The Marine Reserve Petition (sign it)

[ninjamonkey]

Hi guys,

A week or two ago the 'wildlife trusts' leaflet popped through my door, I’m not quite sure why they send me these but yeah. In this months edition was an article on sea fishing and how it has changed over the years. It contained come amazing pictures including a 3 metre long tuna (851lbs), and lots of giant skate and rays all of which were caught in England just over 80 years ago. At the end of the article it said, “It might be too late for the UK’s Woolly Mammoths and Giant Elk, but there’s still time to bring back our marine ‘megabeasts’. To succeed, we need strong new laws to protect the special places where these giants gather to feed, breed and play. Protecting areas will also give a healthier sea – meaning more plankton and more fish for our giants to gorge on.” And then, "Visit the marine bill campaign page on www.wildlifetrusts.com for latest news on the bill, and sign our Marine Reserves Petition".

So I signed the petition, and then I thought maybe it would be something I could post on here, I for one think the amount of fish wasted in commercial fishing is absurd, and I’m very keen for these new laws to be introduced. So I emailed the 'Marine Development Manager' to ask if I could be emailed a copy of the article, she was very friendly and although she didn't send me the exact article she did send me a similar one, (which would probably be better suited to the older generation) and she also offered to send me some paper copies of the article and other related campaign materials. She said, "Thank you for getting in touch, and for your offer to ‘spread the word’ to fellow anglers. We see much potential in building support amongst the angling community for better protected seas, and we are slowly developing better links with angling groups" She seemed very interested. She also said, “If you have any views on how the marine environment – and your catches – have changed over the years, we’d be delighted to hear them. You can either upload them on our website: http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/?secti...enty:postcards , or you can email comments to me and I can upload them (together with any pictures you may have).” Now for me that’s irrelevant as I’m only 16 and I haven’t been fishing for very long at all, but some of you lot have been fishing for many years and I’m sure you have noticed some change in the catches.

So here’s the article she sent me:








So yeah, please sign...

Saul

EDIT. images resized

[Gremlin]

Well done for a youngster (sorry!) to be brave enough to preach conservation in an angling context .... take no notice of the profiteers (mostly fish merchants and buyers) who refuse to believe there is a problem with the (infinite???) public resource they indulge and manipulate for their own profit.

Most anglers wish to fish when and where they like and stand back at 'authorities' daring to impose regulations upon them. As a result MOST bona fide anglers try to avoid the politics of fish and fishing.

At the same time you have commercial sector folks trying to make a living, despite the undisputed facts that fish stocks, globally, are in serious decline because of over-fishing (primarily), pollution, removal of habitat and climate change.

Government has the unenviable task of balancing the global food requirements of nations ('balancing/sharing' is used loosely here), with existing natural resources and modern technologies and communications.

At some point (soon?), and it's happening already (energy prices?), there will be a major swing towards conservation and conservatism (non-political) with
regard to the available resources.

Now, the good news for anglers and those who grow and hunt for existence (not us, we have Morrisons and Tesco), is that Government(s) will have to curtail the activities in which technology advances to the point of resource-extermination.

So, what will affect us ..... mostly the new MARINE BILL, due for first reading in spring 2009, and undoubted public opinion against the inroads that federalism within the EU has found us in.

Lets hope the backlash against Europe, which is inevitable, will at least give recreational anglers and the fishermen who want to land fish locally on a commercial basis the rights to do so without predation from foreign commercial interests.

Thassit .... dinners up!