ANGLING UNITY - Press release received via Norman Berry, Proprietor and Editor of Sea Angling News & Mike Concannon.  Thank you Mike for this important news item, of interest to every recreational sea angler, plus all of those who enjoy the other branches of our chosen sport.  Together we will present a formidable alliance.

ANGLING UNITY - A MAJOR STEP FORWARD

Chairmen of the major angling bodies in England have taken a major step towards a single unified body to represent all anglers. In a joint statement they said

'We have agreed that the following bodies intend to wind up their organisations and form a single new organisation to represent all anglers.  This will be subject to each organisation passing the necessary legal and financial checks - known as 'due diligence'.

    Anglers' Conservation Association
    National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives
    National Federation of Anglers
    National Federation of Sea Anglers
  Salmon and Trout Association
    Specialist Anglers' Alliance

The transition process is being managed by the Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust, the umbrella body for fisheries and angling organisations. FACT has retained legal, financial and marketing professionals to advise on the formation of the new body.

Each of our organisations has contributed �10,000 to FACT to cover the new body's start-up costs, a clear indication of our commitment. In addition to funding the essential due diligence much work is needed to improve marketing and our services to members.

The target date for incorporation of the new body, ie legal registration as a company, is early July with full operation by January 2009. Before then each organisation will seek approval to proceed at a general meeting -  NAFAC has already done so.

As Chairmen of long-established organisations with loyal members we have not taken this step lightly. However we all believe that a single new organisation is needed to fight for the interests of all anglers and the fisheries they enjoy. We have already received many messages of support for the move and look forward to a bright future.'

Stephen Marsh-Smith, Chairman ACA
Martin Read, Chairman NAFAC
Terry Fell, Chairman NFA
Richard Ferr�, Chairman NFSA
James Carr, Chairman STA
Chris Evans, Chairman SAA

No further statements are likely while the detailed due diligence and other preparatory work continues.

Beesands Tidal Defences - Engineering Work Now Completed - Email received via Mike Spiller, Hon. Sec. of NFSA Wyvern Division.
Siri Frost, Environmental Scientist (Ecologist), for the Halcrow Group Ltd, who are based at Exeter, informs all anglers that The Site at Beesands was completed during the first week of March 2008.  All construction traffic and equipment have now been completely removed from this site.

The NFSA reveals that the current UK rod caught record for Thornback Ray from shore is held by S Ramsay, who caught a Thornback Ray (Raja clavata) which weighed in at 21 lbs 12 ozs from The Ross, Kirkcudbright,Scotland back in 1985.
Mike Johnson's Thornback Ray exceeds that fish by a comfortable margin of almost 1 lb.  It will therefore be considered by the British Rod Caught Record Fish Committee as a potential new record for this species.

Well done Mike!  You should feel very proud.

SACN welcomes yesterday�s statement by Jonathan Shaw MP, the Fisheries Minister, that he will not be introducing a Sea Angling Licence.

At the recent �Angling Summit� held within the Parliament Buildings in Westminster, SACN repeated to the Fisheries Minister the advice previously delivered to DEFRA officials that now is not the time to talk about introducing a sea angling licence.

Having seen little but decline in the UK�s Recreational Sea Fisheries over the preceding decades, and following the Minister�s decision not to proceed with the introduction of a higher minimum landing size for bass (an important recreational species) there was a growing distrust developing amongst the country�s sea anglers towards the Government�s proposals contained within the Recreational Sea Angling (RSA) strategy consultation, which was being increasingly overshadowed by the proposal to introduce a sea angling licence.

SACN is pleased to see that not only has the Minister taken our advice to remove the distraction of a sea angling licence proposal from the wider debate which the RSA Strategy Consultation deserves, but that he has committed to take forward measures to benefit the UK�s Recreational Sea Fisheries.

With over 1 million participants in England and Wales, and a contribution to the economy worth over �1 billion, the Recreational Sea Angling Sector is capable of delivering far greater growth, generating business opportunities and supporting thousands of livelihoods as well as improving the sense of well-being and improving significantly the quality of life of people from all walks of life and in all regions of the UK.

But to deliver that, the sector needs a quality product with more and bigger fish available to all anglers, as previously experienced within living memory.

The Minister is to be congratulated on listening to the concerns that have been put to him, and on acting upon what he has heard, and we look forward to working with him and his officials to deliver UK Recreational Sea Fisheries that can be amongst the finest in the world, and of which he, the Government and all of the people of the UK could be justly proud. 

Speaking to Leon Roskilly of SACN, and to Richard Ferr� of the National Federation of Sea Anglers, Martin Salter MP, the Government�s spokesman on angling said �I want to personally congratulate you both (and your organisations) on the forceful and professional way in which you have made your case to Ministers on this issue and I really do believe that you have proved the value of regular and honest dialogue with MPs and Government Ministers.�

 Leon Roskilly said �It is a relief to get the distraction of a sea angling licence off the agenda so that we can talk positively and with confidence about the delivery of benefits and a better future for Recreational Sea Angling in the UK.