European rules threaten to “smother” sea angling in the North West

More than 20 MPs in North West England have been warned today (Monday) that the region’s valuable recreational sea angling industry is in danger of being “smothered by the restrictions and rules of management regimes” that are really intended only to control the European commercial fishing industry.


A report to them and 100 other MPs in coastal constituencies in England, says angling could be saved by negotiation at home and diplomacy in Brussels,


In the report the Angling Trust also calls on fisheries minister Huw Irranca-Davies, to act to stop commercial overfishing, to enable fish stocks to recover from years of being abused.


Tomorrow (December 1) the House of Commons will debate the future of the British fishing industry.


The trust says that recreational sea angling (RSA) which is widely practised on the Irish Sea coast, is a successful part of the British fishing industry. It receives no government subsidies and contributes £1 billion a year to the national economy.


Sea anglers are offering themselves as “standing patrols” in future marine protected zones - in return for being allowed to fish in them. They could spot and report banned commercial activities taking place inside them, so reducing the cost of policing.


The Irish Sea Conservation Zones project based in Warrington will recommend to the government by mid-2011 which areas in the Irish Sea it considers should be designated as marine protected zones.