Fisheries Minister to open Institute of Fisheries Management Conference

NEWS RELEASE

The Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon will open the 42nd Annual Conference of the Institute of Fisheries Management on Tuesday 18th October, 2011, in Oxford.

The conference, entitled ‘The Rejuvenating Role of Urban Fisheries in the Big Society’ will be exploring the topical issue of local delivery, and angling groups will claim that the ‘Big Society’ concept has always applied to them.

Topics covered include ecosystem services, flood risk management and sustainability, habitat restoration, socio-economics, education and training. Papers will describe the value of partnerships between business, regulators and local communities covering both large and small-scale projects. These range from the success of the River Wandle restoration to the clean-up of the Manchester Ship Canal and the controversial Thames Tideway Tunnel.

Other subjects tackled include climate change, hydropower and the roll out of the Water Framework Directive. There is also a North American perspective on urban fisheries, given by the President of the Fisheries Management Section of the American Fisheries Society. Joining the Minister on the first day will be the Chairman of the Environment Agency Lord Chris Smith who will deliver the Sir Hugh Fish Memorial Lecture.

The three day conference will be held at the Barcelo Oxford Hotel from 18-20th October, 2011.