Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
26 January 2009
09:2213889#1
I've just had this in from Daniel Hannan - I know some of you don't like anti-Europe thoughts, but many local people are sea-anglers and will be affected.
"I've just been on the Fisheries Committee, listening to one of the most asinine proposals I've ever heard. And, after ten years in the European Parliament, that's saying something.
In essence, the EU wants to extend the Common Fisheries Policy to recreational anglers. Sporting fishermen, who go out in small boats or fish from piers, will be required to purchase licences and to log every fish. At present, while they keep the odd fish for personal consumption, most sea anglers return their catches to the water. In some cases, they tag them first, contributing to conservation programmes. If the European Commission gets its way, they will be forced to land every tiddler they catch, and to count their quota against the national one.
Why? Where is the need for this expensive and cumbersome scheme? Will it rescue the EU's fish stocks? Hardly. The CFP has already wiped out most of what ought to have been a great renewable resource. Recreational sea anglers account for perhaps one per cent of the total catch that remains.
No, this is regulation for its own sake: the product of an attitude that sees "unregulated" as synonymous with "illegal".
British and Irish MEPs put up a heroic defence on the committee, demolishing every point in the Commission's case. But the Commission continued to insist, mulishly, that the measure was necessary for conservation.
Conservation? Coming from the organisation that has presided over the ecological calamity of the destruction of North Sea fish stocks, that really is hard to take. The CFP put most the skippers in my constituency out of business years ago. Some of them turned to tourism, making a new living by taking anglers out in their boats.
Now, the CFP threatens to ruin them a second time, bringing to amateur fishermen the same destruction that it brought to professionals. And to think that there are people in Iceland who want to join this wretched organisation.
Roger
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
26 January 2009
09:5313891#2
I am surprised the EU has not come up with this idiotic proposal before. Mad, they are completely mad.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
26 January 2009
10:1313895#3
Ah lads lads..this guy Daniel Hannan is so feverishly anti european that it is difficult to believe anything he says, one just cant accept it as the truth. His views are so biased as to be valueless...oh for a bit of independance. Guys like Daniel probably fed the Sun and the Mirror all them barmy stories about straight bananas and the like.
Why are these people like him in Europe, why are they representing us at a parliament they hate. I saw that other eejit Nigel Farrage of UKIP yesterday on TV in gangster coat and hat making a laughing stock of it all. His contribution is again valueless, he makes idiotic speeches and is resoundly booed by one and all. Thats not representing his people, thats enjoying the gravy train more like. The parliament exists ..for gawdsake people vote in someone who is going to get you the best deal possible.Vote in someone who is going to represent you.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
26 January 2009
10:4013898#4
PaulB - That is the weakest defence of the EU I have ever read.
That is real Orwell stuff. Instead of having a go at Dan, who is a superb MEP with an independent mind, why dont you make reference to the issue he raises. You cannot defend an institution by simply rubbishing its critics.
If the only way the EU can achieve its objectives is by silencing its critics or by denying them a platform within its institutions then it does not even deserve to exist.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
26 January 2009
10:4413899#5
PaulB - to prove my point. 10 seconds was all it needed on Google to veryif the facts of what Dan says.
In fact all UK MEPs are against this proposal so it is not a Party political issue.
Here is a Telegraph report:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/4318992/EU-plan-to-restrict-hobby-anglers-challenged.htmlGuest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
26 January 2009
10:5813900#6
No no BarryW I didnt set out to defend the EU there that would be rather a long winded job. I am however pointing out the utter futility of it all having representatives there who do little to make a success of it, there goal is merely to disrupt the parliament completely. Did you see Farrage yesterday on TV. It was a joke. He is not representing the people who were misguided enough to put him there, but rather enjoying himself and having a laugh at all our expense in his childish attempts to scupper everything, but no doubt enjoying the vast salary and the perks while doing so. People are misguided in some cases as they think a vote for an anti european is a good move when sending them to the parliament there. A voter may be against Europe and thats fair enough, but its not wise to vote for someone who is against Europe representing you in Europe.
Hannan rubbishes the very institution non stop on every occasion. It is like an MP saying the Houses of Parliament are a joke and why is he there. I dont think we would want one of those thankyou.
There have been all sorts of legislation from European Union, some of it good some of it not so good. For example the recent one on pesticides which is still ongoing...whereas UK and Irealand are against it I feel it is very good legislation banning cancerous drug use, drugs which are used widely in farming. Almost all Europe is going with this but in the UK and Ireland they are worried more about production levels being reduced. So its not all about straight bananas or those other bonker headline grabbers some very useful stuff is accomplished.
I dont know how accurate that one is on the fish stocks but its probably unlikely to see the light of day. The pesticides one is still under fairly fierce debate and it makes more sense so...
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
26 January 2009
11:2413901#7
You need only to read the Telegraph report PaulB to see that Dan has reported accurately.
Dan is always identifying and highlighting abuses and absurdities in the EU. Yes he is against our membership but he is doing a good job representing us in the South East in what he is doing. If the EU was free of the abuses he highlights and doing a good job, deserving support, then Dan would not have any targets. The fact is the EU is a beaurocratic monster with a huge gulf between it and the people in Europe.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
26 January 2009
13:0713905#8
utter nonsence this stuff,the amount anglers take in a year is equell to one commersil net in any given day.i only take fish home if i need fish the rest are put back full stop.as for a lisence you know where they can stick it [for those who dont know its the bit you sit on].
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
26 January 2009
15:0913910#9
I have been paying for freshwater fishing licence for around 40 yrs and will continue to do so.
Pay licence for sea fishing, never in a million years. Counting what we catch isn't the problem, that wouldn't take long, much is wrong with CFP, the main one for me is our fleet are forced to catch all sizes of fish but dump most of the catch back into the sea, dead, yet France and Spain, Illegally, keep all they catch with no comebacks, I know its not as simple as that and many other aspects must be thrown in, but it is all total hypocrisy.
I have fished at night down sandwich bay and a trawler came straight along the beach so close we could hear French/Belgian fishermen talking on deck.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
26 January 2009
17:5113915#10
You are right Gary - there is much wrong with the CFP and they waste time over hobby anglers....
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
26 January 2009
19:0113918#11
I was shocked and disappointed to read your posting Paul on Daniel Hannan.
He is one of the most intelligent and articulate MEPs Britain has. He is a supporter of the EU, but not of the corruption and stupid laws that come out of it, these he will expose with vigour.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
26 January 2009
20:4313933#12
i saw that stuff about mr farage, what an imbeccile that man appears to be.
just a game to him.
still at least he was living the high life.
that thing about sea fishing is not quite a new story, it has been working its way through the commission for quite a while.
i suppose that the bureaucrats have to find something to fill their day.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
26 January 2009
20:5113934#13
All party political stuff
of course hes an mep of the Tory party
and who says hes wonderful
yep you guessed it tory posters
nothing impartial then
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
26 January 2009
23:3113973#14
Nothing to say about the issue then Keith?
Perhaps you have to check up on the Labour Party line first, well it seems they agree with Dan on this.
I have made a point in a previous posting of saying the UK MEPs are united in this and not to make a Party political point. I did defend Dan personally because of the unwarranted personal attack on him by PaulB, I did not mention party at all. It is sad that you just have to make an off-issue party political jibe where it is not relevant.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
26 January 2009
23:4813978#15
Whilst I openly admit to being pro European even I am becoming more and more disillusioned with the ongoing antics of the Commission - this proposal is just another example of the stupidity and arrogance that seems to be pervading that body.
The institutions of the EU are in need of a massive overhaul that reverts the Commission to what is was meant to be, namely the civil service of the EU, that gives primacy to the parliament and relegates the Council of Ministers to a Senate type role.
Further the stranglehold of the Franco-German axis that is currently paupering Spain and Ireland to minimise the effects of recession in France and Germany and turns a blind eye to blatant French state subsidy of it motor and agricultural industries needs to be challenged and beaten; otherwise the EU will ultimately implode becasue of the disenchantment of the other 23 member states
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 January 2009
00:1913980#16
i do admire your continued pro european stance ross.
the points that you make about the franco german axis and the special subsidies are spot on.
i am pro european on the basis of free movement of goods etc within the union, which means that we are all reliant on each other.
the politics and the ludicrous rules that continually emanate from headquarters alienates many people across our continent.
the idea of aunited states of europe is looking dead in the water, we all have our individual customs and habits.
that is what makes it interesting to me when venturing across the channel.
this also applies when people visit us.
just the bureaucracy from people on the gravy train that winds most people up.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
27 January 2009
08:4113982#17
I dont think I made a 'personal attack' on Daniel Hannan. Ive looked back over my postings and I dont think there is anything personal there. Daniel dishes out the anti-european stuff week after week..and thrives, as do others, thrives on spreading the word if the Parliament get something out of kilter, and never highlights the effective stuff.
I just wonder why he is there. Would any of you hire an employee for example who came to the interview and rubbished your business non stop and treated it as a joke right from the start. How effective would he be if you gave him the job?
Glad you saw Nigel Farage on sunday Howard. There is an example of a waste of time. Clearly enjoying the good life, have to be careful how I put it, clearly enjoying the high old time, and loving the attention. But it is attention for all the wrong reasons..but for some people like Farage its only the attention that matters. Thats not enough for me as a voter. I want people to do the best they can for me there..So why people voted for him I dont know, he clearly does nothing for us voters. A walking talking oxymoron.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
27 January 2009
09:1013984#18
Its the wonderful thing about democracy, it results if differing views being expressed and represented. Dan is an employee of the electorate and I think you will find that he represents the views of a very high proportion of that electorate very well indeed. He is not employed by the EU but by us.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
27 January 2009
09:1613986#19
he dosent repesent my views at all.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
27 January 2009
09:4913988#20
What PaulB is saying expresses the very worst aspects of the EU. This self-belief that they are right and any expression of disagreement from the electorate or their representatives should not be tolerated.
Take the EU Constitution. To the shock of the Commission the required referendums went against it in more than one country. So what does the EU do....
They change the wording to make it even more diffficult to understand but leaving 95% of its provisions in place, just the same as before and call it a Treaty. (This was admitted in a rare candid interview by one of the authors, ex French President Valerie Gisgard D'estang).
The change of name means that there is an excuse not to hold a referendum and so only Ireland does so, the Irish, wisely, voted it down so now what does the EU do? The require another referendum in Ireland.....
The contempt that the EU has for its own rules and the electorate is utterly staggering.
We the electorate, the people who pay the taxes that pay the salaries of the EU Commission and MEPs, are now being critisised by PaulB for electing MEPs that are sceptical and critical of the EU.
The EU needs, more than any other organisation, to be closely and rigerously scrutinised by MEPs such as Dan Hannen. They dont like it as it cramps their style and they cannot sneak through idiotic and interfering rules. They think they know best - they dont.
