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Angling Trust

Media Release

Angling Rolls Out Its Big Guns To Protect Fisheries From Cormorant Invasion

TV host Chris Tarrant and UK Music boss Feargal Sharkey to join petition handover to Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon.

Campaigners from the world of angling will be joined by celebrities Chris Tarrant and Feargal Sharkey when they handover a 16,000 signature petition on Wednesday (22nd Feb) calling for action to limit the devastating impact of the UK’s rapidly increasing cormorant population and its effect on inland freshwater habitat and ecosystems. Scientists have calculated that each cormorant needs at least a pound of fish a day to survive, and there are now an estimated 23,000 non-native invasive cormorants over-wintering in the UK from Holland, Denmark and other parts of Europe compared to a couple of thousand in the 1980s. This means that at least 23,000lbs of our freshwater fish get eaten EVERY DAY throughout the winter – a total and unsustainable loss of 2,760,000lbs of fish every winter causing damage to our native bio-diversity. The petition has been organised by the Avon Roach Project headed by Trevor Harrop and Budgie Price and ably assisted and supported by internationally renowned wildlife film maker Hugh Miles who are working to try and re-establish healthy roach populations in their local river Avon after heavy cormorant predation contributed to numbers crashing to critical levels between Salisbury and Christchurch.

Their efforts are strongly supported by the Angling Trust as the single representative body for angling in England and the Salmon and Trout Association.

DEFRA fisheries minister Richard Benyon has ordered a review into the current ineffective and bureaucratic licensing regime that allows for limited controls on the numbers of cormorants and other fish eating birds. The review group is expected to report in the summer.

TV host and lifelong angler Chris Tarrant said: “It has taken absurdly long for people to realise the damage to fish populations, other wildlife and the whole environment that cormorants have been doing for too many years. Many of our finest, most beautiful and most famous waterways have been skinned by these predatory birds.

Some of the flocks are enormous and the current regulations are hopelessly inadequate to control them. Whole fisheries have been virtually wiped out, resulting either in jobs lost or thousands of pounds spent in restocking. In other instances once thriving waters are now virtually devoid of fish which threatens other bird populations like the kingfisher and the grebe. It is time to redress the balance before it becomes too late.

” Wildlife Film maker Hugh Miles added: "Non native cormorants have invaded our freshwater rivers and lakes from Denmark and Holland and threaten to wipe out our fish. Scientific estimates reckon that 23,000 visit here for the winter and that they each need one pound of fish a day to survive. That's 23,000 pounds of fish EVERY DAY. This adds up to a total of 1,200 tons of fish in four months, twice the total annual production of the largest trout farm in the UK.This level of predation is totally unsustainable and a direct threat to the survival of our precious bio-diversity".

Avon Roach Project co-ordinator Trevor Harrop said: “We’ve seen the numbers of cormorants increase at an unimaginable rate. We simply could not stand by and watch as the last of the small and fragile populations of roach was decimated in our local Hampshire Avon, one of the country’s most iconic rivers. We have a responsibility to protect our ecosystems from non-native invasive species and the influx of freshwater dwelling cormorants from Europe represents a massive threat to many of our own fragile inland fish populations across the entire country.”

Martin Salter, former parliamentary spokesman for angling and now National Campaigns Co-ordinator for the Angling Trust said: “Our rivers are suffering from over-abstraction, habitat loss and diffuse pollution. Freshwater fish stocks cannot withstand the rapid growth in numbers of cormorants that we have seen over the past decade. These birds are doing great damage to angling, which supports 37,000 jobs and generates £3.5 billion for the UK economy.The Angling Trust is pleased to have encouraged the Minister to undertake a review into the impact of fish eating birds such as cormorants on our freshwater fisheries and congratulates our colleagues from the Avon Roach Project for their sterling efforts both to mobilise the angling community and to try and repair some of the damage done to one of England’s most famous rivers.”

The petition calls on the government to place cormorants on the general licence allowing fishery managers and angling clubs to better protect their fisheries from excessive and unsustainable predation.The campaigners will also be handing a letter to Mr Benyon and a report entitled ‘Bio-Diversity in Danger’ which demonstrates that there is no viable alternative other than to allow the legal right to defend our native fish populations against this non-native invasive predator.

Petition Wording "The current Cormorant licensing regime is woefully inadequate as it stands. Therefore, we the undersigned call upon the Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries to change the licensing law and include the Cormorant on the 'General Licence', allowing the legal control of Cormorant numbers where they pose a threat to fish populations. In so doing, this will allow the vital link in the food chain to be maintained, and the protection of not only our freshwater fish species, but also species such as Kingfishers, Grebes, Bitterns, and more.

We should have the right to protect our environment, but the current law does not allow this."

Notice of photocall and petition handover

11.30am, Wed 22nd February. Outside Defra offices, Nobel House, Smith Square, Westminster, SW1P 3JR With Richard Benyon MP, Chris Tarrant and Feargal Sharkey; Hugh Miles, Trevor Harrop and Budgie Price from the Avon Roach project; Martin Salter and Mark Owen of the Angling Trust; John Slader from S&TA and Charles Walker MP Chair of the APPG on Angling.

More Info

Trevor Harrop 01425 470307

Hugh Miles 07841 164236

Martin Salter 07976946033

www.avonroachproject.co.uk

www.anglingtrust.net

REPORT OF ANGLING PARTICIPATION EVENTS AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS 2011 – By Sally Gallop

Agency run days

Family Trout Fishing day 7th August at Siblyback Lakes

The weather was unsure but we were lucky not to get too wet. Good numbers of people arrived despite traffic and weather and two very lucky Liverpool supporters caught fish on the day. Great atmosphere and a great day.

Family Coarse fishing day 13th August Bake Lakes, Trerulefoot.

Again this event did not disappoint so much interest that we split the day into two sessions, everyone caught fish and the parents and guardians all got involved
This event brings down Danny Williamson and Paul Power for extra help along with my normal coaches Bob Tetley and Jerry Clarke and as usual it was a delight to work with them. These days are full of laughter and fun, but also an awful lot of information is passed on to the participants who learn a lot about fishing.

Family Coarse fishing day 17th August Higher Shorston Lakes

The first time we have used this venue and what a lovely place, everyone caught a good size fish and countless small ones. Definitely would like to use this place again in the future.
Coarse fishing junior days.

3rd June Bake Lakes Trerulefoot

As always the venue fished very well, all participants learnt a lot and many fish were landed. Parents who stayed also learnt about the basics of fishing.

3rd August Threemilestone Angling Club Lake, Threemilestone..

As always a warm welcome awaited us from Ken Hart (Chairman) at Threemilestone, and although the fish were slightly reluctant to show themselves a good day’s tuition was had by all. A large carp caught was the icing on the cake and ended the day in fine fashion.

10th August Whalesborough Bude Canal AA

Cracking venue and a chance for the Agency to use the all access pegs we funded last year. The lake fish extremely well and in future years we will hopefully use the lake to its full potential and have a family day there.
Junior Trout fishing

April 18th Stithians
April 20th Siblyback
April 22nd Treemeadow

Well after choosing the dates carefully at the beginning of the year to increase the chances of catching a trout we had a heat wave ! Still the one thing I can not control is the weather.
The temperature made things tricky for our beginners. But as always the ones that got away were the talk of the day.
PROJECTS

Cornwall Blind Association

Cornwall Blind Association is a local independent charity and company limited by guarantee, providing services, support and advice to visually impaired people in Cornwall. It has served the Cornish community for many years, being established in 1856.
Services are delivered throughout Cornwall with Sight Centres located in Truro and Penwith. Further local services are being developed during 2009 in North Cornwall and Caradon. Cornwall Blind Association aims to provide services to people of all ages and backgrounds...
For the third year we have arranged for Cornwall blind to have three days trout fishing along with the use of the Wheelyboat. This has always been a challenge to our instructor’s one which they have relished and the joy for the participants is immeasurable.

Cornwall Federation of Womans Institutes

The Federation made contact at The Royal Cornwall Show and following this we arranged for one days fly fishing down at Stithians, the interest was immense. So much so that a second project had been set up incorporating sites all over Cornwall, this project will run throughout 2012 and will see the WI have numerous fishing days throughout the county.. Watch this space for a WI fishing club..

Penaire School

14 pupils (including pupils with special needs) attended Stithians Lakes for five days during activities week. With the Agency paying for the instructors the school was able to reduce the cost to the pupils to only the transport fees. This opened up the week to less well off pupils.

From: Gillian Truen
Sent: 27 September 2011 14:43
To: 'Mitchell, Sally'
Subject: RE: Fly fishing

Dear Sally
My comments on the project Most of the boys had not fished before and therefore learned a lot from Gary and Annie Champion. Gary and Annie are dedicated to passing on their wealth of experience to young people of all abilities. The boys responded readily to this and some wanted to take fly fishing up as a hobby. The boys also enjoyed bug dipping in the marshy area, watching the dragon flies and going out on the lake in the boat to fish. Most of them caught at least one to take home and cook.

A.S.K 4ALL

Ask4all is a support group set up by parents of disabled children, they provide support, information and activities.

Our initial two days of fishing were so successful we have funded another five days fishing for members of the group.

Dear Sally
A BIG thank you to you for getting the funding for our days at Bake Lakes. Everyone had a brilliant time and Bob and his helpers were really great, making sure that everyone got the most out of their session. If there is any chance of us having another day sometime we would definitely be interested.
Many thanks
Theresa Burt

Echo Physical Disability Resource Centre
The Echo Centre is a purpose-built, multi-functional resource centre that offers a wide range
of services and activities to people with physical disabilities living in the Caradon area of
Cornwall. The centre's aim is to provide a quality service that promotes independence, social
inclusion, empowerment and rehabilitation and offers carers a break.
ECHO facilitates opportunities and experiences for people with physical disabilities,
encouraging personal fulfilment, self-worth and reintegration into the community.

We have funded the centre for the third year to enable five days coarse fishing at Bake Lakes.
The enjoyment that the people get is un-measurable.

  Angling Under Threat

Illegal imports of live fish generate more comment than any other facet of angling. Most anglers believe illegal imports damage angling and should be stopped. Others feel that foreign fish should be allowed onto secure enclosed, licensed sites. A few in the angling fraternity feel that movements of live fish should be de-regulated, and that fishery owners should be allowed to introduce whatever species they like, irrespective of origin. Some angling media display a mixed stance: one minute fighting against illegal imports and the next publishing articles that are slyly supportive. The long-term ecological and environmental impact of foreign fish is unknown. We know that Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC), Koi Herpesvirus (KHV) and exotic varieties of parasites have been found on previous illegal imports and movements, and many of our fish may have died as a result. Even healthy looking fish can carry viruses. One infected fish can wipe out all healthy stock – years’ worth of good management lost by one cheap fish. Diseases can only be destroyed by complete drain-downs, the slaughter of stock and disinfection. Even then, there is often no guarantee of complete eradication. For this reason, laws exist to stop the spread of disease. All imports of live fish into Great Britain must be accompanied by a movement document declaring the fish are free of disease. These documents are only issued by the veterinary authorities in the country of origin. Also, prior notice of the import must be provided to Cefas. Any import that fails to meet these criteria is illegal. A sensible solution is for the angling fraternity to work together with regulators – such as the Fish Health Inspectorate, based at Cefas and the Environment Agency – before irreversible damage is caused.

Illegal Importation and Movements – Why Smuggle Fish?

Put simply: to make huge amounts of money. Latest police intelligence suggests organised crime groups now view illegally importing fish, and particularly carp, as a lucrative business opportunity with low risks.
An illegal 50lb carp from Europe is worth up to £20,000 in the UK. And carp can be bought cheaply from non-approved sites on the Continent.
Smuggling has spread to England and Wales. People are now moving fish illegally without applying for permission from the Environment Agency. This has the potential to destroy wild waters through the spread of disease and also non-native or invasive species.

 Fish & Tackle Theft

Thieves remove specimen fish from waters, depriving anglers of their sport. These fish often take years to grow and are invaluable to our fisheries. Even migratory salmonid stocks are under pressure. In many rivers they are being taken out of season, sometimes through illegal methods.
Tackle theft is also increasing at an alarming rate, as reports in the angling press and comments on internet angling forums attests. In spite of that, many anglers don’t give security a second thought. Some anglers store thousands of pounds worth of fishing tackle in flimsy garden sheds – only secured by a cheap padlock. In addition, people have been known to be followed home from matches only to find their gear has been stolen after the fact. Thieves can easily break into poorly secured sheds and garages. Thieves and organised criminals with knowledge of angling dispose of stolen tackle through the internet and car boot sales, selling it at a fraction of its true value. So security on the riverbank, just as at home, is important. Keep your gear close by and be vigilant at all times. If you see any suspicious activities, report it to your venue staff. If you witness a crime, call the police.

 Who Can Stop This?

 Fortunately, there are only a small number of individuals and groups involved in such known criminal activity. These criminals ensure that other people are implicated in these crimes, through hiring a driver, and often a vehicle, to take all the risk.
You can help to combat these crimes by taking more responsibility for your sport and providing information on illegal activity. With your help we can then target the right people: the ring leaders, the organisers, the individuals who stand to make the biggest profits – those with no care or interest in your sport or the welfare of the animals.
It couldn’t be easier to help. Through a new partnership with Crimestoppers you can now leave information completely anonymously: either online or by telephone on 0800 555 111.
•    You won’t be asked your name.
•    There is no 1471 facility.
•    Calls are not recorded.
•    You will speak to an experienced operator.
•    No personal details are recorded, e.g. age, gender, ethnic origin.
•    You will never be asked to attend a police station, make a statement or attend court.

You can trust Crimestoppers: it has never broken its promise about anonymity in more than 23 years since the initiative began.

November 2011

One of the questions many people ask me when they find out I’m an angler is what got me into it and why is it such a big part of my life. My response always is, “My Dad got me into the sport and for that I am eternally grateful.” Angling like with many of us, to me is more than just a hobby, it is my life and everything I do, the people I know and my career revolves around that one hobby. Fishing For Everyone was first created in 2005 from the adolescent idea that I wanted to encourage more people, in particular more females into the sport of angling. I was young at the time and wanted to make a difference for the good. Although things didn’t happen overnight, over a period of time I feel I’ve established myself as a dedicated and proactive role model for ladies in the sport.

Many people do not realise it but in fact the FFE website was just that to begin with– an information website before a year following its initial launch it was developed into an e-commerce website selling ladies angling clothing and accessories, and later on, my coaching services. Although I’m only 24 years old now, two years ago I decided I wanted to give something back to my community and so went about founding the Fishing For Everyone Ladies Fishing Club, an angling club dedicated to encouraging more ladies into the sport of angling. Although it wasn’t an easy task, in its first year the Club proved such a success that by year two we applied for official angling Club status and a committee was put in place, along with club rules and a constitution. Today the Club hold regular events every month covering all angling disciplines from fly fishing to predator, sea and coarse fishing.

The club is open to all females and junior members under the age of 17. I stand as Chairman and I’m very proud of what we’ve created. Recently someone asked me, what’s in it for you, why do you give up your free weekend’s to voluntarily run a ladies fishing club? Why not I often say back... there are few things I’d rather be doing. Seeing the faces of those young and old catch their first fish does it for me every time... it’s more than just catching fish, it’s an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives. Since forming the club I’ve qualified as a level 2 UKCC Game Angling Coach and the youngest female coach of this description in the UK. Knowing this fact is a huge honour for me and actually quite a scary thought. I love coaching and like to get out regularly – it’s in my blood, young and old, male and female – it doesn’t matter.

As well as running my own business and standing as Chairman of a fishing club I also work full time for world renowned fishing tackle manufacturer, Hardy & Greys. I’ve been with the company for nearly four years and love the variety of the job. Recently I have attended various enterprise days in local schools and

workshops where I have given motivational talks.Many have asked, do you think you are a success or where do you want to be in five years time? I like to get them thinking and ask them what determines success. Is it making money, having a nice house or flash car or is it achieving what you’ve always wanted, being happy in yourself, self assured and confident with the person you are. For me, it’s certainly the latter.

Fishing and the great friends I’ve met along the way have made me who I am today... I’m sure no other industry can do the same. As for where do I want to be in five years time, I often look back five years ago when I was 19 and never had an inclination I’d ever be where I am today so the answer simply is, who knows – happy, healthy and successful I hope. Bring on the fishing!
 

 Contact Details

Web: www.fishingforeveryone.com
Email: [email protected]
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