Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society

Fighting for Bass and Bass Anglers’ since 1973

Apply to Join Your Local IFCA

Apply to Join Your Local IFCA!

The Deadline for applications has been extended to 11.55pm on Sunday 15th August 2021

In England, ten IFCAs (Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities) are responsible for managing sea fisheries resources from the coastline out to 6 nautical miles.  Each IFCA is managed by a committee that meets 4 times a year to make decisions and to direct the work of the IFCA.

IFCAs are supposed to ensure that fishing is carried out in a sustainable way and to balance the needs of the different people fishing in the district.  But the work Save Our Sea Bass has done on issues in some IFCA districts has led us to believe that some IFCAs are failing to deliver.   We have tried, so far unsuccessfully, to get some IFCAs to:

  • protect juvenile bass from nets with small mesh sizes
  • protect sensitive natural harbours from netting
  • stop nets being set close to shore
  • stop illegal targeting of bass
  • enforce a coastal netting byelaw to protect salmonids
  • provide full transparency on the decision-making process

It is very difficult for us to get IFCAs to listen to us, because we have no voice on IFCA Committees.  We have had to resort to email campaigns and public questions to get issues aired, because we struggle to find Committee members who understand our concerns and are willing to raise them in Committee meetings.

But you can change that!  Right now, 6 of the 10 IFCAs are recruiting new Committee members.  And because there have been very few applicants, if you apply your chance of being successful is high.

The IFCAs that are currently recruiting are:

  • Northumberland IFCA
  • North Eastern IFCA
  • Kent & Essex IFCA
  • Cornwall IFCA
  • Sussex IFCA
  • Southern IFCA

Applicants from all fishing sectors, including sea angling, are welcome to apply (but NB Southern IFCA is looking for candidates with a scientific background within the marine environment).

If your IFCA district isn’t currently recruiting, don’t worry, because we are expecting more places to become available in 2022.

If you are interested in applying to join your local IFCA Committee and want to know more about what is involved and how to apply, please contact us at info@saveourseabass.org as soon as possible.

We also suggest you read the information provided by the MMO

 

© Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society 2021