal net on the Teifi, only to be told by the EA contact that it was nothing to do with the Environment Agency, but "is a Police matter". They could learn a further lesson from Blair, and make sure that all staff at least tell the same story! (Or the same lie)
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Post by rwgbridgend on Aug 30, 2006 16:57:50 GMT -1
Mike,
that is horrendous. If the EA cannont even respond to netting incidents what hope do we all have. The same thing happened on the Ogmore recently.
As for them telling you to contact the police, well the police will not deal with fisheries incidents and tell you to call the EA!
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