In early February the Government published
its response to last year's Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review. I am sure
you will recall that this Review contained recommendations which could potentially
have signalled the end of our right to choose to fish with livebaits as a legal
method in pursuit of predatory fish. To put things into perspective I will remind
you of the words of the Rt. Hon. Elliott Morley M.P. Minister for the Countryside
and Fisheries in Angling Times in April 2000.
"It
could be that angling might have to bite the bullet and a blanket ban on livebaiting
might have to be imposed".
PAC
has campaigned vigourously on this issue, with the invaluable support of all the
other single species predator groups and our representative body SACG. This collective
effort was vital if we were to prevent any erosion of our existing rights. Whilst
PAC's own efforts clearly carried considerable weight, we should not under estimate
SACG's success in persuading the Moran Committee to reject these proposals in
its own submission.
The
following text is taken from the Government Response:
The
Government notes that the Review Group did not feel that it had the expertise
to reach a judgement on the ethical issues involved in the use of livebait, and
that its recommendations focus on the potential impact of livebaiting on fish
populations. The Review Group pointed out that the Environment Agency had submitted
for confirmation a byelaw making it an offence to take fish for use as livebait
unless the fish are retained and used only in the water from which they are taken;
it concludes that this, if confirmed, would largely address the problem of unauthorised
introductions via livebait.
PAC
has always supported the EA by strongly discouraging anglers from transferring
livebaits between waters without Section 30 Consent. Anglers have nothing to fear
from the proposed byelaw, which seeks only to clarify this situation. The EA has
made it clear that Section 30 applications to introduce fish for use as livebait
will be treated with the same merit as any other application.
The
Review Group goes on to recommend that livebaiting should be banned altogether
in particularly sensitive locations. A considerable number of comments were received
objecting to this recommendation. ... The Environment Agency, on the other hand,
agreed with the recommendation, and the Government has decided to accept its advice;
it will, in any case, be for the Environment Agency to bring forward byelaws banning
livebaiting in sensitive locations. Under normal byelaw making procedures all
interested parties will have the opportunity to object to specific proposals,
and Ministers will consider each proposal on its merits, taking any objections
into account, before deciding whether or not it will be confirmed.
The
key thing here is that 'sensitive locations' is not defined. PAC and SACG have
already objected to a proposed byelaw which seeks to ban livebaiting (and
the use of coarse, salmonid and eel deadbaits) on 14 waters in the Lake District.
Livebaiting presents no threat whatsoever to 'sensitive locations' providing it
is done in accordance with the byelaws which already exist.
The
Government Response could have been a great deal worse. Thankfully we are not
facing a blanket ban and have the opportunity to continue to tackle threats to
livebaiting in specific areas as and when they arise. As I have said before, the
future of livebaiting is, to a large extent, in our own hands. PAC will continue
to liaise closely with other predator groups and the Environment Agency on this
matter. In the meantime PAC members should be under no illusion in relation to
their future should they choose to jeopardise the Club's efforts in this regard.
Mark
Leathwood
General Secretary PAC
NEWS
Livebaiting - The Government Response