Marine Conservation Zones
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is the statutory adviser to the Government on U.K. and International Nature Conservation on behalf of the Council for nature conservation and the countryside, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage. It’s work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems.
I have just taken this from an e-mail I received from the above organisation. Why they have to have such a long title, I do not know, but this is the organisation that is carrying out the survey on behalf of the Government to decide where the marine conservation zones are going to be.
I have been promised that representatives from this JNCC will be arranging meetings around the country where anglers can voice their opinions. As soon as I hear where these are, I will make sure full publicity is given to it.
I am trying to persuade them to come along to the North East Sea Angling and Boat Show in October where they can talk to us face-to-face (please lads – no blood on the walls).
After talking to various people from the JNCC it is going to be at least two years before any decisions are made regarding where these marine conservation zones are going to be – but after talking to them I am pretty certain that one will be along the North East coast. These zones, of course, will mean NO FISHING whether by recreational anglers or commercials. They will be marked on charts and I asked the question “what if somebody in a small boat, without a GPS or compass or any other means of knowing they were in a MCZ and are quite innicently fishing – what would happen if they were caught” The answer was “they would be prosecuted” !!!
