BASS society Newsletter

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I have just received this from BASS. We are affiliated to them as a Club and have many personal Members as well.

 

Please take the time to readthis , as it may give some of us a chance to support their efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear BASS Member,

 

 

 

Over the last several months your restoration team has been working hard behind the scenes lobbying, influencing and searching for routes to get bass MLS back on the agenda of policy makers. One of those routes is via the new Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities.

 

Living in Dorset, I have been working on the Southern IFCA (which covers Dorset, Hampshire and the IoW) and it's members. Following a meeting with the Chairman, I have been asked to write a paper setting out the argument for a higher bass MLS. This will be discussed at the next public meeting of the Southern IFCA Technical Advisory Committee, including me answering their questions. This meeting is open to all members of the public (though usually only I turn up!) and will be held at 2.00pm on the 17th November at Bournemouth Town Hall. The TAC will then report to the full Southern IFCA committee at their next public meeting which will be held at 2.00pm on 15th December in the Council Chamber, Poole Civic Centre. Again, this meeting is open to all members of the public (though only as observers, members of the public cannot take part). The full committee is made up of half Councillors and half other stakeholders (commercial fishermen, anglers, divers, Hants Wildlife Trust etc). From my discussions with various of these members, I understand I have "significant support" on the full committee for an increase in bass MLS to 48cm. The full committee have the power to make a byelaw to change the bass MLS in it's area.

 

 

What would be great and really powerful, would be to have as many supporters at either or both of these meetings, to show the members (especially the Councillors) the level of public support for this measure. A letter writing/emailing campaign after the TAC but before the full Committee meeting would also be useful from supporters who cannot be there in person. Can I therefore ask/beg that you try and organise your diaries to come along and show your support and let any other supporters of BASS know and get them to come along as well. Once I have completed the paper, I will post it on our website (thanks, John Morgan). It will focus on fisheries science/management and economics - the focus of all our work - and call for an MLS of 48cm - the size needed to ensure that a bass caught at any time of year should have spawned at least once.

 

 

Now we have the facility to email all members (thanks to John Morgan and Pete Riley) we will use this method to keep members up to date on this subject, especially as we are aware that the forum is only used by a small number of members. However, do please keep an eye on the forum and website. If anyone has any general questions about this, maybe post them on the forum so we can answer on the forum. If anyone can come to these meetings please post on the forum and/or email me (nigel.horsman@btinternet.com). I hope to get lots of emails so may not be able to answer them all!

 

 

Further information about can be found on their website Southern IFCA.

 

 

This is a big chance for us to push for what we want and what, I think, the IFCA's were set up for. I have made a point of saying how much support exists for this measure - now we have to prove it. We are relying on your support

 

 

Many Thanks

 

 

Nigel Horsman

 

BASS Committee/Restoration Team

 

 

[Paul J]

Nice one Charlie,

 

I'll be making every effort to attend

 

PJ

[TomBettle]

Had the same directed to me via the Sport Fishing Cluib of British Isles asking for members to go to the 15th December meeting.

 

I'll try to get there.