PET(3)-AIW-WWE-001

Petitions Committee

Inquiry into Access along Inland Water

Response from Carmarthen Coracles (dated 11 March 2009)

The attachment to this e-mail is a photo of a father and son in a coracle he is an ex-coracle licence holder who once held one of the four licences taken by the 2007 Tywi NLO authorised by Jane Davidson his son asks what has daddy done to have his licence taken away? So what has he done? Been poaching? Convicted of a criminal offence? Over sixty? No this man's 'crime' was that he couldn't afford the £500 + duty because of hard times and under current legislation his licence can be taken off him for good.

When you consider the four licensees were not allowed a defence,compensation or a local enquiry and the Minister refused to meet them(even though she met with the angling lobby prior to making her decision.) you realise how unjust and callous the present procedures are.

Following these cruel acts the eight remaining tywi licensees have seen their licence duty rise to £539 double the price of a teifi licence even though the catches are on par and the introduction of a restrictive by-law that makes netsmen tag all fish while anglers are exempt (another concession)

While I know that many of you are proud of your record on human rights,equality,social justice and are vociferous in international condemnation of countries that do not comply so why do you sit idly by when these basic rights are denied to welsh fishermen and canoeists? How can you support a system that allows so much power and influence to one group of river users and deny other users equality? We have seen canoeists collect a 10,000 signed petition in order to get their case heard and we will have to follow suit but who will be next bird watchers,ramblers,cyclists and children who just want to paddle in a stream your advisory system stinks of selective self interest and bias and should be reformed.

You claim to represent the interests of all so stop this domination by one particular group and embrace the needs of all on the grounds of equality.

We as welsh coracle fishermen beg you to protect 'our way of life' and not destroy it by stealth we beg

you to recognise our human rights and we implore you to revisit and review present legislation but most

of all we plead with you to allow us a defence.

Many thanks.

Mike Elias sec. Carmarthen Coracles.