Anglers' Net

A nail biting and exciting finish saw England's lionesses secure a bronze medal at the inaugural ladies World Carp Cup held at Villeneuve de la Rhao, Perpignan, France last weekend. Home nation France took the honours with a magnificent display that secured them two section wins and a second. Their unbeatable four points could not be matched. It wasn't plain sailing though as, with just over 12 hours to go both Romania and England threatened the top podium place. France held firm through the latter stages with a string of fish to take a convincing and well deserved gold. They also secured individual gold and silver medal positions with individual bronze going to Romania. The team battle for silver and bronze raged right to the wire, with Romania and England changing places right up to the last 30 minutes of the 72 hour event. In the end the score sheet showed a tie for second place with both England and Romania scoring eight points. Tie back rules look at the greatest combined weight and the honours went to Romania, whose combined score was a mere 26 kilograms greater than England's. England Manager Rob Hughes had nothing but praise for all the teams. “France were outstanding in every way and made the most of their home advantage. They absolutely deserved gold. Romania and England were very evenly matched and it was virtually impossible to call who would win between the two teams. In the end it was Romania that won, but a couple of extra fish for us and it would have gone the other way. We certainly can't grumble with the result and it shows how good also how even the level of competition is. All of the teams from all of the showed a fantastic spirit of fair play and battle hard for their countries. The history of women's carp fishing competitions is now well and truly established. Discussions are currently in place for the hosting of next year's event. Click here to view the full article

One of the main reasons people become volunteers is to make a difference - for a group of Angling Trust volunteers it has also made a difference to their lives, too. The experience gained by five members of our Voluntary Bailiff Service has helped them to land dream jobs with the Environment Agency and the Police. Former Royal Marine Lee Pacheco joined the Voluntary Bailiff Service in the South East when it launched its pilot project seven years ago. He became one of the first warranted Phase 2 volunteer bailiffs in 2016 and soon afterwards realised his dream when the Environment Agency, Thames Area, appointed him as full-time Fisheries Enforcement Officer. Lee said: “I wanted to be proactive in looking after the fisheries in my area and the Angling Trust Voluntary Bailiff Service provided training and joint patrols with Environment Agency officers and the police. I went on to be selected for the Phase 2 scheme and went through more training to gain a warrant to be able to check rod licences on the bank. Now I have my dream job with the Environment Agency. Martynas Pranaitis says he is “enjoying every minute of his role as Fisheries Enforcement Officer with the Environment Agency. Like Lee, Martynas became a Phase 1 volunteer bailiff in the South East before joining the Angling Trust's Building Bridges team as a part-time Project Officer. In 2016 he was selected as a Phase 2 warranted volunteer bailiff before his appointment with the Environment Agency. Martynas, who is Lithuanian and has a Masters' Degree in Ecology & Environmental Sciences, added: “In my role I continue to learn and assist with the vital work carried out by the Environment Agency. The only way forward is for European communities to embrace the law and culture of their adopted countries, as I have. As well as enjoying my role I'm an addicted angler, fishing for any species. Barry Wildish says he is “incredibly proud at being involved in the Voluntary Bailiff Service and gained valuable experience and training. He is now a team member of the Environment Agency's River Mole Operations Team. Barry said: “I'm out on the river most days. We look after the Environment Agency's assets on the Mole and respond to any flooding and blockages. It's a varied role, I can be chain sawing and winching out trees one day and clearing grills, cutting hedges and grass cutting the next day. We work at some beautiful sites full of rare wildlife which is the best part of my job, as I'm a bit of a wildlife enthusiast. “The Angling Trust has been a huge support on my local river and for my local fishing club where I am head bailiff. Lifelong angler James Sarkar has a degree in fisheries management from Sparsholt College and been Volunteer Bailiff in the Midlands for many years. Having recently successfully completed his initial Police Community Support Officer training with West Mercia Police, James said: “There is no doubt that my knowledge of intelligence-led policing gained through the Voluntary Bailiff Service was of great help to me during the selection process and training. I would recommend joining the VBS to anyone interested in making a difference or pursuing a career in law enforcement. Mike Shuttleworth was a Police Community Support Officer with Gloucestershire Constabulary when he became heavily involved with Operation Leviathan, the multi-agency initiative tackling illegal fishing and poaching. As a result, Mike became a Volunteer Bailiff for the Angling Trust and helped co-ordinate the force's contribution to this aspect of rural crime. Recently, Mike has been appointed Police Constable. Mike, a lifelong angler, said: “My experience with the police assisting the Environment Agency and VBS has been a massively positive one, I have helped co-ordinate and partake in several operations checking licences and illegal fishing all over Gloucestershire. It has really helped push fishing and crime on the waterways to the forefront of the rural crime team. I am hoping that I can carry on helping in my new role which with warranted powers will enable me to check licences. The Angling Trust has really helped push enforcement forward and bring everybody together especially with VBS. Angling Trust's National Enforcement Manager Dilip Sarkar MBE said: “We are very proud of all our volunteers. That a number have now gone on to full-time roles with the Environment Agency and police is clear evidence of both the quality of our people and wider benefits of volunteering generally and the VBS specifically. Congratulations to all involved. Kevin Austin, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency, said: “The Voluntary Bailiff Service provides an excellent way for anglers to gain enforcement experience and give something back to their sport. I am delighted that for Lee, Martynas and Barry it has helped to secure a job at the Environment Agency. There is nothing better than doing a job you love and volunteering can be the first step for someone into a fulfilling and rewarding career in fisheries. The Voluntary Bailiff Service is part of the Angling Trust's Fisheries Enforcement Support Service which operates in partnership with the Environment Agency and is funded by income from fishing licence sales. Click here to view the full article

The High Court has ruled that a decision by Cumbria County Council to allow United Utilities to continue using a temporary sewage outfall at Kendal Wastewater Treatment Works for another 12 months was unlawful. In a judgement handed down last Friday, the council was found not to have properly considered the environmental impact of the decision on the River Kent and its highly protected species. Cumbria County Council conceded before the case went to Court that it had not followed the correct legal process when granting planning permission for the temporary outfall in October 2018. However, United Utilities decided to step into the council's shoes and defend the claim brought on behalf of the Kent (Westmorland) Angling Association by the environmental organisation Fish Legal, arguing that the council's permission was indeed valid. United Utilities' works, which deals with sewage and trade effluent from the population of 15,500 people in Kendal, was badly damaged during Storm Desmond in December 2016 and the permanent outfall was washed away. Three years later, the company has yet to reinstate the original outfall, relying in the meantime on a temporary solution put in place in the immediate aftermath of the flooding. Kent Angling Association, which has 150 members, was concerned that the impact of the temporary outfall on water quality needs to be properly considered to avoid harm to protected species found in the River Kent. These include white-clawed crayfish, bullhead, freshwater pearl mussels and Atlantic salmon. Chris Preston, treasurer of the Kent (Westmorland) Angling Association said: “The old sewage outfall was in a part of the river that was fast flowing meaning anything nasty could be carried away. The temporary outfall discharges into slow flowing water upstream of a weir. It must be having an effect on this part of the river and its wildlife and it is incumbent on the Council to properly consider its environmental impacts. He added: “Ultimately, we want United Utilities to invest in reinstating the old outfall. Until then, this well-resourced company and Cumbria County Council need to take their environmental responsibilities seriously and look properly at what the temporary outfall is doing to this particular stretch of the river." Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal said: “The River Kent has a long history as a salmon and sea trout fishing river and as a haven for endangered wildlife but it is under threat from pollution. United Utilities need to draw-up viable alternatives for discharging from the Kendal works as a matter of urgency, not rely on the assumption that a poorly-sited outfall can continue indefinitely. He added: “Fish Legal has only been able to help its member angling club challenge the Council and the water company in court because of the collective support of our whole membership. Click here to view the full article

Following three consecutive dry years across much of Britain, river levels and groundwater supplies are now in such a depleted state in the water-stressed South East that wildlife organisations and river groups have published a call for the Government and Water Companies to introduce hosepipe bans and other water restrictions immediately to avert fish kills and longer term environmental damage. Little Hornmead Bury Their dossier 'Chalk Streams in Crisis' was published today and includes case studies from the rivers Lea, Chess, Ver, Wandle, Hogsmill, Darent and Cray - all South East chalk rivers suffering from over abstraction and damaging low flows. The Environment Agency's April 2019 Monthly Water Situation Report shows the parlous state of many rivers in the region with Kent's River Darent running at 55 per cent of its long-term average flow. In Hertfordshire, the Ver is at 45 per cent and the Upper Lea at 37 per cent. The figures for May will be even worse given the lack of recent rainfall. In Cambridgeshire, the monthly mean flow on the River Cam was the lowest April flow since records began in 1949. 60% of Environment Agency indicator sites in their April 2019 report describe chalk groundwater levels (across England) as below normal or notably low. The water is simply not down there to recharge the rivers. A combination of rising demand, increasing population and the effects of climate change are simply causing our rivers to wither and shrink, and in some cases to disappear completely for much of their natural length. The problems are particular acute in the river Colne and Lea catchments in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where the local water company Affinity has no reservoirs and relies almost entirely on groundwater abstractions. The group of 12 organisations including the Angling Trust, the Wild Trout Trust, Chilterns Chalk Streams Project and Rivers and Wildlife Trusts covering most of the Home Counties, wrote to Environment Agency Chief Executive Sir James Bevan ahead of this week's National Drought Group Meeting pressing the case for urgent action now to drive down demand and to save water. Writing on behalf of the group, Angling Trust Policy Chief Martin Salter said: “There is no doubt that we are on the verge of a water shortage crisis in the South and East of England, which is already impacting our chalk streams and other rivers. Many of these globally rare habitats already have long dry sections and some of the chalk streams in the Chilterns and Hertfordshire have been dry for years. "We wanted to write to you ahead of the meeting to press you to encourage the water companies to follow their drought plans including the implementation of water restrictions and temporary use bans and not to wait until further damage is done to rivers already experiencing dangerously low flows. "We sincerely hope that we are not going to see our rivers sacrificed to avoid restrictions on either agriculture or domestic customers for the sake of nothing more than political expediency. Former musician and Angling Trust Ambassador Feargal Sharkey - who is also a keen fly fisherman and river advocate - added: “After decades of over abstraction coupled with regulatory inertia, the 2019 drought has finally tipped our chalk streams over the edge. The fields of Southern England are becoming littered with the decaying remnants of our globally unique, once pristine, precious river ecosystems - our chalk streams. It is now time for government to act, it is now time for government to show leadership, it is now time to let our rivers flow again. Paul Jennings, Chairman of the River Chess Association added: “The failure of successive governments to invest in reservoir storage and bear down on both demand and wasted water means that the gap between supplying water to customers and protecting the environment has become a yawning chasm. "We need immediate hosepipe bans, a public education campaign on water saving and the roll out of universal water metering coupled with a massive increase in storage capacity to allow for meaningful reform of our outdated abstraction regime. "Policy simply has to change or we will continue to see the devastation of these wonderful, globally significant, chalk stream habitats to the point where they may no longer exist. 85% of the world's chalk streams are in England and we have both a moral and a legal duty to protect them from undue harm. Click here to view the full article

Wet and windy conditions greeted the 95 anglers at this latest Fish 'O' Mania qualifier held at Monk Lakes, Kent on Saturday 8th June, with conditions on the day making fishing difficult for everyone taking part. Drennan Bordon angler Luke Gasson, a Landscape Gardener from Surrey turned up early on the day to buy one of a few 'on-spec' tickets available and confirmed this was his first Fish 'O' Mania qualifier he had fished. Luke went on to draw a highly fancied peg 123 on Lake 3. A steady flow of carp followed on meat in the margins with his biggest fish being 10lbs secured that all important win on the day and his Fish 'O' Mania final qualifying spot with 186-14-0. Runner up Mark Griffiths, (Guru/Mainline Match) from Northampton fished pellets on the long pole to take carp to 14lb in his net of 161-8-0 from peg 67 on Lake 2. Third place fell to another newcomer fishing his first Fish 'O' Mania qualifier, Jeffrey Driscoll on peg 115 fished pellet on the pole to take carp to 15lb on Lake 3 in his 159-0-0 net. In fourth place saw Tony Gilbert from peg 69 on Lake 2 landing 144-0-0. The Angling Trust would like to thank Morgan and his fishery staff at Monk Lakes for being such good hosts and to Mark Morris for all his hard work on the day running the qualifier. The next Fish 'O' Mania qualifier takes place at Partridge Lakes, Warrington on Wednesday 12th June. How to Book Tickets Tickets for the Fish'O'Mania XXVI qualifiers will again be sold via the Angling Trust events booking website HERE. Ticket prices have once more remained the same at £25 per qualifier. Results 1st Luke Gasson 186-14-0 2nd Mark Griffiths 161-8-0 3rd Jeffrey Driscoll 159-0-0 4th Tony Gilbert 144-0-0 5th Tony Curd 136-12-0 6th Pete Upperton 132-12-0 Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Taylor as its new Competition Support Officer. Andy brings a wealth of experience gained within angling and the fishery management sector having lectured in fishery management for twenty years and assisted in the management of his parent's commercial trout fishery for thirty years. Andy was the editor of Total FlyFisher magazine and is now the editor of the quarterly Today's FlyFisher magazine, he is a qualified game angling instructor and currently part of the Wychwood ProTeam Andy is a familiar face on the Game angling competition circuit and has represented England at both Loch Style and Bank disciplines along with competing in the national river's final. Andy is the current English National Bank Champion and will form part of the England team in the Home International in Ireland late this year, his wealth of competition experience will be a huge asset to the Angling Trust. Andy said “I have been involved in competition fly fishing since the Benson and Hedges team competition and the Fly Dressers Guild John Watts boat matches and have enjoyed pitting my fishing skills against some of the best UK anglers. During this time, I have learnt so much, made some great friends and fished at some exceptional fisheries. I feel now is the time to give something back to an area of angling that I am passionate about. I'm looking forward to working with the many anglers, volunteers and the small team with the competitions department of the Angling Trust to develop competition fishing at all levels. It is important that we have a thriving competition scene in all disciplines, a vibrant and successful youth provision, and gold medal winning National, European and World teams. Senior Competitions Officer Ben Thompson said “We are delighted to have Andy join the team. His knowledge and experience of the competition scene will add significant value to the department and his appointment will enable us to develop existing and new competitions over the coming year. I am sure he will be a success in the role, and I look forward to working with him. Andy will be working with the Angling Trust for eighteen and a half hours per week. He will initially focus on the game angling competitions in England, working closely with Team England Fly Fishing, England Youth, the Elite Performance Programme and England Ladies. Andy can be contacted at:email: andy.taylor@anglingtrust.net Click here to view the full article

Thames Water's famous Walthamstow reservoirs put on a great show for a group of anglers from Parliament and the Angling Trust which included the capture of a stunning, personal best 37lbs 7oz mirror carp by North Cornwall MP Scott Mann. Scott's mirror carp was caught from Reservoir no.2 and fell to a chod rig and bright yellow pop-up, over a light bed of loosefeed. It was the biggest of a four fish haul including three others over 20lbs. The All-Party Parliamentary Angling Group trip was organised by former MP Martin Salter, who now works as Policy Chief for the Angling Trust, and hosted by Will Barnard, Angling Development Manager for Thames Water. The Walthamstow complex has had a major restocking of carp following a partial fish kill two years ago. The new carp are clearly thriving as Martin caught over 25 fish to 21lbs in a 24 hour session while targeting bream on the No.1 Reservoir. His colleague James Champkin was more successful with the bream in No.2 with 17 fish to 11lbs 12ozs included eight over 10lbs. Scott Mann said: "It was great to get away from the Parliamentary hothouse and spend some quality time with the guys from the Angling Trust fishing on Thames Water's amazing Walthamstow fishery in the heart of London. It's good see a water company opening up their reservoirs to the community, especially when they offer anglers like myself a chance of landing personal best specimens in fabulous surroundings." Scott is MP for North Cornwall and a very keen all-rounder who also enjoys sea and fly fishing besides carp. He is a prominent member of the All-Party Parliamentary Angling Group, a group of MPs who are all active anglers looking to support recreational fishing wherever they can. Martin Salter added: “ We are lucky to have the support of MPs like Scott Mann and his other colleagues in Parliament and we do our best to get them out on the bank to learn more about the issues that matter to fish and fishing. Of course, it's even better if we can help them catch the fish of their dreams! Thames Water's Will Barnard said: “After a tricky period our Walthamstow fishery is thriving again. We have some of the best bream and carp fishing in the country available at an affordable price in the middle of our capital city. As a company, Thames is wholly committed to opening up as many of our facilities as possible to sport and recreation. Click here to view the full article

Retirement Present Andy Matthews, just demobbed from British Transport Police, had a great retirement present in the shape of a new record mirror of 61-04 from Wingham Carp Lake. Andy takes up the story: "Black Spot is the fish I've wanted to catch ever since Steve invited me to join the Wingham Carp Lake syndicate all those years ago. I must admit that after the outrageous good fortune I've had over the years, bringing me the Long Common at 55-08 plus the sadly missed but never to be forgotten Big Plated at 52lb in the same session, and then Bob's Common at 52-08, I really thought I was asking too much to capture Black Spot. "When I arrived on Tuesday for a 48 hour trip I was just happy to be back at the lake fishing and relaxing, listening to all the birds singing and seeing more Cuckoos than I have in years. I was getting ready to take a few sunset photos and had just made myself a cup of tea when at 19:15 I had 2 bleeps on my right hand rod. I looked up thinking it was probably a bird that had knocked my line, only to see the line cutting through the water as my rod tip started to bend round, followed by the clutch starting to scream as line was taken. I was on the rod in a flash and felt the satisfying pull of a fish as it began to kite to my left over the plateau at speed, which deceived me into thinking it was a smaller one. I turned her by the far side of the plateau, and was then treated to one of the best fights I've ever had. She kept going backwards and forwards in front of me. I slowly gained line, although I kept having to give back what I'd gained. After what seemed an age she was going round in front of me but stayed deep. I'd long since realised this was a big fish, however due to the setting sun I couldn't see her. After what seemed an age she came up in front of me and I saw the black spot on her side meaning I had the Lady of the Lake and I started shaking. I sank the net, she glided in and she was mine! I wanted to shout and jump and down I was so elated! The battle had lasted almost 45 minutes and my arms were aching. When I lifted her onto the scales I couldn't believe it when they went round and settled on 61lb 4oz. I checked the weight 3 times and then took the photos, which was not easy as I was still shaking so much - I think I was in shock. Then it was time to return her to her home, and as I allowed the unhooking mat and sling to fill with water I felt her slowly move over my hand as she glided off into the depths, leaving me with the memory of a lifetime to add to the other 50lb+ carp that Wingham has given me." Wingham fishery manager Steve Burke commented, "Everything is very late this year at Wingham and the carp have not long woken up. Indeed, pike were spawning 3 days after Andy's catch! With no hot weather forecast for us there's plenty of time for Black Spot to put on a several more pounds before spawning." Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust & Fish Legal are to recruit a new Chief Executive following the appointment of Mark Lloyd as the new CEO of The Rivers Trust. Mark has announced that he will be leaving the Angling Trust & Fish Legal this summer to take up his new role leading the umbrella charity for more than 60 member river trusts, working to protect, promote and enhance freshwater ecosystems. Mark has headed up the Angling Trust & Fish Legal for 10 years and oversaw the historic unification of angling organisations in 2009. He had previously served for 5 years as the Executive Director of the Anglers' Conservation Association, the forerunner of Fish Legal. Mark Lloyd said: “It's very difficult to leave an organisation which I helped create 10 years ago and have seen grow and develop into a powerful and influential voice for all forms of angling. Of course it will be very hard to say goodbye to the staff, volunteers and members who have all helped make the vision of a united, professional representative body for all anglers become a reality. However, I am very excited about my new role at The Rivers Trust and the opportunity to focus on finding solutions to the environmental degradation of our precious rivers, which is where my career started. I'd like to thank everyone who has supported the Angling Trust & Fish Legal over the past decade and I am confident that both organisations are well-placed to continue growing to meet the challenges for fish and fishing long into the future. We have built a solid financial foundation with several, important long-term funding agreements in place worth more than £1.5 million annually. We have a really strong senior management group, leading teams of highly-committed staff and volunteers, working towards a clearly-defined strategy, so I feel confident for the future of these fantastic organisations. Mark will continue to work closely with the Angling Trust & Fish Legal to influence public policy in his new role through a collaborative initiative with WWF-UK and The Rivers Trust to restore healthy river catchments which is being supported by a number of charitable funding organisations. Martin Salter, Policy Chief for the Angling Trust said: “When I was the Member of Parliament responsible for liaising with angling bodies from 1997 to 2010, there was a hopeless mess of disparate and often warring organisations which made angling look pretty amateurish. Ministers made it clear that they wanted to see increased unification in sport and so I worked closely with Mark and others to support the creation of a new unified body that could represent all forms of angling with professionalism and real firepower. Mark has brought in significant new funding which has allowed the Angling Trust & Fish Legal to grow and offer new services and support for both angling and fisheries. He leaves behind a strong and effective organisation and it's good that we will be continuing to work with him on improving the health of our rivers. George Stephenson, Chairman of the Angling Trust said: “We are very sad to see Mark leave a job he has carried out for 10 years with huge personal commitment, sacrifice and dedication. The Angling Trust & Fish Legal wouldn't be what they are today without Mark's outstanding leadership. We wish him all the best in his new role and look forward to working closely in partnership with The Rivers Trust to continue fighting for a healthy future for our water environment. Keith Arthur, Angling Trust Ambassador and veteran broadcaster added: “In 10 years the Angling Trust has accomplished a lot more than I thought it ever could: certainly the whole has proved to be significantly greater than the sum of the disparate parts which represented different facets of coarse, sea and game fishing that went before. "Mark's decision to leave will make The Rivers Trust far stronger, of that there is no doubt and gives the Angling Trust the opportunity to find someone to take the baton from Mark and run the next leg of the relay. That person must have a vision that will take angling towards even greater unity. The single representative body has provided the bedrock, now it needs someone to inspire more anglers of all disciplines to come together and help the sport push its way towards greater recognition and influence. Mark's legacy is an excellent one: Angling is in a far better place as a sport than it was 10 years ago and that cannot be wasted. Details of how to apply for the role of Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal are on the Angling Trust web site at www.anglingtrust.net/vacancies. The closing date is Monday 29th April, 2019. Click here to view the full article

The river's high! Bailiffs discover bags of cannabis dumped in the River Nene When volunteer bailiff Roy Bridson was alerted by a Whittlesey Angling Club partner to black bin bags dumped in the River Nene in Cambridgeshire, he suspected something fishy was going on. He and his fellow bailiff managed to haul one of the bags to the riverbank - and found it filled with cannabis plants. Roy, a member of the Angling Trust's Voluntary Bailiff Service, alerted the police and together they recovered 30 rubbish and carrier bags from the river near Whittlesey, mostly containing cannabis plants, roots, cuttings and buds ready to be sold. Meanwhile, whilst out on patrol recently in Essex, VBS Area Coordinator Iain Fraser found a dumped safe - minus its contents which had been removed - that had been forcibly opened using oxy acetylene. Both incidents are further examples of how criminals are using rural environments to further their crimes and proof, if needed, that the VBS is benefitting the whole of society and not just the angling community. Paul Thomas, Angling Trust's Regional Enforcement Manager for the East of England, said:“Our volunteer bailiffs are the eyes and ears at the waterside and are trained to report suspicious activity to the police and Environment Agency to a high evidential standard. These recent finds prove how worthwhile their roles have become - they are a credit to angling and society in general. The Voluntary Bailiff Service is part of the Angling Trust's Fisheries Enforcement Support Service, run in partnership with the Environment Agency and funded by fishing licence income. Volunteer bailiffs are always on the lookout for signs of illegal fishing, poaching, set lines and nets but every so often they come across more sinister activity. A few years ago, bailiffs on patrol near Reading found a cache of deadly firearms, including a magnum handgun and an Uzi submachine gun. On another occasion, an angler spotted a group of poachers and reported the registration number of a suspicious vehicle to the Angling Trust enforcement team. The information was immediately passed on to the police - and the vehicle was traced to a wanted killer on the run from mainland Europe who was tracked down and arrested. Anyone witnessing an illegal fishing incident in progress can report it directly to the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Information on illegal fishing and environmental crime can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Click here to view the full article

Recreational anglers fishing for bass are to be allowed to retain up to one bass per day from April 1st-31st October 2019 after EU fisheries ministers thrashed out an agreement in the early hours of Wednesday morning. It's a disappointing result for anglers who were campaigning for the bag limit to be increased to three or two bass per day based on scientific estimates indicating this was sustainable. The UK government agreed such an increase would be proportionate and pushed hard for an increase in the bag limit but received no support from other EU countries as well as opposition from the EU Commission which, contrary to the scientific estimates, argued that two fish per day would lead to a doubling in the amount of bass removed by recreational fishing. Bass is beginning to recover after reaching critically low levels in 2014 and although the shoots of recovery are starting to be seen last year's measures were not as effective as hoped and the EU Commission was very robust this year in making sure the recovery is built on with limited additional targeted fishing in 2019. However, the Council of Ministers did agree to moderate increases in commercial hook & line limits from 5t to 5.5t per year; bycatch limits for trawls from 100kg per month up to 400kg per two months (but still no more than 1 per cent of catch per day); seines from 180kg per month up to 210kg per month (but still no more than 1 per cent per day); and fixed nets up from 1.2t per month to 1.4t in 2019. The proposed percentage of catch per trip limit for fixed nets was dropped completely in the final deal meaning, for the third year running, the UK has agreed to unenforceable 'unavoidable bycatch' restrictions for fixed netting. David Mitchell, Angling Trust's Head of Marine, who was in Brussels for the negotiations, said: “We are disappointed by the result. It looks like, once again, the UK was a lone voice sticking up for recreational fishing. However, as we know, in the EU process you can't achieve anything on your own. We were astonished that the Commission assumed two bass per day would increase the number of bass taken recreationally by 100 per cent when Cefas evidence clearly indicated it would lead to only a 23 per cent increase. This is something we will be asking the UK government to take up with the Commission in the New Year. A small comfort for anglers is that they are now able to retain bass for seven months in 2019 and from April to October, which is more useful for more anglers than 2017's July to December bag limit. Overall, commercial and recreational fishing have seen moderate increases in what they are able to land which reflect a slight improvement in the stock, but there is still a long road to full recovery ahead. David Curtis, Director of Save Our Seabass, who was also present in Brussels for the negotiations said: “Sea anglers, the most valuable economic stakeholders in the bass fishery, now have less than a 17 per cent share of the total catch. So much for proportionate measures! And our fisheries minister and Defra have forced the EU Commission to drop their proposal which would have stopped fixed netters illegally targeting bass - they should hang their heads in shame. Click here to view the full article

NEWS FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE Riverkeepers of the Test and Itchen raised more than £1,500 for Fishing for Schools with a fundraising football match on Sunday (4 November). The match, at River park Leisure Centre in Winchester, was the brainchild of Itchen riverkeeper Simeon Hay and saw six keepers and friends square up on behalf of each of the legendary chalk streams. The target had been to raise £250 for Fishing for Schools with the event, but the support and generosity of friends and family has meant they surpassed that many times over. Fishing for Schools director Charles Jardine, who dusted off his football boots after half a century for the match, said: “I would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who took part, both on the pitch and on the sidelines. It was a fabulous day and I'm delighted to say that my team, the Itchen, prevailed, winning 11-5. “It was a very hard-fought game, with everyone playing to their utmost. It was all going to be a bit of fun until the referee blew the whistle and then we were all in it to win! Infact play was so tough, Peter Farrow playing for the Test had to visit A&E with suspected ligament damage. Simeon Hay added: “It was such a fun game and hilarious - a football pitch is hardly the natural playground for any of us, but they all put so much effort in. “We plan to make it a regular thing, maybe invite more rivers along and make it a tournament in the future. If you would like to donate to the cause, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/eleanor-parker-2?utm_id=1&utm_term=nVpR2gg6K Click here to view the full article

Tickets for the UK's first and finest commercial competition went live last week to a surge of demand, which has seen many anglers purchase their full, first round quota of two tickets. This has left some of the smaller qualifiers with a healthy following and could leave certain qualifiers near full attendance by round two, which opens on the 13th November. On the 13th November the restriction on ticket sales is lifted and seasoned anglers can purchase as many tickets as they wish, some travelling hundreds of miles to chase down the infamous title and the £50,000. To guarantee a place at your preferred qualifier and date, we're urging anglers to book on promptly to avoid disappointment. How to Book Tickets Tickets for the Fish 'O' Mania XXVI qualifiers will again be sold via the Angling Trust Events booking website HERE. Due to the high demand the Angling Trust has introduced a process that ensures all anglers who want to fish in the competition can book at least one ticket per qualifier. Ticket prices have once more remained the same at £25 per qualifier. Please note: Anglers must have individual membership of the Angling Trust available on 0343 5077 006 or on our website. Anglers are also reminded they must be 16 years and above in order to take part in the main event. Timelines for Tickets Round One: Friday 26th October - 12:00 noon. until Tuesday 6th November 23:59. Anglers will be able to book a maximum of two tickets during this round. Round Two: Tuesday 13th November 12:00 noon. There will be no restriction of the number of tickets anglers will be able to book. The Angling Trust has a 'How to Book Fish'O'Mania Tickets' guide and a short video available HERE. The step by step video provides a detailed guide to navigate members through the booking process. For any enquiries regarding the online system please call us on 0115 822 4519/ 0115 822 4532. Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust is holding a one-day conference to give anglers the chance to have their say on the future of their sport. The Future Angling Conference will collect the views of anglers, clubs, fisheries, angling trade and tackle shops and feed them directly into the new National Angling Strategy, commissioned by the Environment Agency to provide a framework for the development of angling over the next five years. The Conference is being held at West Midlands Golf Club & The Lake at Barston, Solihull, on Saturday, 17 November, and immediately follows the Angling Trust & Fish Legal Members' AGMs. It is free to attend and open to all anglers. The day will include sessions discussing what the new strategy should achieve and who should be responsible for delivering it as well as seeking views on increasing participation and the role of the Environment Agency, Angling Trust, angling trade, clubs, fisheries and coaches. There will also be two structured workshops looking at More Fishing -getting more people to go fishing and enjoy the benefits angling has to offer - and More Fish - improving fish stocks and making sure clubs and fisheries can become more sustainable. Mark Lloyd, Angling Trust & Fish Legal Chief Executive, said: “We are all aware that the angling population is ageing and not enough youngsters are coming into the sport. The Future Angling Conference is an ideal opportunity for everyone with an interest in angling to contribute to how they think angling should develop in the coming years to help reverse the decline. The Environment Agency has commissioned research company Substance to research and develop the new National Angling Strategy for 2019-2024. The strategy will consider: How more people can take part so more people benefit from angling. How angling can contribute to society in relation to health, sport and the environment. The governance and funding of angling. The development of both freshwater and sea angling. How angling can help fisheries become more sustainable. Anglers can find out more information about the Future Angling Conference and details of how to reserve a place by visiting anglingtrust.net/agm More information about the National Angling Strategy can be found at substance.net/feature-pages/nationalanglingstrategy/ Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust has announced a new partnership that will see UK based Spinlock become the Official Life Jacket Supplier to Team England's Lure fishing squad for the forthcoming year. This covers two World Championships with England hosting the 11th FIPS-ed Carnivorous Artificial Bait Boat Angling World Championships between 10th - 15th October 2018 at Rutland Water, with the squad then heading to South Africa to compete in the World Championship in February 2019. The origins of Spinlock lie in yachting and sailing and have been a widely recognised for their experience in major events such as the Americas Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race, however several of their products are also suited for other water-based sports including angling. This new partnership presents an opportunity to promote their life preserving products to the angling market, particularly the Deckvest LITE lifejacket. Ben Thompson, Senior Competitions & Performance Manager at Angling Trust, said: “Angler safety is of paramount importance and we are delighted to be working with an established company like Spinlock. While this partnership specifically supports Team England's Lure squad, we know their products will appeal to anglers in other angling disciplines. The agreement is for an initial one-year period, but we hope this is the beginning of a long-lasting relationship with Spinlock. Ash Holmes, Spinlock Ltd Technical Sales and Marketing said “We're pleased to be supporting the England Lure Squad and the Angling Trust. Each member of the team will be wearing the Deckvest LITE during the World Championships, keeping them safe whilst on the water. This is the start of a great relationship and we're looking forward to working across the wider angling community in the future." Click here to view the full article

The National Crucian Conservation Project (NCCP) is celebrating the creation of yet another bespoke crucian and tench water thanks to the vision and hard work of Wimborne and District Angling Club with help and funding from the Angling Trust and the Environment Agency. A celebratory day, organised by film maker and long-standing club member Hugh Miles, marking the restoration of the Upper Pinnock Lake at Edmondsham took place last week with special guests including: 'Crucian Guru' Peter Rolfe, Club Vice-President and Passion for Angling star Chris Yates, and Angling Trust Campaigns Chief Martin Salter who was given the job of cutting the ribbon and catching the first fish for the cameras. Upper Pinnock Lake was a former trout fishery, originally opened forty years ago, and is fed by the nearby River Crane. It had become badly silted up over the years and was in danger of disappearing altogether. Club Secretary Stuart Hitchman led the charge to bring the water back to life and applied for two separate tranches of funding totalling £30,000 from the Angling Improvement Fund under the guidance of Dean Asplin and Mark Wilton from the Angling Trust. These grants also covered improvements to other club waters including the provision of tool storage sheds, on site toilets, new swims and gravel pathways together with major improvements to help the less able. The lake at Edmondsham was dredged and the silt removed, eight brand new, disabled-friendly fishing platforms were installed and the EA's fish farm at Calverton provided 300 pure bred one-year-old crucians to go with the tench that the Club had purchased as a 'companion fish' for the crucians on the advice of Peter Rolfe. Chairman Mike Hirsh believes this is a time of real progress for the Club and said: “The opening last week was our opportunity to thank those organisations and the people in them for the help and support that Wimborne and District Angling Club has received. The Angling Trust, our landlords represented by Julia Smith and the Environment Agency have all been instrumental in helping bring the plan to fruition. It was also the opportunity to thank Peter Rolfe for his expert input and our Club's exceptional volunteers. The provision of a new water stocked with crucians and some tench will, I believe, enable Club members to have many hours of traditional fishing for years to come. Personally, I knew the day was a success once Martin Salter hooked a pristine tench on his second cast! Crucian expert and author Peter Rolfe added: “The opening of Wimborne AC's new crucian and tench lake was a great occasion. The support, organisation and the lake itself were a tribute to everyone involved. The word is spreading: four clubs in this small area alone are developing crucian fisheries, and many more are happening country-wide. That is fantastic news for the survival of the species and for the values and skills of traditional angling. Well done indeed. Martin Salter, Head of Campaigns at the Angling Trust and Chair of the NCCP, said: “It was three years ago at a Crucian Project meeting in Blandford that I first met the guys from Wimborne and District and I could tell then that they were serious about giving their club members an alternative water dedicated to the revival of these wonderful little fish. Pinnock Lake is now a cracking little water and although it will be a while before the crucians are big enough to show up in catches the tench have put on an impressive amount of weight in this weed rich environment. I have no doubt that they have created another jewel in the crown and I hope that more anglers recognise the value of all this hard work and sign up as both members of Wimborne and District and, of course, the Angling Trust. Click here to view the full article

News from Bait-Tech As part of our 10th Year Anniversary celebrations we ran a competition in conjunction with our friends at Total Carp Magazine to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a years full sponsorship. That winner - Martyn Davies! Since joining the team last year he has shown a great deal in terms of dedication, commitment and passion towards not only his own fishing but also assisting Bait-Tech with catch reports, articles and magazine features too! As a company the level of participation shown is something doesn't come along that often so we were more than happy to make Martyn a consultant on merit rather than a competition winner and is fully deserved. Martyn added: "When I won the competition it was never going to change me as a person, my attitude or even as an angler but more of that I would be lucky enough to have some exciting new products at my disposal, get to test baits and get involved with things that I normally wouldn't have had the opportunity to do. This year I have attended various shows, met lots of new people along the way, created social media content and have even appeared in & written my own magazine features. I'm over the moon to have signed a deal for another year and I hope it'll continue for the foreseeable future!" Bait-Tech Managing Director Hayley Goldsmith had this to say: "Over the last year Martyn has shown incredible dedication to the position he 'won' and letting him go wasn't going to happen! We're delighted to offer him a consultancy deal on merit for the next year and we're certain that he will continue to do a brilliant job for Bait-Tech and catch a few fish along the way!" Click here to view the full article

New from the Countryside Alliance Young fishers were victorious at a charity fishing competition at Derbyshire's Ladybower Reservoir, that raised more than £300 for Fishing for Schools. The event, on 22 September, was organised by the F4S Yorkshire and Peaks team and the money raised will go towards their courses with local schools. The winner of the top competition on the day - the best bag - was 15-year-old Luca Sutton from Clitheroe, whose catch for four fish topped the scales at 14lb 8oz. Luca also won the award for the largest fish at 6lb 4oz. Luca was fishing with his fellow England Youth Team member Isaac Slack (aged 14), who lives in Curbar. Between them they netted approaching 60 fish, meaning their boat had the greatest catch. In all 26 anglers took part in the match, catching 325 fish for an average of 12lb 8oz. The action on the water was followed by food and an auction in the nearby Ladybower Inn. Organiser Steve Newsome said: “It was a great day - we had lots of new faces and people came from far and wide to take part, including a number of young competitors. I think it is very fitting that our top fisher on the day was a teenager, Luca. Steve also asked for donations for Fishing for Schools on his birthday and personally added £80 to the pot from those. A very big thanks to Ladybower Fisheries and the Ladybower Inn for their support. Fishing for Schools is an initiative run by The Countryside Alliance Foundation (TCAF), the charitable arm of the Countryside Alliance. It provides free, short angling courses for schools across the country, to aid the education of 10 to 16-year-olds who may not respond to traditional classroom-based learning but flourish when you get them outside onto the water. It celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2017. Due to phenomenal interest in our courses, Fishing for Schools (F4S) is now operating an application process where schools use an online form to apply for our free sessions annually. Who can apply? Applications are invited from educational providers across Derbyshire and Yorkshire We welcome applications both from new schools and those that have previously participated in F4S. All schools and educational establishments are welcome to apply. Our courses are suitable for children aged 10-16 years of all educational abilities. Click here to view the full article

The 103rd Angling Trust Division 1 National Championships was held on Saturday 18th August 2018 on the middle Trent between Nottingham and Newark. 47 teams made their way to Nottingham Racecourse for the draw. The river was in great condition after a long period of hot and dry weather had seen river levels fall, water temperatures rise and only a brief break in the weather earlier in the week had eased concerns about fish welfare and had lowered temperatures. The 470 competitors were greeted with an awkward westerly wind, but the river fished extremely well in general with only one dry net. Competitors were able to use a variety of methods with pole, feeder, waggler and the occasional stick float all in evidence across the sections which required a flexible approach to maximise each pegs potential. The team event was won by Barnsley & District with a total points score of 387, giving them a comfortable margin over Team Daiwa Dorking who totalled 361 points and third placed Lincoln & District AA with 327 points. Barnsley's tactics centred around a maggot feeder approach with worm hookbait. On the Individual front Preston Innovations Thatchers, Ian Paulley is certainly having the continued success in Nationals that all competitors dream of. Having finished third individual in 2016 on the River Trent and winning a section in last year's Division One national on the Shropshire Union Canal, Ian went even further this year taking the individual title from peg E1 at NPS East Stoke with 45kgs 800grams. The peg had good form in the run up to this year's event and Ian took full advantage with a catch of 14 barbel to 7lb and 14 chub to 4lb on a hemp and caster feeder. A last cast barbel weighing 6lb secured the title for Ian, a sales manager from Blandform in Dorset who described the peg as 'every anglers dream' and only set up two feeder rods to attack his peg, with him only using one. Runner up was Andy Bradley, Mirfield AC from K27 at Rolleston where he caught bream to 5lb throughout the match to narrowly miss out on the title. His 44kgs 200grams was one fish short. It was close for third place too with Darren Taylor of Sensas North from J14 with 43kgs 550 grams. Again, bream made up Darren's catch from an area which also produced a number of other top ten finishes. Thanks and appreciation must go to Mark Morris, David Kent, Mick Gibbs, Mike Storey and Dave Watkins for all their help on the day, to the host associations Nottingham Federation, Nottingham AA, Nottingham Piscatorial Society and Newark Federation and their volunteers who worked so hard in preparing pegs, access and stewarding on the day. Thanks also to the Angling Trust, the results team and most importantly to all the anglers who came up to fish the match. Top 10 team results 1. Barnsley & District - 387 points 2. Team Daiwa Dorking 361 points 3. Lincoln & District AA - 327 points 4. Starlets AS - 325 points 5. Lifestyle Match Group - 318 points 6. Daiwa Gordon League - 317 points 7. Daiwa Doncaster D A A - 311 points 8. Scunthorpe Tackle - 309 points 9. Shakespeare Superteam Bait Tech - 306 points 10. Browning Hotrods - 283 points Top 10 Individual results 1. Ian Paulley (Preston Innovations Thatchers) - 45kgs 800grams 2. Andy Bradley (Mirfield A.C) - 44kgs 200grams 3. Darren Taylor (Sensas North) - 43kgs 550grams 4. Steve Joy (Matrix Image) - 31kgs 050grams 5. Adam Nurse (Wellingborough & District Nene) - 28kgs 0grams 6. Bob Ball (Sensas North West) - 23kgs 500grams 7. Richard Vaughan (Daiwa Doncaster D.A.A) - 20kgs 950grams 8. Roger Wakenshaw (Lincoln & District AA) - 15kgs 520grams 9. Craig Halksworth (Browning Hotrods) - 14kgs 540grams 10. Steve Webster (Tri Cast Calder) 14kgs 50grams Click here to view the full article

Angling reached another milestone this summer when over 1,000 people had a go at fishing during what has been billed as "this summer's best day out", BBC Countryfile Live 2018. Completely free fishing sessions for newcomers organised by the UK's largest angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing were one of the show's main draws. Families keen to discover the wonders of angling hurried to the waterside area to book places, and each of the 4 days of fishing were fully booked before midday. Hundreds of roach and perch were caught by beginner anglers during simple lessons provided by Get Hooked on Fishing. Volunteers helped participants to understand the basics of fishing and provided information on where to go next to find family-friendly venues and affordable equipment. Get Hooked on Fishing also created a 'Fishing Funfair' area with graffiti-art from Dusto. This attracted hundreds more families and children to come and get involved, with angling themed games to teach them the skills involved in fishing. BBC Countryfile presenters were keen to have a go at fishing too and Get Hooked on Fishing were thrilled to host Anita Rani, Carol Kirkwood, Helen Skelton and Sean Fletcher who all took time out of their busy schedules to relax by the waterside with a fishing rod! All these stars of the show expressed their interest in Get Hooked on Fishing's work to provide positive opportunities for young people and communities through angling, and The One Show's Mike Dilger pledged his support for Get Hooked on Fishing too. Sarah Collins, Chief Executive of Get Hooked on Fishing said: "To yet again have the opportunity to expose a huge non-angling audience to the amazing experiences that fishing can offer their families is another step to boost participation in this healthy, inexpensive and relaxing activity. The Get Hooked on Fishing Team are particularly thankful to the BBC and SME for providing us with the space and promotion, to Faye Hatcher for the opportunity to be on the 'Explore Britain Stage' and to all of the thousands of people who came and made BBC Countryfile Live 2018 such a huge success for angling." Look out for the fishing feature in BBC Countryfile on BBC 1, 19th August 2018 and find more events like this at www.getfishing.org.uk. Click here to view the full article

The British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee would like to announce the provisional award of three new record claims. The BRFC was scheduled to meet on 27th June but because there was, at the time, only one record claim awaiting ratification it was agreed that in the interests of the BRFC members' time and costs, there being no other issues requiring immediate attention, the June meeting should be cancelled. The one outstanding claim, by Cameron Atkinson, for his 18lb shore-caught spurdog, having been positively adjudicated by the BRFC sea-fish specialist group, has been provisionally awarded pending final ratification when the committee next meets. Since the decision (at the end of May) to cancel the June meeting, three further record claims have been made, of which two have been completed and provisionally awarded - again pending final ratification. The three new records provisionally accepted following scrutiny by the respective specialist members of the BRFC are: Cameron Atkinson - Spurdog (Squalus acanthias) - Shore-caught - Watermouth, North Devon, on 24th January 2018. Cameron's fish weighed 18lb, overtaking Gary Hillon's 2017 shore-caught record of 17lb 8oz 8dr. Jason Touzel - White Sea Bream (Diplodus sargus) - Shore-caught - West coast of Jersey, on 11th May 2018. Jason's fish weighed 3lb 3oz 2dr and was witnessed by Roger Bryant, who held the previous record of 2lb 12oz 8dr. Lawrence King - Golden Orfe (Leuciscus idus (L) - Caught at Newdigate Farms Fishery, Surrey, on 20th May 2018. Lawrence's capture, at 8lb 5oz, equals the current record set in 2000 by Michael Wilkinson from Lymm Vale, Cheshire. One further claim has been made by Ryan Wingfield, in respect of his shore-caught tope claimed at 73lb 2oz, from a West Wales beach on 24th May. Claim forms have been issued to Ryan and his claim will be presented for adjudication upon receipt of the completed paperwork. The Committee would like to remind anglers that in the event of the capture of a potential record fish, the captor should first contact the British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee without delay. Captors of potential record fish should contact the Secretary, Nick Simmonds, at the Angling Trust, on 01568 620447 or by email at brfc@anglingtrust.net Nick will record the details of the capture and advise the claimant on progressing the claim. More information about what to do if you catch a record fish can be found in the BRFC web pages Click here to view the full article

The stunning lochs of Argyll in Scotland hosted the 2018 SALC Shore Angling Home International over the weekend of the 6th and 7th July 2018 as Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales once again competed for medals across Seniors, Ladies, Youth and Junior categories. The competition proved to be a successful one for Team England, taking silver medals in all three categories they entered, Seniors, Youth and Juniors. Host nation Scotland took gold in the Seniors, Ladies and Youth categories while Ireland took the honours in the Junior category. The Senior competition was held on the shore of Loch Leven and Richard Yates led team England; Ian Bowell, Kenny McCoy, George Smith, Neil Cutler and Andrew Dugdale, with Ben Arnold as reserve. The team arrived in Scotland a few days early for some practice and found the venues to be fishing well, with plenty of dogfish and rays plus some codling, haddock and ling at range in the deeper water. There were also some smaller species such as poor cod and small wrasse closer in against the rough loch edge. Once the points system was announced it was clear that the smaller species would be the target on the first match day as there had been good numbers on that venue, however the second day would be more about casting for dogfish. Richard Yates, England Manager said: “We started the first match targeting the close in fish. Tackle losses were very high in some zones with some pegs being tougher than others, one of our anglers lost 40 weights on rotten bottoms, while another lost 17 rigs, finding it hard to get anything back even with tackle designed for the rough terrain. Scotland won the first day on 17 points, Wales were second on 13 and we tied for third with Ireland on 10. The second day went as expected with dogfish at range being the main fish. However, the difficult fishing continued on the same beaches and had a drastic effect on the number of fish in some areas with one zone producing a single fish. England won the day with 14 points, Ireland and Wales tied for second on 10 points and Scotland were fourth with 9 points. This meant Scotland held on to the lead, but England moved into second place, with Wales third and Ireland fourth. The Youth and Junior competition was held on picturesque Loch Fyne and the teams were greeted with glorious weather as clear skies and high temperatures dominated the first two practice days, but the fishing produced some excellent catches for Team England. The championship venue was a mixture of rocky shore line or rough ground fishing into kelp areas and fish caught were dogfish, dab, codling, whiting, pollock, gurnard and dragonet - plenty for the anglers to enjoy. England's Junior team was led by the experienced David Graham and ably assisted by Colin Olver and the team consisted of Owen Dunn, Riley Price, Owen Strange, Oliver Saint, Ben Cloke and James Slater (reserve). Day One of the Junior category fished to a 15cm minimum size limit with all fish measured by stewards and released at point of capture. Fishing was patchy at the start with the odd dab and gurnard being caught. An hour and a half into the match the fishing started to improve in a 20-minute spell just before low water and another flurry of fish just as the tide started flooding boosted anglers score cards. At the end of day one England were in gold medal position with 18 points, Ireland recorded 13 points while Scotland and Wales each had 8 points. Day Two and the team moved further towards deeper water in Loch Fyne, with the prospect of even better fishing than the first day, with the mood being of nervous excitement in the England camp. Unlike the first day and every practice day, the best fishing proved to be in the first 40 minutes of the match, with no flurry of fish around low water and the early flood, just the odd fish caught at the halfway stage and virtually no fish in the last hour. England struggled to capitalise in this early spell and didn't have the opportunity to make a comeback during the remainder of the match and finished with 24 points, enough to secure the Juniors second place and a silver medal. David Graham, England Junior Shore Manager said “A big thank you to Mike Horn and all the rest of the Scottish Federation for running the superb Championships and for being great hosts and making the team feel very welcome. Also, a big thank you to David Neil for organising and supplying our superb practice baits and to all the companies that give continued support to the England Junior team, Kamasan, The Southern League and Opens, Vass Waders and Rainwear, Christchurch Angling Centre, Tronixpro and Mugged Write Off. Last but not least a massive thank you to all the parents who chauffeured the team and all the tackle and kept us fed and watered during the Championships. England's Youth team was led by the experienced duo of Mark Hurcombe and Malcolm Stote and the team consisted of Ben Eggleton, Adam Howard, Dillon Thompson, Warren Cutting and Rory Eastlake. On Day One the team worked very hard to finish in a credible second place just one point behind Scotland and two points in front of Ireland. Day Two was a very hard-fought competition and it was so close between England and Scotland that they tied for first place. The gold medal was awarded on number of fish on count back and Scotland edged England by just one fish. Mark Hurcombe, Team England Youth Manager stated “This was a great new team to work with and a team that will go all the way both in the Home Nations and the World Championships. They all worked very hard during the Championship and I'm very proud of everyone's achievement of getting team silver. Senior Results: 1st Scotland 26 points (Gold) 2nd England 24 points (Silver) 3rd Wales 23 points (Bronze) 4th Ireland 20 points (Dark Bronze) Youth Results: 1st Scotland 28 points (Gold) 2nd England 28 points (Silver) 3rd Ireland 26 points (Bronze) Junior Results: 1st Ireland 31 points (Gold) 2nd England 24 points (Silver) 3rd Scotland 20 points (Bronze) 4th Wales 19 points (Dark Bronze) Ladies results: 1st Scotland 20 points (Gold) 2nd Ireland 18 points (Silver) In the ladies category this year there were only two nations able to field teams which saw Scotland win the gold medal and Ireland finish in runner up position with silver. Team England would like to thank the Scottish Federation for organising a successful championship and special mention should be made of the bait, which was plentiful and of excellent quality and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2019. Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust and the Institute of Fisheries Management held a workshop at Barston Lakes in the Midlands for academics, Defra, the Environment Agency and fisheries and angling groups to assess the impacts of growing numbers of otters on fisheries and to identify actions to minimise them. The workshop heard that the resurgence of otter numbers has been almost entirely driven by natural regeneration as a result of the withdrawal of harmful chemicals in the 1970s and 1980s. Genetic evidence shows that the offspring of captive-bred otters, released up until the 1990s, have not moved very far from the Midlands. The only otters released since then have been wild-born injured or orphaned animals which have been rehabilitated in sanctuaries. Although official surveys have a low level of confidence about the numbers of otters nationwide, there is consensus that numbers are growing and they are becoming more widespread. In some areas, they may have reached a maximum population. There were presentations on the impact of otters on river and still water fisheries and on trout farms which demonstrated significant losses in some parts of the country. However, there were many healthy fisheries in places where otters were present in significant numbers. Environmental pressures on rivers such as pollution, over-abstraction, habitat damage and invasive species were heard to have a major impact on the recruitment of many fish populations and there was consensus that urgent action was needed to tackle these problems. While more and more fisheries are being fenced due to funding from the Environment Agency's rod licence distributed by the Angling Trust, there is a huge demand for fencing and costs have increased in recent years. Many fisheries cannot be fenced and there is a need to explore the potential for other deterrents to predators at these fisheries. Many fisheries may have to adapt their fishery management and stock balance to reflect the rising numbers of otters. Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal said: “There is no doubt that there have been very significant problems on many still water and river fisheries as otters have spread into new areas. Fishery management will have to adapt to the presence of otters over the coming years as they reach their natural balance and our organisations are committed to doing everything we can to support clubs and fisheries through that process. Urgent action is needed to tackle the many environmental threats to rivers and lakes to ensure that fisheries can be more resilient to predation. David Bunt, Chairman of the Institute of Fisheries Management said: “It has been very positive to get the experts and representatives of angling and fisheries and otter science together to have a rational, informed and balanced debate. Healthy fish stocks and fishing are an indication of healthy environments and can co-exist with healthy otter populations. Where fish are concentrated they will be targeted by otters and, to protect those fisheries and businesses that rely on them, we will support non-harmful methods to deter otters from entering them." Key Outputs 1. The Angling Trust and IFM will produce a guide for angling clubs and fishery managers setting out the legal situation, correcting some of the misunderstandings around releases and captive bred otters and what can be done to protect fish stocks against otter predation. 2. The Angling Trust and IFM will request the statutory agencies to streamline the consent processes for permitting otter fencing on still waters and press for an increase in funding. 3. The Angling Trust will lobby the government for the long-term regulation of the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned otters and a Code of Conduct in the short-term. 4. The Angling Trust and IFM will press for further research to be commissioned into deterrents for unfenceable waters. 5. The Angling Trust and IFM will press for clarification regarding scaring or disturbing an otter as a result of either protecting a legitimate business or installing in stream habitat enhancements. 6. All agreed that more action was needed to deal with the issues affecting recruitment of river fish: pollution, abstraction, habitat damage, barriers to fish migration. A more healthy fish population would be better placed to withstand the impacts of otter predation. 7. The Environment Agency is planning a series of workshops and a conference around management of still water fisheries over the coming year that will provide guidance around designing resilience to predation. Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust's Building Bridges team has appointed Polish-born Janusz Kansik as Project Officer to help educate European anglers about fishing in this country. Since coming to England in 2010, Janusz has qualified as a Level 1 Angling Coach and joined the Voluntary Bailiff Service, supporting Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officers by regularly patrolling lakes and rivers near his home in Oxfordshire. Janusz said: “When I came to this country a lot of people invested their time in helping me make my fishing skills better, which I think was amazing. So I decided I wanted to help others as well and do this by making coaching videos and through my work as a volunteer bailiff. “My role as Project Officer provides a unique opportunity to make an even greater contribution to the wonderful sport of angling through education and integration of those who share the passion. I am very excited at this opportunity to work with like-minded anglers and bring new, exciting ideas to fruition. Funded by fishing licence income through partnership with the Environment Agency, the Building Bridges project engages with migrant communities, including schools, encouraging anglers to join a local club and fish by the rules. Building Bridges staff also work with angling clubs to host integrated angling events and contribute to Voluntary Bailiff Service training and Fisheries Enforcement Workshops. Rado Papiewski, who manages the Building Bridges project, said: ''I am really pleased that Janusz is joining our team. His positive attitude, energy and fresh ideas are exactly what we are looking for. I am sure that his employment is going to benefit many anglers and fisheries in this country. Click here to view the full article

Newark and Sherwood District Council has admitted that it got the law wrong in granting planning permission for a hydropower scheme on the Trent without following European Rules on assessing impact on the environment and has agreed to revoke its decision, following receipt of a “pre-action Judicial Review letter from Fish legal, a conservation organisation acting for its members the Collingham Angling Association. The Collingham Angling Association - which fishes downstream of Cromwell Weir - is concerned about the impact of the scheme on the river habitat and highly popular angling spots for barbel and other coarse fish species. Gravels which provide important habitat for fish are likely to be destroyed by the development. Fish Legal argued in its letter that the Council had failed to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening to assess whether the 1.6 MW hydro scheme would be likely to have a significant effect on the environment or to consider the impact on fish such as barbel and also lamprey which are protected under European Law. Fish Legal also pointed out there had been no survey undertaken of the gravels to see if lamprey spawn there, relying instead on survey data from elsewhere on the river. The planning decision had then been made by a planning officer without consideration by a planning committee and there had been no consultation of Natural England. The Environment Agency's involvement was mostly limited to consideration of fish passage and the abstraction licence for the scheme, and failed to consider the impacts on lamprey and barbel which spawn in gravels below the weir that would be affected by the altered hydrology as a result of the hydropower turbines. Sea lamprey and river lamprey are European Protected Species (EPS) and listed as conservation features of the Humber Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). To disturb the fish without a licence is an offence and public authorities such as the local council are required to take the protection and enhancement of the EPS into account in its decision making. Fish Legal solicitor Justin Neal commented: “Although the proposed development may benefit the river by the introduction of fish passage for lamprey and salmon upstream, no real assessment has been made of the impact on the existing habitat at the weir. The council, which has now agreed to revoke its decision, must ensure several things: that the environment effects are taken into account and that there is proper scrutiny of the impact on the protected species if there is a subsequent planning application. The relevant conservation bodies should also be consulted. Given the controversy, it must be put before democratically elected councillors on the planning committee. Fish Legal fought a successful injunction on the River Trent in 2012 to stop a planned hydropower development at Sawley Weir on the grounds that the angling club's property rights had not been properly considered. Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal said: “Our organisations are here to protect the rights of anglers and to ensure that the water environment is protected from damaging developments. It's clear that both the Council and the Environment Agency have failed in their duties to protect the environment. Now that the Council has admitted its failure, we hope that there will be a proper assessment of the environmental impact of this development. Click here to view the full article