Monday 30 May 2011

The Problem with Permits

Rain has stopped play on the rivers up here again this weekend and I find myself woefully staring at one of four none transferable permits that arrived in the post a fortnight ago.   

Eh come again? Well one of the associations that I happen to do the majority of my fishing with currently operates a permit system for the largest stretch of a particular river that they lease, the system was designed as I understand it to monitor the number of anglers fishing their, the numbers of trout caught per rod, the size of the fish caught and the length of time the angler was on the river. There is no additional fee to be paid on top of the initial membership costs in order to obtain these permits other than the cost of sending a stamped addressed envelope off to the responsible committee member who is meant to issue by return the permits for the dates you have requested in a timely manner.

Sounds like a good idea on paper thus far, so what’s your problem I hear you cry? Well for myself and a growing number of others it goes a little something like this.

When out for a spell of fishing it is quite possible to go the full day without seeing another angler, sometimes you may encounter a handful, and then on other days it is like we have appeared suddenly from nowhere like the fabled Mayfly hatch. Fortunately for anglers there isn’t anything hungry higher up the food chain looking to pick us off like there is the Mayfly but anyway back to the point I digress!

A number of the members of the association in question that are encountered on the riverbank are quite open about fishing without a permit and from experience I am beginning to take the rather dim view that it seems to be a practice that is rife. Having made a few select observations to the general committee responsible for implementing the permit system and the occasional written representation and having not had an adequate response back on the issue other than grief, the question begs to be asked if there is any point bothering with the rigmarole associated with legitimately applying for these permits for anglers who abide by the rules.

One would be forgiven for thinking that where such double standards exist and a body such as this general committee continue to ineffectively implement the permit system in question that a degree of animosity might exist between those members who fish with a permit and those who do not. Interestingly enough this does not appear to be the case as having sampled a good number of the views held amongst members there appears to be more animosity and resent towards the general committee charged with preserving the water in question. This in itself is rather unfortunate as I know that there are a good number of the repressed younger committee members amongst the resolute old guard who themselves would like to see the permit system put to bed.

Since starting this small, self styled "campaign" to free members from the clutches of the permit I have found it increasingly difficult to obtain the blasted things! Politics and selfishness are so dilatory and do nothing for the bigger picture, I suppose if it comes to it I will simply have to join the others fishing in the face of it underground…

VIVA LA REVOLUCION! 
     

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