by x » Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:04 am
I think that in general salmon anglers will welcome this report. I do have concerns that the increase in salmon that a cessation of netting should bring about will be open to increased poaching activity, as the report notes, briefly.
To be effective as a recovery measure, a cessation of netting will have to be accompanied by increased policing in which anglers can assist but must also be supplemented by other measures to improve habitat etc.
What is interesting is that it appears that salmon anglers appear to have brought about significant change for their sport. I see similar opportunities for recreational sea anglers to bring about similar changes, such as the introduction of a 'golden mile' - but only through becoming highly organised and relentless in campaigning for same.
From the results to date of the SACN online survey, I detect a willingness by a good number of sea anglers to try to unite and speak with a common voice. (Given that it is only 'open' to the online angler, results have been quite good)
I know some anglers are deterred from speaking up by a certain unwillingness to 'stick their head over the top of the trench' lest they bring about a rod licence or other restrictions. Some do not 'like' organisations such as SACN or believe that they are inneffective. Others are happy to ignore the issue - while they can still get a reasonable return on 'their' patch.
Indeed, a lot of anglers shun even joining a club - they simply want to fish with as little fuss as possible. While I can identify wholeheartedly with that position, I wish the situation were such that I felt I had that luxury.
The report mentions the number of anglers involved in the salmon fishery and how it is hoped by the tourist board to grow these numbers significantly based on better angling opportunities. While the terms of reference of the report restrict it to the salmon issue, I couldn't help wondering if anyone in the departments of tourism or elsewhere even considered that the recreational angling world is in no way limited to salmon anglers, or if there might be a greater number of sea anglers with a greater revenue-generating potential. Perhaps not, but then historically we sea anglers have not tried very hard to provide a united front and thrust ourselves into their faces.
Again, I can see how any number of sea anglers might not want a pile of tourists pointed to 'their' marks by the tourist board to compete for an ever dwindling stock of fish.
I know that last Sunday, as I fished my local beach, being approached by a photographer for the tourist board to photograph us as an advert for angling in the area really got up my nose - considering how few fish were caught and the fact that the beach was carved up with quad tracks, plagued by unleashed dogs, we had some idiot in a pleasure craft trying to anchor 100m off the beach in front of where we were angling - oblivious to 6oz grippers flying all around him and so on. Typically, on the day when I wanted a disinterested third party to photograph the blue trawler that consistently scrapes the beach clean, it was conspicuous by it's absence.
What I'd like for all anglers to take away from this is that change is possible, patience is a virtue, unity of purpose is a must and that it's long past time we got a fair crack of the whip.