WHITBY SKIPPERS CELEBRATE

THE sea angling industry in Whitby has been saved after a dramatic Government climb-down caused in part by pressure from the town's skippers.
Jonathan Shaw, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at DEFRA announced on Tuesday he was scrapping plans to introduce a compulsory rod licence for anglers, a move which Whitby skippers had warned would cripple the industry.

The plans were part of the Marine Bill currently passing through Parliament and would have seen anyone wanting to use a rod to fish off Whitby pier or on a chartered boat having to purchase a licence first.

Paul Kilpatrick, chairman of Whitby Charter Skippers Association (WCSA) said he was delighted the Government had changed its mind.

“It is fantastic news,” he told the Whitby Gazette.

“There is no doubt it would have put an end to the industry in Whitby if the licence would have been introduced.

“I have been speaking to a few of the lads and they are over the moon.

“The threat has not gone away forever but this is still great news.

“A few of them were talking about cracking open the champagne.”

Whitby MP Robert Goodwill, who took up the fight alongside the Whitby skippers, echoed Mr Kilpatrick’s sentiment

“I feel this decision is in no small part down to the pressure put on Mr Shaw by the Whitby Charter Skippers Association and, dare I say it, even myself,” he said.

“After meeting the skippers and hearing their concerns I talked to Mr Shaw and invited him to come and meet them himself.

“I’m glad he’s changed his mind, the fact licences are now not part of the Marine Bill means it won't be brought up again for quite some time.”

The WCSA claimed that if the licence was introduced it would put all the Whitby boats and tackle shops out of business, and according to Mr Kilpatrick would wipe £2m of Whitby's annual economy. The angling industry is said to be worth around £1bn a year nationally.

On Tuesday Mr Shaw said, in a written response to a parliamentary question, that after meeting sea angling representatives last month he had decided to remove the licence from the bill.

He said: “In view of the concerns expressed, including the extent to which sea anglers expected to see benefits from the charge, I have decided not to proceed with enabling powers in the Marine Bill to introduce a sea angling licence.”