P-05-1136 Allow Welsh residents to travel for fishing the same as our counterparts in England – Correspondence - Petitioner to the Committee, 18.02.21

Good evening,

I am sorry that it has taken me time to get a response back to the committee but I wanted to research a little more before I did this reply.

The main reason for the petition was to bring us inline with our English counterparts for exercise. Even today people are out on the sea fishing in their boats or local waters.

Since the first lockdown in March myself and other fishery owners have been left alone with very very little financial help, absolutely nothing available for us. This of course led to the most recent petition.

We do not understand why the welsh government has taken these decisions based on the same scientific information that the English government receives.

At the time of writing this the petition has been signed by just under 2500 people. If I opened this up to exercise in general then I would guarantee a much broader signature list.

I am not one of these people that do not believe that the pandemic exists, infact the total opposite. I supply staff to the front line through another of my businesses and me myself am ultra cautious just incase I was to bring something back to my life limited son. However saying this fishing is one of the most relaxing, socially distant sport out there. It has the ability to make you focus, lower your stress levels and enhance your mental health.

There are various reports out about this from Angling trust and I have attached one here

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/fishing/places-to-fish/seven-reasons-why-fishing-is-good-for-you#:~:text=Fishing%20reduces%20stress,stress%20disorder%20and%20other%20illnesses

As you can see all we want is to be treated the same as our counterparts within England. If the science is there to stop this then please provide this evidence to us and Angling Cymru. Angling Cymru I am told have tried and tried and all they face is harsh criticism and hatred because the English government has allowed it and the welsh government has not with no official statements showing why we cannot, all we face is a similar letter to the one that was sent in the reply from the committee.

Please help the fishermen/ fisherwomen and children in wales to maintain their mental health, allow fisheries to reopen with a strict covid-19 guidance and let's beat this together!!

Thank you for your time in reading this, if you would like to discuss further then please call me directly and I can explain every side to the story.