Posted on 01/06/2007 8:18:54 PM PST by blam
Anglers fear ban on 'cruel' live bait will spread
By Jasper Copping, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:30am GMT 07/01/2007
Anglers are to be banned from using live fish as bait after politicians decided it was cruel.
The ban, which will apply in Scotland, has angered fishermen south of the border who believe it has handed a major victory to animal rights campaigners calling for similar legislation in the rest of Britain.
Steve Greenway, a leading angler from Staffordshire who has been on 105 fishing trips to Scotland, said: "If I thought live bait was cruel, I wouldn't use it. Where will it all end? Do you stop using maggots and worms as well?"
advertisement Mark Barrett, the general secretary of the Pike Anglers' Club of Great Britain, said: "To have the law change like this on your doorstep is going to be a concern for people in the rest of the UK."
The blanket ban was a last-minute amendment to the Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, which has just passed through the Scottish Parliament without any objections.
It has already been strongly endorsed by Scotland's deputy environment minister Rhona Brankin and will pass through the legislature for a final time in the next three months before becoming law.
Green Party MSP Eleanor Scott, who is deputy convenor of the environment and rural affairs development committee and an architect of the Bill, said: "Anglers won't like me saying it, but fish do feel pain and we felt there was a cruelty issue here."
The politicians also believe live bait threatens fish stocks by introducing alien species into their habitats which may bring diseases and parasites.
Putting live small fish such as roach on a hook is a common tactic for catching larger, predatory fish like trout, perch and pike, which are drawn to the movement.
The coarse fishing industry contributes up to £7 million a year to the Scottish economy. Ron Woods, a policy officer from the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling, said: "This will hurt fishing tourism."
But Yvonne Taylor, from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the ban was a "massive first step" in the group's fight for one in the rest of Britain.
Angling is the nation's most popular participation sport, with an estimated four million devotees. In recent years their hobby has been increasingly targeted by animal rights activists. Last summer saw a spate of attacks on fishermen.
Scientists are divided on the issue of whether fish can feel pain.
Agreed. They should spend that time more productively, say studying whether or not rioting Muslim "youths" feel pain.
Maybe you could teach me that trick.
LOL!!!
Yeah, that's the ticket!
LOL
Now that's real considerate of you.
"Maybe you could teach me that trick."
Maybe I will if you and that hillbilly girl will allow me to.
Why darlin' I would be pleased to allow you to teach me that trick.
(psst, girlangler, it's ok, I'll teach it to you later)
Why darlin' I would be pleased to allow you to teach me that trick.
(psst, girlangler, it's ok, I'll teach it to you later)
You have me breaking up laughing. Now I have to meet you too.
What hillbilly? I happen to be a first class fly angler who only fishes for native species, with a $1,000 dollar specially designed rod, encased in a designer Orvis fly rod case.
Can't imagine (sniff) anybody who would tempt a fish with something natural to its habitat.
BTW, my flies are the exclusive Orvis endorsed flies for this area.
Hush up and listen to Grammy.
Uh, do you think Grammy went to sleep?
She probably put out her trot line and that tired her out. We'll hear more tomorrow.
sorry, not asleep, just watching my buckeyes get stomped.
((((sigh))))
what a way to end a season.
Hammer-nail.
Aren’t they trying to outlaw that also? I’m series!
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