Agreed on both counts. And Hello Mr Brun.

However, I'd take issue with the statement:
"Nothing highlights the ignorance of the hobby’s detractors more than their assertion that detectorists are motivated by financial gain. Experienced hobbyists treat such claims with the contempt that they deserve, and anyone entering the hobby with such an aim would very rapidly become disillusioned and leave."
The number of detector found artefacts that turn up for sale would seem to argue against this, and in favour of the idea that 'responsible detecting' is not representative of the whole of The Hobby. Which seems to me, to lend support for the idea of licencing.

I've yet to hear a good line of reasoning as to why licences would be a Bad Thing.