Ben Bradshaw interviewed in Guns and Tackle

In an article in the Latest Issue of Guns and Tackle, veteran RSA Campaigner Bob Cox asks the Fisheries Minister, Ben Bradshaw a series of probing and no-holds-barred questions regarding the relationship and attitudes of the Minister and his Department (DEFRA) towards the Recreational Sea Angling Sector, and what the future might hold.

In an interview covering many issues such as bag limits and licenses for Recreational Sea Anglers, Ben Bradshaw makes a point of saying:

I think the politicisation of sea anglers is very important. If I had one concern about the sea angling community it is that it doesn't very often speak very effectively as an interest group.

Its importance to the economy and the number of people involved is not reflected by the loudness of its voice compared to the commercial sector.

But you have some very strong supporters in Parliament such as Robert Key (Cons) and Martin Salter (Lab) and the profile of sea angling in fisheries debates has been increasing year on year.

But if I had one plea to make to the sea angling community it would be try to develop a more effective lobbying strategy: to me it is the commercial sector bludgeoning RSA on sea fisheries committee and that isn't acceptable.

The commercial sector has got to learn to live with, respect and treat as partners the sea angling community.

Andy

Isn't that the same interview where BB floats the idea of taxing tackle to foster growth of the RSA sector, or such like?

Yep , think it is

Theres a full interview in next months TSF

Andy

nice to see that political decisions on important environmnetal issues are so clearly influenced by lobbying and votes rather than any objective, long term, altruistic concern for the future of fishing.

He's basically saying that if enough people get off their arses and vote for his party / threaten not to vote for his party then they will be listened to, and that if we don't manage to organise enough recreational anglers ( pretty much impossible task) into an effective lobby then its our own fault if the commercials rape the sea of all life. As there are already more recreational anglers than there are people involved in commercial fishing in the uk and ireland ( as well as more cash / tourism generated) the politicians first obligation should be to us / the future of our marine life rather than to the clearly short term, blinkered, greed fuelled wishes of the trawlers.

I'm surprised he didn't go a step further and say it was the cods' own fault for not effectively lobbying the labour party (after learning how to walk on land, breath and speak the queens english).

I recently wrote to him and offered to send him pictures of various species of fish so he could show them to his grandchildren when they asked "what are fish grandad?"