I can now rest easy in my bed

[thirdmate]

http://www.yarmouthadvertiser24.co.uk/news/six_people_caught_fishing_illegally_on_the_norfolk_broads_1_3655945

 

Glad to know these highly dangerous master criminals are now dealt with. Fines of up to £2500 for the 6 caught = £15000.00 fantastic result for the elite squad

 

 “This is a great example of multi-agency working and we will continue to patrol the Broads throughout the year to ensure they remain a pleasant and safe place to live and visit.”

 

(at this point I am rolling on the floor laughing/weeping)

 

 .

[Gracie]

I know not a major crime but they should be fined all the same, most normal hard working people pay their way so why shouldn't they, I for one am glad the Broads Authorities patrol the Broads keeping it a safe place for holiday makers and locals alike

 

Grace

[thirdmate]

A crime is a crime, but yeah it would be nice if the focus was on theft from boats etc...

I agree but boat thieves don't sit on a river bank waiting to be caught. 

[CooWee]

Hi

 

Interesting, when I read this

 

"to ensure they remain a pleasant and safe place to live and visit.”

 

I thought of the thread elsewhere to do with rubbish collection, or at least the lack of it.  That would be a statement that is obviously of no concern to some councils it would seem.

 

I thought ranworthbreeze Alan made a good point re the accountancy.

 

Keith

[mbird]

I have never once been asked for a rod license in nearly 40 years of fishing, even though I have always had a valid one. I have often wondered why the BA rangers don't check licenses, and I have even seen one pass an angler who was fishing during the closed season without so much of a glance. I guess up until now it has always been the EA who were responsible for checking licenses, but it makes sense for the BA to do so as well seeing as they are passing anyway. Quite why the police need to get involved is a bit of a mystery to me though.

[thirdmate]

I have never once been asked for a rod license in nearly 40 years of fishing, even though I have always had a valid one. I have often wondered why the BA rangers don't check licenses, and I have even seen one pass an angler who was fishing during the closed season without so much of a glance. I guess up until now it has always been the EA who were responsible for checking licenses, but it makes sense for the BA to do so as well seeing as they are passing anyway. Quite why the police need to get involved is a bit of a mystery to me though.

This made the local tv news. Police involvement is due to the violent responses of a number of fishermen asked by EA/BA to produce valid licence (Talk about sledge hammers and nuts!!!)

[marshman]

Simply because fishing is not a BA responsibility!! Quite straightforward really.

 

All fishing enforcement these days is a joint operation between the EA and the police - the BA often go along to provide transport but I am sure they have no authority other than to offer advice.

 

Why lumber them with yet another responsibility and cost? Its a bit like the rubbish issue - waste is a responsibility of councils or individuals - every additional responsibility you add on to the BA impacts their already stretched budget and ultimately on your tolls. There is already an enforcement regime for licences - why add to it?

[ExMemberBobdog]

Agree with Marshman.  BA Rangers have no authority to check fishing licences.  The Rangers simply provide assistance to the EA officers, by providing water transport to otherwise inaccessible areas.  As in other areas of life, the vast majority of fishermen are law abiding, but a few break the rules, and fewer still 'cut up rough' when challenged about this, hence the occasional need for a police presence.

 

The only time the Rangers directly 'interfere' with fishermen is in enforcing Broads byelaws, such as mooring having precedence over fishing from the BA moorings, or preventing 'trolling' for example.

[littlesprite]

With 23 people checked and 5 not having a licence that's a 21.7% loss of revenue, if you assume this to be the norm then the additional money earned from a major purge could pay for the refuse collection and leave the EA substantially ahead, after all the fisherman use the rubbish bins as well. 

[Matt]

I imagine that there would have been fisherman who they knew already that they had a license so they would not check them, so that throws the percentages out a fair bit.

[marshman]

So Martin - are you suggesting that councils get involved with fishing licences or are you saying the EA should "give" some of the fishing licence money to councils?

 

Let us get the issues quite straight - rubbish collection is not something the BA should be involved in and neither are fishing licences. Rubbish collection is either the responsibility of the councils or individuals and fishing licences the EA and they have the appropriate powers - but choose not to exercise them.

 

The BA do not technically, have the power to be involved with either so why should they?

[littlesprite]

Marshman,

I'm sorry but I can't find any mention of the BA or local councils in my post so don't really understand your point, I was simply saying that the EA could pull in substantially more revenue if they wanted and use it to pay for refuse collection as they clearly don't need the extra cash. I have been challenged to show my licence once in nearly 60 years of fishing, and that was over 50 years ago.

I should have stated that the EA do have responsibility for the environment and contamination of the same.

[C.Ricko]

Perhaps the potential revenue from the licences could have paid for the fishing platforms which were part funded by the BA so that the fishermen did not upset boaters on 24hr moorings.

perhaps BA could ask for it back in return for checking licences?

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hi All,

 

Just got back fromn a great week afloat on Kestrel.

 

I`d like to make a few points, Having cruised up and down the Waveney in the last 2 days, i saw quite a few new looking fishing platforms on the riverbank, which were all empty, but just upriver at the BA 24 hour free moorings, plenty of fishermen to be found.

 

As far as rubbish collection is concerned, yes, primarily, it`s the responsibility of the local authority, but it`s also up to the BA to ensure the rivers and broads are free from rubbish. If it`s floating, which we saw quite a bit of last week, it`s the responsibility of the BA to remove it it, and dispose of it properly.

 

I totally agree that land based rubbish collection should have nothing to do with the BA, but as i`ve been told many times, the BA`s authority stretches beyond just navigation areas, namely the rivers and broads.

 

So who`s right, if the BA`s authority DOES stretch way beyond the rivers and broads, does that then mean they share equal responsbility for rubbish collection?, and seeing as they`ve part funded various fishing projects, do they actually have authority to check fishing licences?.

 

Personally, i don`t think they should, because as mentioned above, it`s just 2 other areas where our toll many is being spent wrongly. Imagine how much money could be saved purely on the beaurocratic side of things, as well as the need to stop patrolling the rivers because they wish to check someones rod license.

 

 

Regards to all ....................... Neil.

[marshman]

Martin - no you did not mention it directly but i guess people on the Somerset levels may object to EA money being spent on something which is primarily, the Councils legal responsibility. So by getting the EA to do it, then you are effectively getting fishermen to subsidise council tax payers in the respective areas.

 

i just don't see why my tolls payable to the BA should be paid towards rubbish collection which as a local I have already paid my council to collect. Similarly i do not see why my fishing licence money should pay for rubbish collection which is not the responsibility of the EA.

 

I suspect however,sadly that this a battle already lost by the BA unless the proper authorities can be forced to do what they should - sorry about mixing all these threads together!!!

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hi Marshman, there`s no need to say sorry, you`re only putting forward your point of view, is`nt that what this forum is all about?.

 

Sadly, (in my opinion only), ALL these authorities appear to be trying to look good in political ways, by trying do what they think higher authorities want them all to do by getting mixed up in other responsibilities. Personally i`d rather they all stuck to what they SHOULD be doing and stop getting involved in other authorities responsibilities.

[marshman]

 You are absolutely right but there is one authority whose responsibility it definitely is not     -    the BA