Anglers, clubs and fishery managers urged to use review to get cormorants on the Gene

[FishingMagic]

The Angling Trust and the Avon Roach Project are calling on anglers, angling clubs and fishery owners to respond to the current licensing review and press to have cormorants added to the General Licence so that we can better protect our threatened fish stocks from unsustainable predation.


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[The bad one]

Strange that there's no comments on this of all threads?

 

[nottskev]

Strange that there's no comments on this of all threads?

I completed the survey this morning. There's a lot of guidance on how to complete it, if needed, on the AT link under the original FM article

This is the survey

Wild Birds General Licence Survey
- Defra
- Citizen Space

 

[keora]

Strange that there's no comments on this of all threads?

There has been some publicity in the angling press about the Governments review of the General Licence. If a species of bird is on the licence, then their numbers can be controlled to prevent damage to farming and the environment. Cormorants are not on the Licence, but could be included if enough anglers send in their views.

The Angling Trust site explains the background to the review:

Anglers, clubs and fishery managers urged to use review to get cormorants on the General Licence - The Angling Trust

Here's the form you need to fill in:

Wild Birds General Licence Survey
- Defra
- Citizen Space

The Angling Trust has advice on how to fill in the form and supplies comments that you can copy into the form if you wish. Its called "Guidance notes for completing the general survey", and it can be accessed at the Angling Trust web site I've quoted.

It took me about 20 minutes to complete the form. The closing date is this Thursday, 5th December.

 

[nottskev]

With just a couple of days left, the lack of comment on this is surprising. Has anyone taken the time to complete the survey?

 

[mikench]

I have just completed the survey. Kev has posted links which help and the PAAS website has some very useful and factual info on its website which can be used. It's hard to believe that 4 Canada geese produce as much s*** In a day as 1 sheep. It's unpleasant stuff as well and is usually deposited on my peg.

 

[rayner]

I've not even looked at the survey.
I see it as a waste of my time. The AT keep coming up with surveys but do nothing. May be it's the wrong attitude to take but being realistic the AT are toothless.
If by some long shot anything comes from this survey I may perhaps change mind and give them a bit of credit, I don't think I will hold my breath though.

 

[john step]

I did this a week or two ago. Rayner, this is not an AT survey, they are just encouraging anglers to fill it in. Its the survey that decides what goes on the General Licence for the shooting of pests.

If you love the cormorants everyone then don't fill it in.

 

[mikench]

I concentrated on Canada geese, cormorants and Goosander when I completed it as it’s these species which have the most deliterious affect on angling and on fish stocks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mikench]

Tomorrow is your final chance to participate in and vote on the survey.

 

[keora]

Anglers are good at complaining to each other about problems such as cormorants, pollution, abstraction. But I don't think many anglers want to take part in surveys, because it will take too much effort.

Earlier this year the EA asked anglers to fill in a survey concerning the close season for coarse fish in rivers. Only 13,600 anglers responded. Yet about a million anglers buy an EA rod licence each year. So that's a response rate of just 1% of anglers.

 

[no-one in particular]

Anglers are good at complaining to each other about problems such as cormorants, pollution, abstraction. But I don't think many anglers want to take part in surveys, because it will take too much effort.

Earlier this year the EA asked anglers to fill in a survey concerning the close season for coarse fish in rivers. Only 13,600 anglers responded. Yet about a million anglers buy an EA rod licence each year. So that's a response rate of just 1% of anglers.

Your right of course but I think it's more a lack of faith in them is why anglers don't respond. And a lot of anglers think they are a bit loaded in the questions they ask or how they are put. I think that was the case with the AT one on the close season and some think the AT are just part of the EA anyway and wouldn’t oppose them because they receive money from them (echoes of Crow). The close season remained the same and some thought the survey was just ignored and it was always going to be ignored. Just thinking aloud there but I can see why some don't bother anymore. Oh, another survey, so what; it won't make any difference. I bet that's how a lot think.

And it's the same for these independent ones, loads of talk will follow and all the opposing interested parties will just argue the toss for months or even years and in the end nothing or not much will happen, I wouldn’t be surprised if even brexit will fade away one day despite the survey!

 

[rayner]

Anglers are good at complaining to each other about problems such as cormorants, pollution, abstraction. But I don't think many anglers want to take part in surveys, because it will take too much effort.

Earlier this year the EA asked anglers to fill in a survey concerning the close season for coarse fish in rivers. Only 13,600 anglers responded. Yet about a million anglers buy an EA rod licence each year. So that's a response rate of just 1% of anglers.

I have no doubt that in part your comment above does hold water.
I'll take a different stance in that I never take part in any surveys for the simple reason I refuse to trust any such surveys, petitions or any other that needs me to put any information that requires my details. I cited the AT being toothless for me not wasting time, that was pointed out to be an error on my part as the AT were not responsible for the survey, that was only part of it.
I've read too many times of unscrupulous individuals getting into bank accounts, for that reason I never go into you tube or the like either.
I know there are some who would think I'm more than a little over cautious but I can live with that, I can tell you my bank accounts never been robbed. My refusal to take part is nothing to do too much effort. Anyone who's had to work for a living has a good idea of effort, filling in a survey is a long way from effort.
Sorry for banging on but I think it needed saying.

 

[mikench]

A lack of faith does breed apathy and the poor turnout whilst alarming does not unduly surprise me. It will no doubt be echoed on Thursday. If the survey was to consult on a fishing ban would the response have been different and greater. That is a rhetorical question as I fear the answer.

The EA can only conclude that as 99% of anglers didn't participate they remain indifferent to change so we cannot complain if a change we don't like or don't want occurs.


As Martin Luther King said your life begins to end the moment you start being silent about the things that matter.

We have a vote and a voice ; use it!