Charter Fishing Boat

KEEP OUR SEA FISHING FREE

Defend Sea Angling….  Tell them nothing!

RSA-UK recently launched a campaign to highlight the risks of taking part in Defra’s data gathering scheme, Sea Angling 2012, which aims to find out how many fish sea anglers catch, how many they release and how much money they spend.  The collection of such data is a requirement under the EU’s Article 47, (now article 55), which attracted massive opposition among sea anglers when it first appeared on the radar. Coupled with this DEFRA are proposing to introduce an annual management tool with the data requirement for the UK government.

European fisheries managers want to bring sea anglers into line with commercial fishermen under the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy.  That could mean restrictions such as bag limits, quotas, and even bans on targeting species that are subject to recovery plans, such as Cod.  It could also mean levels of regulation never seen before in the UK, such as licences, log books and registration schemes.  Defra and Cefas have been tasked with collecting the data that the EU requires.

The message that RSA-UK wants to get out to the sea angling population is, Defend your Sport, Tell them Nothing.  RSA-UK founding member, Bob Shotter, says, “We want people to know that they are under no obligation to cooperate with, or contribute to, Defra’s Sea Angling 2012 scheme.  In fact, we would like to see anglers directly oppose the scheme as we believe the data gathered will be used to the detriment of our sport”.  The organisation wants to see all sea anglers unite against what it sees as an erosion of the right to enjoy their sport unhindered by layers of pointless restrictions, regulations and EU driven bureaucracy. 

Co-founder of RSA-UK, Barry Luxton, says, “The Common Fisheries Policy has been a disaster for fish stocks and the fishermen who rely on healthy stocks to make a living.  Why any sea angler would want to become embroiled in the same level of incompetence and micro management, is beyond me.  By providing the data that the EU requires, sea anglers could, unknowingly, be contributing to the end of sea angling as we know it”.  RSA-UK will be distributing posters and using other media to get the message out there among the sea anglers that will be affected by this EU directive and Defra’s Sea Angling 2012 scheme. We hope anglers will spread the word to others and….

Say No to Sea Angling 2012.  Defend Sea Angling….  Tell them Nothing.

www.rsa-uk.org