Displaying items by tag:

The last and final 10 places in the 2009 WCC have been filled making a total of 130 competing pairs. We take pride in announcing that the event has filled in record time (less than 5 weeks).

This is a record for the event. There will be several hundred anglers that will not been able to compete this year and we are looking at ways to resolve this for 2010. Anglers that have not been fortunate enough to secure a place are of course still very welcome to come and enjoy the pre event party and more details on this will be announced shortly.

The Sunday Times has launched their 2008 Sportswoman of the Year competition, and angling needs you to support our own female superstar, 2008 World Champion Emma Pickering.

This year’s competition will be incredibly close following the successes of our female athletes at the Beijing Olympics; however angling has been just as successful and needs anglers to stand up and be counted.

Female star, Emma Pickering from Doncaster, brought home her own gold medal with an epic display at the World Ladies Angling Championships in Hungary last August, fishing for the Subfish Team England Ladies.

The merger of six angling and conservation bodies creating the Angling Trust, the new voice of angling, was completed to plan on Monday, January 5 2009.

“It is an organisation angling has needed for many years,” said Stephen Marsh-Smith, the first chairman of the Trust. “It represents more than a million regular coarse, game and sea anglers in England. Angling contributes £3.5 billion to the economy and supports 37,000 jobs.”

Embodying all the assets and staff of the legacy organisations, the trust will be publicly launched at 10 am next Wednesday, January 14 at the Fishmongers’ Hall, London Bridge.

Among the guests will be Martin Salter MP, the government’s spokesman for angling and shooting.

“Dr. Marsh-Smith said nearly 2,500 individual anglers and clubs had already signed-up to the trust which would “run a forthright campaign to conserve marine and freshwater fisheries, promote and protect all recreational angling against commercial overfishing, habitat destruction, poaching and disease.

“We also plan to develop coaching and education for new and experienced anglers, increase participation in national and international competitions and tackle the growing problem of the predators which attack our fisheries.

“It is an ambitious programme but we believe anglers will support us and we are encouraged by the supportive messages we have already received,” Dr. Marsh-Smith added.

Individual membership is £20 a year which includes public liability insurance, newsletters and magazines. Members will be enrolled in Fish for Free (www.fishforfree.net) an innovative loyalty programme which generates credits for fishing equipment, permits and the freshwater rod licence. Clubs will be able to join Fish Legal which provides advice and takes action against polluters.

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust said: “Now that we have a single body for all anglers with a comprehensive benefits, we look forward to their support and to working for and with them. We will only be able to do that if we have the mandate and the resources to do so.”

The Angling Trust’s web site www.anglingtrust.net is now live and will be developed further over the next few weeks. Anglers can sign up on-line, by telephone or by post.

Source: Angling Trust

The Environment Agency is inviting local anglers and fisheries to one of three free fisheries workshops to be held along the River Severn over the next few weeks.

There are 50 places available at each workshop on a first come first served basis. The workshops will take place between 10.00am and 16.30pm at:

• Welshpool on Saturday 31 January 2009
• Tewkesbury on Saturday 7 February 2009
• Bewdley on Saturday 14 March 2009

The aim of the workshops is to give anglers and fisheries the chance to find out what is happening within a number of angling-related organisations, including the Environment Agency, and hear about projects along the river.

A number of speakers will give presentations on:

• Access / Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
• Severn River Trust
• Get Hooked on Fishing (GHOF), Young Anglers’ Project (YAP) and Coaching Events
• Funding Opportunities

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and talk to the local Fisheries Team.

Fisheries representatives and local anglers who would like to attend one of the workshops should contact Joan Allen via 08708 506 506 for an application form. Confirmation of each place, along with map and agenda, will be sent by post.

Source: Environment Agency Fishing News

With over 1.3 million rod licences sold last year, the Environment Agency says 2009 is set to be a bumper year for angling

Record number of rod licence sales last year as credit crunch bites

More than 1.3 million people took to the rivers in 2008 fully armed with a fishing rod and licence in a bid to find credit crunch-friendly entertainment that won’t break the bank.

Rod licence sales hit a record high last year and are predicted to increase by a further 26,000 this year as cash-strapped consumers seek out cheap alternatives to increasingly expensive trips to the cinema, football and theatre.

At just £25 for a full year’s coarse fishing licence, and with rod and line packages starting from around £30, fishing is becoming the price-savvy consumer’s pastime of choice, coming in at under £5 a month. Annually, that’s £40 cheaper than a monthly trip to the cinema (without overpriced snacks), over £300 cheaper than a monthly theatre ticket, and over £500 cheaper than a Premier League season ticket.

Mat Crocker, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency, said: “Angling is one of the most popular participator sports in the world – and is a cheap, healthy and environmentally friendly pastime that everyone can enjoy. It brings huge social and community benefits as well as contributing to the conservation and biodiversity of our waterways.

“Environment Agency research also shows that anglers generate around £1billion in revenue every year – a vital contribution to the UK economy.“

Rod licence sales generate over £23 million in revenue each year, which the Environment Agency ploughs directly back into the sport.

The £25 rod licence fee helps pay for habitat improvement works, fisheries research, monitoring and advice to owners on fish stocks. It also funds the specialist equipment used in fish rescues and enforcement to protect fish stocks, as well as the Environment Agency’s fish farms at Calverton and Leyland. These fish farms provide hundreds of thousands of fish which are stocked to improve popular angling spots and rivers across England and Wales.

Improved river quality over the past decade has also helped boost fish stocks for the sport – for example, salmon numbers in England and Wales have increased by 40,000 in the last ten years thanks to better water quality and improved habitats.

Buying a new rod licence couldn’t be easier – around 15,000 Post Offices and other outlets sell them; a direct debit can be set up, and they can be purchased over the telephone on 0870 166 2662. Alternatively buy online at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/rodlicence any time, day or night.

The first rod licences were issued in the 1860s for the newly created fishery districts. Much like today, they were available to buy at the post office. The cost of a licence varied across the districts and a licence had to be purchased for every district in which you fished. A national rod licence was introduced 1992, allowing anglers to fish anywhere in England and Wales with just one licence.

For more information about fishing in England and Wales visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/fish

source: Environment Agency Fishing News

Launch of London's first ever action plan to reclaim and restore some of the city's 'lost' and neglected rivers.Rejuvenating 15 kilometres of waterways to create a better place for wildlife and Londoners.

London’s first action plan to restore the capital’s rivers and create a better place for people and wildlife was launched today (Thursday).

River quality in the River Thames has improved greatly since the industrial revolution but the many tributaries still suffer from the 20th century legacy of confining rivers in concrete channels. The London Rivers Action Plan (LRAP) aims to restore these rivers to their natural state, creating a more sustainable city, as well as reduce flood risk and improving the environment for all.

The aim is to restore 15 kilometres of Thames tributaries by 2015, on rivers such as the Roding, Wandle, Colne and many others. An example of the positive benefits of river restoration is in Greenwich, southeast London, where a section of the River Quaggy has been brought out of its underground culvert and into a landscaped park. The river now flows visibly across Sutcliffe Park, creating wetlands with cycleways, footpaths and open spaces. It has become a valuable community asset and a haven for many forms of wildlife including kingfishers and several types of dragonfly.

The London Rivers Action Plan, produced in partnership by the Greater London Authority, Environment Agency, Natural England and voluntary organisation including the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust, London Wildlife Trust and WWF UK will help all organisations such as government agencies, private developers and voluntary groups work together to achieve improved rivers.

Isabel Dedring, Director of Environmental Policy for the Mayor of London, said: “This plan will deliver aesthetic benefits but will also help us prepare for our changing climate. Restoring our rivers will play a part in making London a more attractive place for people to come to live and invest.”

Many of London’s rivers were built into heavily engineered channels to combat flooding and enable urban development. However, today’s aspiration is to create a more natural environment to adapt to climate change and a growing city.

Dave Webb, Project Manager for the Environment Agency, said: ‘We are striving to improve London’s most damaged rivers, and we believe we can create important habitats and improve every Londoner’s life with new open spaces.

“River restoration can also reduce the risk of flooding to homes and businesses, and with the pressures of climate change this is yet another compelling reason to take care of our environment.”

Today’s announcement also feeds into the Environment Agency’s plans aimed at improving rivers and wetlands in England and Wales, which are currently undergoing public consultation. For more details visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33106.aspx.

As well as the action plan, the main tool will be an interactive website at www.therrc.co.uk/lrap.php, maintained by the River Restoration Centre, which will contain a database of opportunities to work in partnership on river restoration, advice and information, as well as best practice examples.

Source: The Environment Agency

Today (6 January 2009) at Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates Court, fishing without a valid rod licence cost nine cheating anglers a total of £1,425.

The offences related to instances of fishing without a rod licence at locations in Whitmore, Chesterton and Consall.

It should send a clear message to anglers that a day’s fishing in North Staffordshire without an Environment Agency rod licence could prove very expensive indeed, with a maximum possible fine of £2,500.

Speaking after the cases, Environmental Crime Team Leader, Doug Freakley, said: “Anglers who fish without a valid rod licence need to be aware that our Water Bailiffs are out and about checking rod licences. As today’s results demonstrate, sooner or later they are going to get caught and we won’t hesitate to prosecute.

“Not only does a prosecution prove costly, with fines of up to £2,500, it also marks an angler out as someone who cheats his fellow anglers. When you buy a rod licence, the money is used to help fund our work managing fisheries and improving the sport for everyone. So if you don’t buy a rod licence, you reduce the pleasure of the sport for everyone else.

“The message from this court case is loud and clear – if you haven’t got a valid rod licence, get one today.”

Source: Environment Agency Fishing News

"Pads Army" is now associated with and sponsored by MONK LAKES FISHERY in
Kent

The Lakes now have 80 swims for Disabled Anglers.

Pads Army and Monk Lakes' owners are hoping to have nearly all swims done by April 2009. Monk Lakes Fishery is still the best fishery in Kent and its going to get better.

Our Charity Fishing Match details for 2009 will be avilable soon so please watch this space. We are Planing a young Anglers session for those who have not fished before ... the details are being sorted out.

Paddy of PADS ARMY
Paddys Angling Disabled Support Group. Charity No 1118422.

The ACA held its EGM in Birmingham on Monday 8 December and agreed to change its name to Fish Legal and to join forces with the Angling Trust in England, with a proxy vote of 1,484 in favour to 67 against the change. This resounding vote opens an exciting new chapter for the organisation.

We have sent new membership forms to all English individual members and club packs to all English clubs, riparian owners, commercial fisheries and trade members are being sent out at the moment. Members in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue their membership with Fish Legal. There will be more information available at www.anglingtrust.net and www.fishlegal.net when these web sites go live early in January.

The office will be closed over Christmas, but will reopen on 5 January when we will be happy to answer any questions members might have about the changes.

News from the Legal Department…

The ACA are delighted to have won damages for the Grantham Angling Association following the shocking pollution of the River Witham back in 2002. In the early hours of 3 April, 25,000 litres of chemical fertiliser poured from an agricultural storage tank, made its way into a nearby ditch and flowed downhill into the Witham. The chemical pollution moved slowly along the river, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, with dead fish obvious for up to 15 km downstream from the point at which the pollution entered the watercourse and raised ammonia levels detected as far as 38km away. Brown trout, chub, roach, grayling and barbel all perished and near to the source of the pollution the chemicals were so concentrated that a dog died within minutes of jumping into the river for a swim. The valve on the tank was allegedly forced open in an act of vandalism and those responsible were never found. The Environment Agency prosecuted the suppliers of the agricultural chemicals, Omex Agricultural, who had supervised the siting of the tank on high ground, in an uninhabited farmyard, with inadequate security. In bringing a civil claim, the ACA won £6,000 in damages for the GAA and also recovered costs.

In an additional case, the ACA defended a spurious claim brought against the Grantham Angling Association by one of its ex-volunteer water bailiffs. The bailiff - now banned for life from the club - claimed for £700 worth of damage to his vehicle after allegedly driving over a loose bit of concrete on the access road to club's fishery. The claim was heard at Grantham County Court on 8th December 2008 but was dismissed on the grounds that the GAA was not liable for the alleged accident.

We are also celebrating a settlement on behalf of the Common Bank Angling Club based in Chorley, Lancashire. On two separate occasions in March 2006 usual suspect United Utilities allowed raw sewage to spew into a feeder stream that led to our member's lake, the Common Bank Lodge. The two spillages were attributed to a failure at a poorly maintained pumping station. Damage to the lake was compounded by a simultaneous diesel spill, allegedly coming from a nearby hospital. Several hundred perch, roach, gudgeon, bream, carp and a few pike were killed - the majority dying slowly from lack of oxygen, with flocks of gulls visiting in the days that followed to pick off the dead fish floating on the surface. Despite this pollution effectively destroying the fishery the club were surprised and disappointed with the Environment Agency's decision only to send a warning letter to the utility company with no further legal action. The ACA took on the case and won £4,000 for the club.

In mid-Wales, the ACA has secured £10,000 for the New Dovey Fisheries Association from Network Rail in recompense for embankment works on the River Dyfi that re-directed the watercourse, leaving precious sea trout pools in an old meander loop shallow and unfishable.

In Alfreton, Derbyshire, we have taken on a new case on behalf of the Excel Hatchery. A pipe owned and controlled by Severn Trent Water burst in September this year polluting our member's fishery, killing a large number of fish and leaving a large amount of deposited sewage in the lake. The club approached the ACA following a lack of response from Severn Trent Water and the Environment Agency. Meanwhile, three months after the burst, the sewage remains in the lake.

In other legal department news, we are pleased to announce that both Guy Linley-Adams, head solicitor here at the ACA and our man in Edinburgh, Bob Younger are both now qualified to practice in Scotland having studied for and passed the Law Society for Scotland's qualifying exams. This will remove the need for the ACA to instruct private agent solicitors in Scotland in order to issue proceedings and will mean that we operate more efficiently and can recover costs more easily following successful settlements north of the border.

Finally, we would like to thank two clubs for very kindly donating funds. Methyr Tydfil Angling Association donated £5,000 and Grantham Angling Association have given £1,000 following the successful conclusion of cases on the Taf Fechan and the Witham respectively. We are extremely grateful for these generous donations that will be ploughed back into our work to protect fisheries and the freshwater environment.

All that remains is to wish all our supporters a very Merry Christmas and a united New Year.

Source: www.a-c-a.org

Subfish Tackle Shop in Tibshelf near Alfreton, Derbyshire has signed a new one year extension with the National Federation of Anglers, to continue their sponsorship of the Ladies England team.

The deal was signed with the NFA but will transfer to the new Angling Trust which will be launched in January 2009. To celebrate their second year of supporting the newly named ‘Subfish Team England Ladies’, the company will be launching a number of angling events at their tackle shop providing anglers with the opportunity to meet some of the sport’s biggest stars.

Although timings are still to be confirmed, Subfish will be organising five unique events for 2009 including:

• Meet Tommy Pickering and the England Ladies at Subfish.
• Question and answer session with 2008 World Champion, William Raison.
• Show and tell with Phil and Steve Ringer on Ringer products.
• Garbolino products open day with Darren Cox.
• Charity fishing match and BBQ at Sub-fishery with Preston Innovations and Tommy Pickering.

These events will enable the angling community to really engage with team sponsors Subfish and provide an opportunity for anglers to pick up some top tips from the stars.

At last year’s World Championships in Hungary, England had a great result, with Emma Pickering winning an individual gold medal. The team just missed out on a bronze for the third year in succession.

This year the team will be trying to emulate their male counterparts and do an Italian job as they travel to Italy looking not only to bring home another individual gold but also claim the team’s first gold medal since 2005 when they won the World Championships in Zagreb.

On securing the continued sponsorship of Subfish, Tom Goldspink, Marketing and Communications Manager for the NFA, commented, “It is great news that Subfish have renewed their existing sponsorship of the team. With their new calendar of events for 2009, there is a real opportunity for them to support not only the ladies’ team but also contribute to raising the profile of angling and increasing participation amongst women and girls.”

With the sponsorship moving over to the Angling Trust in 2009, Chief Executive Mark Lloyd added, “The Angling Trust is very grateful to Subfish for its support of the ladies team. All our international teams rely on the support of sponsors to compete at the highest level. The teams’ success has great benefits for angling as a whole, as it inspires youngsters to take up fishing and to fish more often.”

Subfish are delighted to continue their involvement with the team stating, "Having travelled to Hungary this summer and witnessing a tremendous effort by the team, we are absolutely delighted to be able to continue our sponsorship for another year. As a family run company we felt proud and privileged to play a role in the team achieving such success and hope that this year will be even better. We wanted to do something special next year, so are putting a number of unique events on to give anglers the chance to meet some of the biggest stars in the sport. Our sponsorship will not only support the England team but also help grassroots angling as a whole, as we strongly believe in the Angling Trust's objective of increasing participation and getting more female anglers involved in the sport."

Tommy Pickering, England Ladies’ Manager commented, “I am delighted that we have signed another year’s sponsorship with Subfish. Last year three of their team came out with their partners to the World Championships and watched the match and experienced the great atmosphere and success that we had with Emma Pickering. It was great for Subfish to see the other side of where their support goes and how it is vital to supporting the team. With the involvement of Subfish it is not only great for fishing but also its future and this year let’s hope that we can win them a team medal as well”.

Source: www.nfadirect.com