A pre-elected committee including representatives of local angling clubs, a fisheries consultant, a biodiversity officer and a Barbel Society representative have come together to form a new fisheries consultative especially for the Loddon catchment, under the guidance of Environment Agency fisheries officer Dominic Martyn.
There are more than 50 fisheries consultatives throughout Britain, which provide an ‘ear to the ground’ for those concerned with river and stillwater improvement and protection. Consultative groups can highlight issues ranging from habitat damage to prosecutions after environmental damage from grass roots up to Government level.
Until now, the Loddon has not established its own organisation to raise awareness of these types of topics. This summer though, the Loddon Consultative held its first two meetings at Hurst Golf Club near Reading, to pin down the aims and objectives of the group as well as sharing information and learning about the wide range of fisheries within the catchment and what a consultative should do.
Sixty five people attended the two meetings, which included a talk by the River Thame Consultative on their achievements so far and details of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust’s project to reduce silt input into rivers. A lecture from the Wild Trout Trust informed members of the benefits of woody debris in rivers and Thames Water’s pollution prevention team shared the company’s future plans and challenges.
The Loddon Consultative plans to meet four times a year, with the next meeting taking place on Tuesday 22 January 2008. The sessions are open to anyone with an interest in the Loddon catchment.
In fact, research and reporting on problems raised by members has already begun within the Environment Agency fisheries team, with river enhancements already planned for 2008. Funds have already been donated, bid for and raised by members to achieve the goal of improving the river’s ecosystem.
Dominic Martyn, an Environment Agency fisheries officer said “Without consultatives, problems within rivers, still waters and canals may never come to light. This can result in poor management and impoverished fish and wildlife. The formation of the Loddon Consultative will help safeguard water environments in the Loddon catchment. All of the different groups who use and enjoy the river will be able to work together so that future generations can continue to enjoy these water environments.”
Anyone interested in attending the next meeting of the consultative should contact Paul Stokes (Consultative Secretary) at paul@stokes9086.freeserve.co.uk or Dominic Martyn at dominic.martyn@environment-agency.gov.uk or calling 01276 454 538
