Hello to you all above the Wall.
Many of you will have read some of my previous posts on the BFTA website, where the men in charge cornered me to write for them, allegedly because as I'm retired - I therefore have plenty of time! Mmmmm!!!
I was asked today whether anybody had posted on this site about a problem we are involved in - I didn't think anybody had, so here goes:
I'm currently involved on behalf of the BFTA, in trying to establish the facts pertaining to the problem, which is still emerging, about an apparent Float Tube ban which has been placed on all United Utilities Waters. UU is a massive organisation and administers at least 180 waters, many of them already known as super Float Tubing venues - Stocks, Arnfield and Walkerwood to name a very few. I believe that many of the Lake District waters are also under their remit, so I suspect many of you chaps who travel South could well be adversely affected if a ban is indeed in place.
I am finding incredibly difficult to get behind the 'glass wall' and into contact with the people who will have made these decisions, in order to try and establish the true facts. Undoubtedly, I have discovered that fishery managers have been told different things, and no straightforward clear reason for any ban has emerged as yet. Fear of alien shrimp infestation is quoted as a reason to at least one manager, while H&S issues appear to be the main reason given to others. As far as I am aware no attempt has been made by UU to approach any established float tubing group to gather information regarding safety etc.
At present I am using a polite, softly softly, approach to try and establish the actual situation, and do not feel that any impolite barracking will help the case at present. I would therfore urge some retraint in the content of website forum postings for the moment. Indeed nobody is actually sure what the situation is, and as far as I can discover UU have not issued any press releases on this matter. (Does anybody know different?)
I have an active thread open on the BFTA.org.uk website, where I will post progress reports for anybody who is interested. There are also two open threads on the flyfishing forums site - one started by 'Woz' where some progress has been made.
I know there are some very enthusiatic float tubers and fishermen who are members of this site, and am fairly sure that many of you may be affected by any ban. We may at some stage need to combine our efforts to educate some parts of the world how safe float tubing actually is, and what really really happens in our branch of fishing.
Mike tells me briefly, that you as a body were involved in overturning the Irish ban. Could somebody succinctly list what happened to remedy that situation please. If you are a member of the BFTA forum it could be placed on the string on this UU issue, otherwise put it on here and with Mike's permission I will cut and paste it.
As a matter of interest, has anybody managed to get Third Party Liability cover specifically for float tubing in your part of the world?
I look forward to your responses.
Bracken.