Below is the notice in the Government Gazette regarding the proposed new fees for recreational anglers. These ridicilious increases should be the laughing stock of all anglers as it clrearly shows the ineptitude of the authorities to correctly deal with a problem.
In stead of making sure that they can effectively police this matter they are now targeting the law abiding anglers who pay their license fees and abide by the laws. As one angler said: "The fines are quite possibly one of the reasons why the fees are going up so drastically........the fact that the authorities cannot catch people who break the law to give them a fine (which probably wouldn't get paid anyway) the authorities do the next best thing....penalise the law-abiding folks whom they know are always going to stay on the right side of the law and who pay their dues without having a mechanism to voice their discontent."
Download the Whole PDF file Here
I, for one, agree with another angler that said: "...we are being screwed everyday (not in a good way ) by our fellow anglers who fish without permits and the anglers who keep ALL THE UNDERSIZE fish they catch!!!! But why should we be subject to these crazy increases?
If the proposed increases are ratified an becomes law I know of plenty of anglers that will refuse to buy an anglling license - simply because they cannot afford it - and will take their chances and so become part of the lawlessness that permeats our society, not because they want to, but because they simply cannot afford these extravagant prices. In this case it seems laws are created TO MAKE CRIMINALS out of law abiding citizens !
Guys, we need to stand together on this one. ALL the fees are outrageous. So, when writing your letters, please don't only reject the fees that affect you, REJECT ALL THE PROPOSED FEE HIKES on the table. They are all ridiculous. If we all reject the entire table, our lobby will hold more weight than smaller groups of people complaining about specific price hikes.
"Where possible, please email, fax, and send a registered letter of objection.
Email -
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Fax - 086 613 6256
Registered mail to :
Revenue Management at the Department of Environmental Affairs
Branch Marine and Coastal Management ("the Department")
Private Bag X2
Roggebaai
8012
Remember that all comments must be received by the Department by no later than 16h00 on 1 March 2010. Comments received after this time may not be considered.
What else can you do?
Send this letter to and/or notify interested groups on Facebook and other local online angling forums, and your local tackle stores, and request them to take immediate action by letting their objections be known to the relevant authorities.
Submit this story to Carte Blanche :
beta.mnet.co.za/carteblanche/StorySubmission.aspx?ShowId=3
Contact Debora Patta of 3rd Degree :
www.etv.co.za/extended/contact/3rd_degree
www.facebook.com/pages/3rd-Degree/90652397876
Email Fokus SABC :
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Here is a list of further media contacts :
www.groundwork.org.za/Resources/media_contacts.asp
http://www.capetalk.co.za/onair/contactus/contactus.asp
Another comment from an angry angler: "This is just a way for those with the "means" to subsidize the "subsistance" anglers who pay nothing and are never checked! When I see some.....ANY...effort on behalf of MCM to improve our saftey, access to fishing spots, or any other effort that would benifit us as anglers I would be prepared listen to their reasoning for an increase!"
As concerned recreational anglers, and people who care about bag limits and fish size, please take a few minutes and send the your letter / email / fax.
Kind Regards
The Team at Overberg Angling
