KEEP THE TRADITION OF SALMON NETTING ON THE TAMAR TAVY

If you want evidence of netsmen in the SW misusing their license to provide a legitimacy to illegal netting I suggest you go and consult magistrate court records for past convictions. Or you could speak to any existing or retired water bailiff on the troubles faced when trying to deal with the individuals involved. You could even listen to current license holders who have publicly and arrogantly stated that they intend to flout any restrictions and limits the EA may insist be placed on their license to operate.

With all these things the resources are not there to correctly police the restrictions placed upon licensees. And when finally the stars align and a prosecution is possible the punishment never fits the crime.

As for the notion that all Angling (both private and public institutions) scientific, riparian, and governmental stakeholders are in collusion, conspiring to crush the poor netsman. Ha. If you’re standing in a room full of people and think that everyone’s an A hole it’s perhaps time to look towards yourself.

The endeavour towards healthy salmon stocks in the Tamar and surrounding rivers is conducted by individuals from all social and financial strata. It is unified and classless in its ambitions recognising that future enjoyment of these fish and their ecosystem should be for all. And once again there are the minority netsmen intent on pursuing fish stocks to the end against the general consensus of sound ecological management; strip mining a resource for personal financial gain irrespective of the cost to the future.