EU Monitoring of Recreational Fisheries (Article 47)

We need more info.

We need to know what the EU proposals are, in detail.

We need to know how/what our Governments ( RoI & NI) intend to do to implement these EU proposals, in detail.

We need to decide as Anglers if this will be a good thing or a bad thing for us and our sport.

Then we need to agree what action can be taken in support/opposition of the proposals.

Then we take the appropriate action.

That's the roadmap as I see it. Hardest thing to do will be setting up the action group to agree tactics and take action.

Do we all want to wait for Godot.

Wicklow coastline: Pre 1990, 16 species could be caught to specimen weight. Today, just four species.

Wicklow coastline: Pre 1990, Codling more or less May to January. Today, almost a thing of the past.

Wicklow coastline: Late June 1981. 10 x Codling in a four hour beach session, combined weight of 44 lbs ungutted.

Wicklow coastline: Kilcoole, big tree mark 1990, Plaice 4.lb 1.oz. Two and three pounders off beach not unusual.

I could go on. The time is now, the info' is there, ie all the hard facts as to what was and is now gone. All the hard facts as to how this situation was arrived at, and unfortunately all the hard facts as to where it is going. If sea anglers really care about their sport and the marine environment, then their is no better time to show it then now.

The creators of this site have manufactured a medium for information exchange. The time is ripe for this site to bring together all those who care about the marine environment rather than just showing concern in a virtual world. Come out and put real weight behind a movement to restore the marine environment. If not the seas around Ireland won't hold enough to warrant this sites further existance.

Yours...

[quote]but here is an idea to run by you all the game anglers have fista and tafi who represent themI am a member of both and am attending a meeting on sunday 4th and am putting foward a proposal to have fista lobby on behalf of sea anglers [quote]
rebelfisherman26 great idea but the 3 fishing assocations are under the one umbrella Angling council of Ireland ie IFSA,TAFI etc they are the voice of angling in ireland. my point is that the NFSA in england are both promoters and lobbyists on sea angling so i think that the IFSA should be doing the Same, i emailed the president of the IFSA to see what is the Federations policy is on this.I pay my membership to IFSA and so i would expect them to be my voice as a member not the other way round.

Ashley I'd agree alot with what your saying. Currently as a lobby group we sea anglers are non existent, what currently takes place in our marine environment(be it trawling, dumping, sand extraction, aquaculture, pollution etc.) is virtually controlled by vested interests, ok so there are some public consultation processes with some of these activities but at the policy level and this the level that matters its those organisations with the vested interest who are in the civil servants ear. Our marine environment is effectively, jese not even effectively..IS in the hands of the people who make cash out of exploiting it. At least in the UK the divergent angling bodies(game, coarse & sea) have come together to act as one lobbying group. At least in the UK they drew up a Marine Bill to try and hoist some management on to the inshore marine areas....all i've seen here is the disbanding of old marine bills that actually afforded some protection to certain bays....it isn't hard to guess who lobbied for the disbanding of same There is a hell of a lot of work to be done to try and get things moving to introduce some legislation to protect aspects of our marine environ/fish stocks but at the moment there is a huge vaccum

so what do ya all think we should do how do we start an orgainisation or form a body to lobby for our best interests on article 47
1 form a small working group in each co with reps
2 form from that a national body
how will it be done all ideas welcome
can sea angling ireland do it or orgainise it through yous

so what do ya all think we should do how do we start an orgainisation or form a body to lobby for our best interests on article 47
1 form a small working group in each co with reps
2 form from that a national body
how will it be done all ideas welcome
can sea angling ireland do it or orgainise it through yous

1 and 2 sound about right! Not sure how you would go about it. word of mouth and any other method possible would help

SAI couldn't really do it there are too few at around 1900 members, The IFSA only has around 4500, there are also more anglers on other angling forums but you will find a lot of anglers are members of all the forums and of IFSA, EFSA and others so the total is not as large as it seems. SAI and other forums would be useful in highlighting any such new body as would the angling media!

A lot of anglers have no internet access so sea angling clubs and the likes of EFSA and IFSA may be the route to go down to reach these.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that you will need to unite as many anglers as possible so keep it simple and independent of the usual angling politics.

I can cinfirm that the IFSA is keeping a very close watch on Art. 47. Things are at a preliminary stage at the moment, indeed suggestion rather than fact. Should matters proceed at EU level, All involved, i.e. IFSA, ACI, and SALC will make every effort to have angling excluded. Hugh O'Rorke. Hon. Sec. IFSA

this is what i have receved from the ifsa so am glad to hear they are aware of the subject

[doggie3131]

I am meeting Mr Jim Higgins M E P next week and this is a list of questions i am going to ask him, if anybody has any suggestions i will be glad to hear them.

1:What is the definition of a recreational sea angler?(RSA)
2:What is the definition of catching?Are the E.U.refering to the keeping of fish rather than catching?
3:Most anglers return fish,which survive,will these fish count as quota?
4:What is the likely % of the quota to be allocated to the RSA sector?
5:will RSA,s have to buy into the quota?
6:E.U.fish quotas are recorded in metric tonnage,how would this translate into individual fish?and how is this to be recorded?
7:Will fish caught as bait(mackerel,sandeel,lauce,etc)be included in the quota?
8:If the E.U.carries out future plans to stop discards(all fish caught have to be landed)will RSA be included in this?
9:Will a seperate quota be given to RSA or will it be taken out of the commerical quota?
10:Is this an attempt to introduce a RSA licence?
11:If so how much will it cost?
12:If the E.U.proposals are accepted,how do the Irish government propose to implement them?
13:If RSA licences are introduced where does the revenue generated from those licences go?
14:will RSA be subject to bag limits?
15:will RSA be required to carry a logbook?
16:Bass are not a commercially targeted species in this country,will RSA be allowed to target this species?
17:How will a licence work for visiting anglers,or Irish anglers fishing in E.U.waters?
18:What is the definition of a RSA vessel?
19:Is this refering to private or charter boats?
20:Will private boats require a licence and a quota, and how will this be administered?
21:If this concerns all private boats,do the E.U. realise how many boats there are?and the costs of administering and enforcing this?

If any body has a question they would like to add to this please pm me

Last edited by doggie3131 on Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

3:Most anglers return fish,will these fish count as quota?

Might be worth emphasising that many fish returned by recreational anglers will survive, just so there's no confusion between recretional returns and commercial returns. Might not be obvious to non-anglers.

good point teacher! change made.

i dont know if this point is in the list - maybe the one on discards

8:If the E.U.carries out future plans to stop discards(all fish caught have to be landed)will RSA be included in this?

but i remember hearing before that in germany you could only fish to eat and fishing for pleasure was deemed an unnecessary activity in relation to fish welfare

im probably only confusing things here but maybe the germans could be pushing for more of this etc.

i think all e.u. countrys will have a specific wishlist. I know that in italy you already need a licence to sea fish, altho there is no bag limits or quota

but i remember hearing before that in germany you could only fish to eat and fishing for pleasure was deemed an unnecessary activity in relation to fish welfare

im probably only confusing things here but maybe the germans could be pushing for more of this etc.

Yeah, but in Germany you need to do a test in order to get your license. It's easier to start driving over there.

heads up to all ye galway lads Sean o Neachtain M.E.P. is a member of the committee of fisheries, his address is

42 Prospect hill
Galway.

office number 091 560020

E.U. Email: sean.oneachtain@europarl.europa.eu

he is in Ireland at the moment but does not have a set time at the office,but i am trying to set up a meeting for next week.
some emails sent to him asking questions might help speed up a meeting with him,thanks for yere help in advance!!

Well lads i love the idea of a National organisation,but in the meantime im not waiting on this,i used to be a salmon angler untill i got priced out of it with the licence and the restrictions.So i have a meeting set up with Jim Higgins M.E.P for the north west,and im trying to set up a meeting with Sean O Nauchtian M.E.P and a member of the commission of fisheries.
Ihave a list of questions for him:

am meeting Mr Jim Higgins M E P next week and this is a list of questions i am going to ask him, if anybody has any suggestions i will be glad to hear them.

1:What is the definition of a recreational sea angler?(RSA)
2:What is the definition of catching?Are the E.U.refering to the keeping of fish rather than catching?
3:Most anglers return fish,which survive,will these fish count as quota?
4:What is the likely % of the quota to be allocated to the RSA sector?
5:will RSA,s have to buy into the quota?
6:E.U.fish quotas are recorded in metric tonnage,how would this translate into individual fish?and how is this to be recorded?
7:Will fish caught as bait(mackerel,sandeel,lauce,etc)be included in the quota?
8:If the E.U.carries out future plans to stop discards(all fish caught have to be landed)will RSA be included in this?
9:Will a seperate quota be given to RSA or will it be taken out of the commerical quota?
10:Is this an attempt to introduce a RSA licence?
11:If so how much will it cost?
12:If the E.U.proposals are accepted,how do the Irish government propose to implement them?
13:If RSA licences are introduced where does the revenue generated from those licences go?
14:will RSA be subject to bag limits?
15:will RSA be required to carry a logbook?
16:Bass are not a commercially targeted species in this country,will RSA be allowed to target this species?
17:How will a licence work for visiting anglers,or Irish anglers fishing in E.U.waters?
18:What is the definition of a RSA vessel?
19:Is this refering to private or charter boats?
20:Will private boats require a licence and a quota, and how will this be administered?
21:If this concerns all private boats,do the E.U. realise how many boats there are?and the costs of administering and enforcing this?

If any body has a question they would like to add to this please pm me

i've written letters to my 4 TDs (Quinn, Gormley, Andrews, Creighton), 2 TCD Senators (Bacik, Ross), some election hopefuls, and Dick Roche and Mary Lou McDonald asking them for their thoughts on a reasonable and workable proposal and how it can be moved toward. I'll summarize the responses.

Will send a few more shortly...

Sean O Neachtain rang me today and i have a meeting with him on sat in galway ,will let ye know what was said, sat evening!

mods, can we merge this thread with this one? viewtopic.php?f=12&t=18930

Sean O Neachtain rang me today and i have a meeting with him on sat in galway ,will let ye know what was said, sat evening!

good work doggie1313

Yep. Good work. Let us know...