Due to a major pollution incident on the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire the National Angling Match due to take place on the 13 October along this stretch of waterway will be postponed until 2013.
A major fire broke out at the Stanton IronWorks site located alongside the canal in Stanton-by–Dale which has resulted in pollutants entering into the canal causing a sudden decline in oxygen levels. The Environment Agency and Canal & River Trust are on site carrying out an emergency fish rescue and are currently transferring the fish to unaffected areas further along the canal. Whilst the rescue has been a great success with over 5000lbs of fish being safely relocated elsewhere on the canal sadly there have been some fish deaths as a result of the pollution.
John Ellis, Fisheries & Angling Manager from the Canal & River Trust said “I am really sorry to disappoint anyone who was planning to come along but in light of this incident we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the fishing match. The pollution site is not far from the area where we were planning on holding the angling match and we need to allow the fish population time to naturally recover and re-populate areas of the waterway”
To help celebrate the launch of the new waterways charity, the Canal & River Trust, a National Angling Match is being held along the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire on Saturday 13 October from 10.30am to 3.30pm.
The match, which is open to anglers of all ages and abilities, is a chance for anglers from across the waterways to come together and compete against each other in this one off competition to celebrate our canal network.
Angling on Britain’s canals and rivers is more popular than ever with around 290 angling clubs established across the 2,000 mile network.
John Ellis National Fisheries & Angling Manager from the Canal & River Trust said “This match is a great opportunity for other anglers to compete with other club members and help celebrate the launch of the Canal & River Trust. The all day match is open to all keen anglers and clubs should be a competitive but fun day”
The match will be along a stretch of the Erewash canal from Ilkeston to Long Eaton which is a distance of about six miles and is home to a wide variety of fish. Anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish including Roach, Perch, Bream, Chub and Bonus Tench.
David Kent, Chair of the National Angling Advisor Group “We wanted to do something to get anglers involved in the launch of the Canal & River Trust and what better way than to hold a National Angling competition. We have 400 pegs available and I expect there to be a great response from the angling community so I urge anyone interested in coming along to arrive early to avoid disappointment”
The competition will be divided into three groups; under 16’s, teams of four and individual matches. Entry fees are £20 per team and £15 for individuals. To book your place in the competition please contact Alan Wright on 0115 9728041 or John Johnson on 07931 552691
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