Polish anglers

[Banana Steve]

As I got home from work last night, I had a frantic phone call from a member of the club. Stating that two Polish anglers were at our lake and they had said they were catching for the pot. Well with a mad ring around trying to get some committee members out to help me in sorting the problem. {Is it amazing that the ones with the biggest mouths are the first to say “ohh sorry cant help I just happen to find something else to do” and they moan that nothing is ever done, Rant over sorry back to the story) Well with 5 committee members and with the police called, we headed to the lake. On arriving at the lake we found that the two anglers had caught a carp of around 3lb and had been retained in a bucket full of water, the fish was struggling and on approaching them, their English suddenly stopped working. After using sign and speaking slowly we managed to attain that they claimed that want to take a photo. I know that the fish was being kept for the table but proving it was something else, the Police Sgt, was really helpful and gave them a good B****ing and made it very clear that they are not take the fish, however, I think this will only stop them for a while.

Sometimes I think the wall coming down has made us an easy target, 40 years of stopping the eastern block from invading; now we sit there and allow them to wonder on in.

[KABBYCHRIS]

It makes my blood boil aswellbut the law is a big grey area with loads of red tape and human rightsif i had my way??well i better not say i might upset some people

[smarr7]

i agree.

[Plod]

Oh dear, oh dear........

Yes, I totally agree that it is out of order what they were doing, and they know full well that we in Britain don't eat freshwater fish like they do in Eastern Europe.

Post edited.

Darren

[smarr7]

chill, im not hitler, i dont have man power or the cash flow to set up such a plan.

[fullcreel]

Well said Plod. I was present, here are my interpretations, (sorry poor joke).
I was just about to get into a bath,when a paniced Steve call, "How fast can you get to Berkley?", well I got there as quick as poss without doing anything silly or breaking the speed limit.
It turned out that the two members, were new and both were Poles, I need to point out that this is the 3rd incident of fish steal/taking, and its the first by a non Brit. The first was stealing fish for home pond, by someone who fancied themselves as a bit of a 'geezer', in my book read 'idiot'. The second was by someone who I believe planned to fatten carp up and flog them on to a fishery nr here, I have no proof so its just my impression on that case. Finally this case.
Its part of their culture that they fish and take for the pot.
Hysterical comments, and Smarr or mods reading this, Pliod is quite right, could references to concentration camps etc be deleted. I really don't like the idea of being associated with such evil. It does paint us all with a bad brush, like someone who causes trouble on the bank, it gives us all a very bad reputation.
Back to last night.
As secretary of the club involved, I have decided, and I hope it will be approved that we write to the anglers involved, there are online translation services, in their native tounge, so there should be no claim of not understanding what the rules are. If they break the rules later, then they would be expelled. That I think is a reasonable course of action.
Another lesson learned is that we should be prepared, as a club, to have the facility to translate in other languages, I understand some of these services are free.
At the moment we are stuck between a rock and hard place.
We culd get abad reptuation as a club, and I'm sure that it in everyones interest to have peaceful relations with all comers.
Sorry Steve for not posting last night I got back very late, despite being over an hour late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't forget teh chilli festival on Sunday

[KABBYCHRIS]

Sorry i didn't mean to afend anyoneor mean anything about concentration camps the thought never even crossed my mind about them.

[dave fish]

to be honest i read alot about these eastern europeans taking for the pot and people slagging them off for it all they say is we need to educate them in our customs and laws,well i have two questions when will the education begin and whos going to do it ,dont get me wrong i know these people need to eat but they get benefits and surley they neer an asda why cant they buy ther fish it would be the same price as the tackle they buy.

[Banana Steve]

Last night, i used sign and pigeon english, and got the message across, but the think i found out today was that have already been told when they first joined the club.

[Plod]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer of when in Rome do as the Romans do and all that. Fact of the matter is that for years we have bent over backwards to accomodate other peoples customs religions etc etc and that is just plain wrong.

If you want to come to this country and contribute to society in a positive way, then you should learn the lingo and the laws, and abide by them. If it ain't your cup of tea, then there is always the big silver bird or the back of a lorry back to whatever you left behind.

The bottom line is that some of our Eastern European visitors will choose either to do as they like without trying to find out the rights and wrongs or will know that it is wrong and just carry on regardless, pleading ignorance whenever they are challenged.

Smarr, don't take offence mate it was just that one reference that would reflect badly on us all, nothing personal to you mate. I know this subject and alot of things to do with immigration is very emotive.

Just my two pennys worth,

Regards, Darren