The Angling Trust joined environmental and wildlife groups from the Blueprint for Water Coalition in pressing the new Water Minister Rory Stewart MP for urgent government action to protect rivers from ecological damage as a result of increasing demand and over abstraction.
The meeting, held last week at DEFRA, included Sarah Hendry, the new Director of Water, Trevor Bishop from the Environment Agency, Dominic Gogol, Water Policy Manager for WWF-UK; Colin Fenn, Associate for WWF-UK; Martin Salter, National Campaigns Coordinator for the Angling Trust and Hannah Freeman, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and chair of Blueprint for Water.
The Minister was reminded of previous government commitments to reform the outdated abstraction regime which currently sees 30% of all rivers either fully or over abstracted while less than a quarter are now classified as achieving 'good ecological status' (GES). The UK is a signatory to the EU Water Framework Directive which requires 75% of all rivers to achieve GES by 2027 at the very latest.
The Angling Trust's Martin Salter made it clear that with climate change delivering more water shortages and a rising population pushing up demand for increasingly scarce resources now was not the time for tinkering around the edges.
Mr Salter said:
"We need a new national water policy that includes compulsory water metering, new storage reservoirs and a reform of an outdated abstraction regime that leaves far too many rivers dangerously low and at risk of environmental damage."
The Minister was presented with a copy of the Charter for Chalk Streams – a joint initiative between the Angling Trust, Salmon and Trout Association, WWF, Wildlife Trusts, The Rivers Trust and other groups.
The Charter for Chalk Streams, launched in May 2013, calls for a range of measures, including the introduction of compulsory water metering to reduce waste and cut unsustainable abstractions. It states:
Chalk streams are recognised as a unique global asset providing a pristine environment for wildlife with rich clean water and high quality habitat. Some 85% of the world’s chalk streams are located in England and many in and around London have almost disappeared in normal weather conditions. Only a handful receive the high levels of protection that their conservation status requires.
The groups are planning to write to the Minister outlining how UK rivers are faring compared to other countries. They will be inviting him to visit a chalk stream later this year to see for himself the pressures that these rivers are under.
Source: Angling Trust Fishing News
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