Stuie Posted February 6, 2020 Report Share Posted February 6, 2020 Sussex can do it - why not Southern IFCA? Welcome to your Sea Newsletter New UK Fisheries Bill starts process to become law A new law allowing the UK to manage its own fisheries outside the EU is beginning its passage through the Houses of Parliament. Under the new Bill, recreational fishing will, for the first time, be recognised in law as a direct stakeholder in UK fisheries and will qualify for financial assistance from a funding scheme replacing the EU’s European Maritime Fisheries Fund – something the Angling Trust raised with the Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, when we met with him last month. New Bill's commitment to sustainability Highly Protected Marine Areas – an update Earlier this month, the Angling Trust attended a roundtable meeting held by former Fisheries Minister, Richard Benyon, to discuss the government’s proposals for a new series of Marine Protected Areas which could become no-take zones. We stressed the benefits of allowing anglers into Marine Protected Areas and the importance anglers place on fishing their local marks. For more information on our position to fishing in Marine Protected Areas see the EAA position here which the Angling Trust helped to develop and supports. Recycle your fishing line Are you recycling your fishing line and spools? There are now hundreds of recycling bins located across the country where anglers can take their unwanted line. And if there's not one convenient to you, there's the option to post it. All the information about how to get involved can be found on the Anglers' National Line Recycling Scheme website. More info Expert young anglers needed for TV show Award-winning TV company Boom are producing a brand new series called ‘Meet the Experts’ about children with a real passion for their interest or hobby. The presenter will visit a child to learn about their interest or skill and give the child a fantastic surprise related to their passion. Our Get Fishing Team would like angling to be a part of the show so that more kids are encouraged to try fishing. How to apply Report's failings raised with Suffolk MP Angling Trust staff met with Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney in Suffolk, last month to discuss the REAF project and report which the Angling Trust criticised back in November last year. Mr Aldous accepted many of the points we raised about the failings of the report to accurately represent recreational angling and the charter boat sector and will be asking for recreational anglers and charter skippers to be better represented on the REAF project board as it moves forward. Specimen Award Scheme: Congratulations to our winners! In 2019, the scheme received a total of 1,251 entries, with 1,164 for the Senior Scheme, and 87 for the new Junior Scheme, from 34 clubs and individual members of the Angling Trust -- a 35% increase from the previous year. There were 135 gold, 280 silver and 836 bronze certificates awarded for both schemes, including nine special awards. The club with the most entries this year was the Specimen Hunters Angling Group from Sussex which entered a total of 271 fish. The club retains the Sea Angling News trophy for the club with the most entries. Second was Castaways SAC with 246, and third was Honiton SAC with 151. Click here for the full results Juniors - your chance to fish for England Are you a junior who would like to represent England at international level? Sea Angling England Talent Pathway will be led by Angling Trust Team England Junior & Youth coaches on a programme containing both classroom-based workshops and water-based sessions. Anglers will learn about the tactics and techniques required for international angling. Anglers participating in the Sea Talent Pathway have the option to be considered for either or both of the Home and World Junior Shore England teams. More details Bluefin tagging 2019 David Mitchell, the Angling Trust’s Head of Marine, was in Falmouth last month to hear more about the Thunnus UK tuna tagging from 2019. A large number of anglers, conservationists and charter skippers were present to hear more about the success of the project from the team. David Righton of Cefas, principal investigator on the project, said: "We really appreciate the interest and feedback we receive from the audience. It’s very important to us to be able to show the results of the project to people who have helped out. We are looking forward to even more data and information in 2020 from our scientific programme and would encourage all stakeholders to keep in touch with the project though our website, by coming along to future events, or by contributing sightings data." Sussex passes trawling ban bylaw Last month the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority has agreed a new trawling bylaw protecting inshore habitat including 4km out to sea between Shoreham and Selsey Bill. The new bylaw has been passed to help the dense kelp beds to recover. The protection of Sussex’s inshore seabed habitat from trawling should be of great benefit to anglers as the ecosystems recover and become more productive. Read more about how Angling Trust members were involved gathering evidence to support the new bylaw on page 32 of our Sea Angling 2019 Review Download our Sea Angling Review Did you read the review of our work for sea angers in 2019? If not make sure you check it out here. There’s something for everyone with the best of the news and stories from the Angling Trust over the course of 2019. Matthew and Luke retain lead Matthew Phillips has stretched out a six-point lead over Martin Avons with a massive 61 species. Luke Bowerman is toping the Juniors leader board this month with 44 species but Tomos Pendlebury is not far behind in second place with 40. The scheme ends on 31st March so good luck to everyone as they enter the closing stages this year. Picture: Mark Watters' flounder of 42cms Follow us on Instagram Join the Facebook group Have your say on Marine Planning in England The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched the public consultation on the draft North East, draft North West, draft South East and draft South West Marine Plans. The consultation will be open up to 6th April 2020. Marine Planning makes sure the right activities happen in the right place, at the right time and in the right way. The Angling Trust will be responding to the draft plans but you may also wish to respond to make sure sea angling in your area is taken into account in the process. Volunteering Best Practice Guide: download a copy today! We know how important volunteers are to angling clubs. Most clubs are non profit making and heavily reliant upon volunteers for essential personnel such as committee members and bailiffs. But while volunteers are essential, they are also subject to certain legislation. That's why the Angling Trust has produced a Volunteering Best Practice Guide in partnership with the Environment Agency and funded by fishing licence income. An awareness of Best Practice will better equip clubs to provide the best volunteering experience. This guide is essential for anyone in angling who works with volunteers - download your copy now! Download Volunteering Best Practice Guide Fish of the month: Pollock Pollock are a hard-fighting fish from the gadoid family including cod, haddock and coalfish. Winter and early spring sees the fish gather on wrecks and reefs to feed before spawning. They are a popular target for boat anglers in the English Channel at this time of year before being widespread over rocky ground throughout summer and autumn from both shore and boat. They have traditionally been less favoured as an eating fish than their cousins but have gained popularity in recent years and are heavily fished commercially, although catches are at a historic low indicating there could be concern for the stock. Try battering as goujons or breading for homemade fish fingers. Following the success of last year's auction, the Angling Trust and Fish Legal are launching an online auction on Sunday 1 March 2020 to raise funds to continue our work to protect and develop freshwater and marine fishing. Can you, your club or your business support our fundraising by donating an auction lot? We are looking for lots to suit all budgets and tastes. To donate an auction lot simply click the button below and complete our simple online form or email auction20@anglingtrust.net and a member of our team will be in touch! DONATE AN AUCTION LOT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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