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SAA
ACHIEVEMENTS
Specialist Groups United
Specialist angling groups have largely united under the SAA
banner, and now “speak with one voice”. SAA is the
cohesive, recognised body for specialist anglers.
SAA attends all the major angling shows.
Close Links with Non-anglers
SAA has formed close links with many non-angling bodies with
common interests such as the British Trust for Ornithology and
Swan Rescue, who subsequently endorsed our “Code of Conduct for
Specialist Coarse Anglers”.
Environment Agency Briefing
SAA has regular review meetings with the Environment Agency (at
Head of Fisheries level), which include an ongoing consultation
process to rewrite the National Fisheries Byelaws.
Consistent Byelaws
National 4 Rod Limit – a major success in agreeing a national
bylaw and ending the different rules in different parts of the
country.
To quote Dr. Tony Owen, then Head of Fisheries at The
Environment Agency;
"SACG were responsible for promoting the four rod limit
and their reasoned arguments have been a significant driving force
behind securing the change."
NAA Code of Angling Conduct, prepared by SAA
This has been so well received, it has paid back a thousand fold
the two years work, which went into it. We can do no better
than quote The Times Newspaper, which was kind enough to devote a
whole article on it, including;
“The Code is precisely the kind
of thing that, in other sports, the governing body would have
produced around the year dot“......it should be required reading
......among all coarse, game & sea anglers”
“There is common sense from beginning to end.......”
The Code has recently been re-edited in conjunction with
The Environment Agency and NAA.
Fish Import Laws
A change in the law is vital in order to strengthen the
existing but very weak legislation which licences fish imports.
At present it has many loopholes which allow diseased fish to
enter the Country. Diseased fish can wipe out existing fish
stocks when they are introduced to waters.
SAA has helped provoke the recent re-opening of the debate
within DEFRA regarding controls on the import of live fish from
Europe. Some new regulations were introduced in November
1998 with the intention of eliminating the spread of disease and
the introduction of alien species. This is a start, but much more
work needs to be done. SAA has, in conjunction with the
Moran Committee, been pushing for a change in the law.
Cormorants
We are actively involved in supporting the call for legislative
change to allow more adequate controls on cormorants and
encouraging water controllers to apply for culling licences from
DEFRA.
Otter Protection
With the re-colonisation of the UK by otters, SAA is working
very successfully and in close harmony with the Wildlife Trusts,
the EA, and the conservation movement in general to stop further
releases of hand-reared otters, to protect fish stocks and to find
funding for the protection of fisheries.
Live-baiting
SAA continues to make a considerable contribution to ensuring the
continuing right of anglers to use live-bait. Remember, once
anglers accept it is wrong to hook fish for live-baiting, we are
halfway to accepting it is wrong to hook fish for sport. To
lose this opens up the possibility for the eventual banning of our
sport, coarse, game and sea.
River Close Season
SAA continues to campaign for the retention
of the close season on our rivers to protect wild fish stocks and
habitat.
Anti-Angling Activity
SACG lead the way in raising awareness on the need to combat
the anti-anglers, and in helping to provide the means so to do,
with appearances on TV, and production and distribution of the
“Angling Activist’s Handbook”.
SACG was instrumental in the re-instatement of angling on
Clapham Common after the local Council imposed a ban following
considerable pressure from anti-angling activists.
SAA are now at the forefront of discussions on how to raise
angling’s profile in order to head off the attacks from the
American-based, vegan extremist group, PETA.
Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review
SACG was a founder member of the “Moran Committee” with its direct
input into the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Review, which has
recommended changes to the main legislation governing angling
throughout England and Wales. SAA continues to monitor proposals
in this area of legislation.
Funding for Angling
SAA has made enormous and imaginative efforts to secure new
funding for angling, including through the legislative process,
which to date have failed but must continue to be considered.
Major sections of the Trade have also been approached regularly
for sponsorship, and some Tackle Companies have generously
responded, please support them, see our list of supporters.
Environment and Conservation
On the environment and conservation, SAA is involved in many
projects working very closely with the ACA (Anglers Conservation
Association), NACA (Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association),
Mersey Basin Trust & various others.
The National Angling Alliance
The NAA comprises the Angling Governing Bodies (the NFA, NFSA
and S&TA) and additional invited bodies; NAFAC (National
Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives), ATA and SAA.
This is the body which will shape the future of angling.
With its formation there is a realistic chance of the Government
substantially increasing funding for angling development and
through this – a single governing body for the sport of angling.
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