Poorly marked lobster pots and fishing gear - Petition

[Telo]

The Cruising Association has just launched a campaign about the hazards of poorly marked lobster pots and fishing gear, and have initiated an online petition to secure a government consultation with all interested parties to consider how to improve the situation and are canvassing widely for support.

This is a good initiative and the petition can be signed at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/193254.

[Aja]

It's rare that I've seen poorly marked fishing gear on the west coast.
Donald

[BlowingOldBoots]

I will not be signing. Where is the evidence that it is really a big issue that requires government legislation, there is not any. I dislike big government and I dislike single issue petitions influencing big government as I suspect that it will result in bad law.

I also find the approach hypocritical of the CA who support, in general, voluntary schemes for improvement e.g. the RYA's stance on training and resistance to compulsory licensing. Far better that the pressure is brought on the agencies that manage inshore fishing to implement the voluntary guidance for pot marking such that the take up is high.

Why do inshore fishermen not mark their pots? It's because they cant trust each other with the risk of theft and sabotage very real. Therefore, they will continue to not mark their pots in an obvious manner.

Perhaps the UK government will put in place an inshore exclusion zone around lobster fisheries where all leisure craft must stay out. Easy peasy, even easier to monitor.

[Telo]

It's certainly the case that in the Argyll to Inner Sound areas, pots tend to be bright orange and of reasonable size.

However that approach is not universal - further north and round into the Northern Isles, old black plastic plastic oil containers seem to be favoured by some, as well as small manky old white buoys that are covered in growth and even more difficult to spot, particularly when the current has them lurking just below the surface.

Also, more floating rope than we'd expect to see further south. I suppose the logic for that is that floating rope compensates for the crappy pot buoys that tend to be dragged just below the surface by the stronger tidal streams.

[Gardenshed]

I agree with Blowing old Boots
The creel fishermen are out making their living, in all weathers and all year around. Cruising yachtsmen are at sea by choice. Inshore creel fishing is also one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK and not very profitable (hence single-person boats) so why burden them with more red tape and restrictions?
creating a petition to make it more expensive for inshore creel fishermen to make a living to protect the toys of the fortunate.....
nah, not for me