On the 25th February 1999 a meeting was held at MAFF Nobel House to discuss the inclusion of recreational sea angling boats in fisheries closures when the under ten metre fleet had exhausted a specific stock quota. In the Minutes that were issued by MAFF covering this meeting, the following statement appeared: "MAFF had no direct responsibility for sea angling as a sport; this was for the Department of Culture, Media and National Heritage.
However, MAFF's responsibilities impinged on the activities of sea anglers because of its obligation under community legislation for conserving fish stocks, managing quota and licensing UK fishing vessels". This means that 'the management of fish stocks' is being undertaken entirely without the requirements of the recreational sector being taken into account. Nevertheless, anglers are legally required to adhere to minimum landing sizes and if the commercial under ten metre quota for a species is exhausted, the retention of that species by recreational boat anglers is also prohibited.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is the overseeing body for Sport England. Sport England recognises the 'sport' aspect of sea angling and actually pays a small sum by way of grant to assist the governing body for sea angling as indeed it does for other sports. However, the DCMS have no involvement whatsoever in the management of fish stocks. The Labour government's 'Charter for Anglers' clearly refers to all three angling disciplines, including sea angling. Unfortunately, the Sports Minister, Kate Hoey has recently stated that the government's 'Charter for Anglers' is largely replaced by the government's Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review. Since this review excludes sea angling, sea anglers are being seriously disadvantaged!
Furthermore, Tourism also comes under the DCMS. All forms of recreational angling have a significant tourism role. Just as Sport England should have a role in the management of those fish stocks targeted by sport anglers, so to should Tourism interests. Fish stocks are the property of the commons and not the exclusive property of MAFF and the commercial fishing industry. This is the key issue facing the recreational angling industry.
Conclusion
However you interpret this situation, one thing is quite clear. Recreational sea anglers and the diverse industry that is supported by sea anglers are hugely disadvantaged. Just as a football is an essential ingredient to pursue the sport of soccer, so fish are an essential ingredient for recreational sea anglers. And therein lies the problem. Sea fish stocks are in serious decline. As the prospects of catching fish of a desirable size and type diminish, so the incentive to go angling also diminishes. There exists what can be described as a 'fish availability threshold' and because of commercial overfishing, the availability of fish for sport angling is now seriously below this threshold.
Sea anglers and all those who's livelihoods depend on a healthy recreational sea angling industry are deliberately excluded from having a say in the management of the commonly owned fish stock resources both at National and European levels. This is unfair and unjust. As direct stakeholders in fish stocks, the recreational sector must be allowed to fully participate in the management of these resources. Where the socio-economic impact of recreational sea angling has been investigated (mainly but not exclusively in other countries) it has been found to be of significantly higher value than previously thought and often very much higher than the commercial sector. This fact combined with the much lower fishing mortality levels, has resulted in some species being managed primarily or even exclusively for the recreational sector in other parts of the globe.
I submit that these matters are unquestionably the key issues facing the Recreational Sea Angling Sector today. Sea Anglers and the industries who supply the wide variety of goods and services consumed by sea anglers must sit up, take notice and become politically active for there to be any chance of turning things around. To simply hope that someone else will do something about these issues is not an option. Ask your club secretary to write to MPs.
Better still, write a letter yourself. Ask your local tackle dealer to get a petition going in his shop. If you live on the coast, contact your councilor(s) to remind them that healthy sea fish stocks attract anglers who contribute to tourism. Every individual has to take responsibility and do something if only it is contributing a modest sum to help those who are prepared to do something.