Struan Stevenson, Scottish MEP (Cons) and Fisheries Spokesman in the European Parliament believes it is the turn of the UK government to stand up for recreational anglers and fight against the EC proposal to extend the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to control our fishing. Although two clauses were removed from the Draft Marine & Coastal [...]

As you can see from the following the UK Government were not consulted re Art47 of the proposed regulation – yet it is also proposed to introduce it by Jan 01 2010. As a matter of record, no UK recreational sea angling bodies were consulted either. Bill Wiggin (Leominster, Conservative) To ask the Secretary of [...]

Bill Wiggin MP, the Conservative Party’s Shadow Fisheries Minister, attacked the Government for failing to take action to save the recreational sea angling from damaging EU proposals. After Environment Secretary Hilary Benn refused to oppose Article 47 or even acknowledge angler’s concerns in the House of Commons, Bill Wiggin said: “By refusing to stand up [...]

In a novel twist, SNP president Ian Hudghton MEP has suggested his party represent the UK. He has renewed his call for Scotland’s fisheries minister to be designated lead minister for the UK at all European Union negotiations saying “It is incredible that, with the crucial rounds of EU annual quota talks getting underway, the [...]

Defra have announced that Huw Irranca-Davies MP has replaced Jonathan Shaw as UK fisheries minister. Commenting on this, SFF chief executive, Bertie Armstrong, said: “While ministerial reshuffles are nothing new, the timing here is extremely unhelpful and could not have come at a more inopportune time, given that vital and complex negotiations to set quotas [...]

The Prime Minister is being petitioned to limit commercial fishing on the Clyde and its sea lochs. The originator of the petition asks that the government – Create no go areas for trawlers in Scotland’s salt water lochs,and the river Clyde.In addition to this create at least one marine conservation area or park for sea [...]

Defra undertook a public consultation of their draft Recreational Sea Angling  (RSA) Strategy between 6 December 2007 and 31 March 2008. The results may be found in this pdf document. Four key  issues emerged  from  the  responses and Defra’s analysis, they were whether respondents were in favour or opposed to : A sea angling licence [...]

WALES’ first Fisheries Strategy was made public in Aberystwyth Marina last week. It has been heralded as a “step towards securing the future of the fishing industry” by Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones. The Strategy looks at the future of fishing until 2020 across all sectors of aquaculture, commercial fisheries and recreational fisheries. The strategy [...]

THE I.O.M. Fisheries Department is developing a charter angling strategy to encourage local vessel owners to consider charter angling trips as a realistic business opportunity. Their Minister for Agriculture believes their marine environment presents great opportunities for recreational sea angling, potentially making it a prime sea angling centre in the British Isles. The Department will [...]