Bread and butter anglers the key

May 16 2010 Sunday Sun

WELL at least we have come to the end of the debacle of a general election.

It will be interesting to see if the incumbent party sticks to its promise, like all the others promised before the election, that they would support sea anglers.

Or will it just be like Labour’s White Paper years ago on sea angling, which some how got lost in the waste bin.

Unfortunately for anglers, regardless of who comes to power we will have lost the most committed and effective MP angling has ever had.

Martin Salter labour MP for Reading West, an angler himself, although mainly freshwater but who has still fought the cause of sea anglers, was standing down hoping to enjoy his sport once again.

Salter fought for provisions in the Marine and Coastal Access Act that created protection zones for juvenile sport fish such as bass.

Salter was also a driving force behind the creation of the AT.

But now without Salter at the helm will the angling trust be able to carry on and fight for the rights of sea anglers, albeit their main challenge at the moment seems to be being able to survive after they became over ambitious and found themselves wanting for funding. Maybe some of their overpaid officers should do the decent thing and resign like a certain Mr Brown has done.

If the AT want the support of the millions of sea anglers, they have to face reality and before the majority of sea anglers – the ones they need to fund the AT – will join, they have to be seen to be doing something for their sea angling members and also paying their officials realistic salaries. There is no need for expensive PR experts for whatever they have in mind, they have to remember many of their could-be membership are out of work or on minimum wage.

The future of the AT lies with the bread and butter anglers, not the top match men. If they can reach out and show these anglers that the AT is looking after them, then they might not be so apathetic in supporting the AT.

Although I am not a great lover of the AT, anglers have got to have one body supporting them, of course with the local federations still being a crucial part of the system.

Eastenders sweepstake (Panns Bank) catch & release 25f, 25 caught, w.i. 368 coalies, 20 codling and 2 flounders, 1st Bob Gascoigne (36) 796cm, 2nd Jim Dobie (36) 774cm, 3rd Steve Rackwtraw (32) 686 cm, 4th Ian Belfield (30) 628 cm, longest fish, Chris Hossack flounder 35 cms.

Eastenders AC (Business Park h/f ) 15f, 5 w.i. 7flr, 1 coalfish, 1 bass.1st Chris Hossack flr 1-11-0, 2nd Lee Brown flr 1-4-0, 3rd Alan Burton flr 1-1-0, 4th Jim Dobie bass 1-0-0.

Workington & Dist SAC (West Silloth) 10snr, 2 jnr fished 11 w.i. 32flr, 18 dab. 1st Peter Taylor 7flr 102pts, 2nd Mike Laycock 4flr, 2 dabs 80pts, 3rd Matthew Smith 5flr, 1 dab 77pts, jnt l/f Mike Laycock & Ben Challenger flr’s 41cm 24pts, jnr 1st Matthew Smith 5flr, 1 dab 77pts.

Blyth SAC final winter league placing; 1st- Peter Smith 84 lb 9 oz, 2nd- Nigel Howitt 74 lb 10 oz 3rd- Keith Armstrong- 51 lb 15 oz, Heaviest fish- James Patterson cod 7 lb 8 oz ( Blyth beach ) 2nd Heaviest fish- Peter Smith cod 4 lb 8 oz, Winner of high water comps- James Patterson Heaviest bag- Nigel Howitt 14lb 0 oz, Single Knockout- Keith Fitch, Double Knockout- Peter Smith/Steven Clark

May 22: Hartlepool baot competition s.ryder@hotmail.co.uk

May 23: Hornsea Free match 10-4pm Venue Marine Hotel For further information please contact John 01964 534245 or Mark 07768342169