Keep canoes off our rivers, e.petition.

[Neil G]

So do I Neil, but the fact that it's a wide river, makes it no problem at all. But that's different to what some are proposing, and that's the right to go anywhere.

It would make difference to your fishing if the middle of the river was just a rods length out!!!

John.

 

The river isn't really that wide but I can usually fish close into the margins without any problems....I usually fish so light that if people p** me off I just move on.

 

I do agree that there are some rivers/streams that probably won't be well suited to canoes due to size and where aquatic life may get damaged from the hulls and paddles etc.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Neil G

[bluerinse]

I have no problem with canoeists,

 

I have more of a problem with Anglers, have a walk down any river (or any other water side), you will find, meat tins, corn tins, ground bait bags, beer cans, old line, barbaques, tin foil, plastic bags and a ton of other rubish left by Anglers.

 

I think angling has to get its own house in order before we go objecting against other sports who use the rivers.

 

As a sport we are a disgrace and really need to up our own game.

[dapper64]

I have only seen the odd canoeist on waters where I fish and they seemed very courteous and tried to avoid causing me any disruption.on the other hand though what about barges on the canal in midsummer ,its like the m1 they might as well be tied together end to end, the people driving them seem ok though.

[Kappa]

I have no problem with canoeists,

 

I have more of a problem with Anglers, have a walk down any river (or any other water side), you will find, meat tins, corn tins, ground bait bags, beer cans, old line, barbaques, tin foil, plastic bags and a ton of other rubish left by Anglers.

 

I think angling has to get its own house in order before we go objecting against other sports who use the rivers.

 

As a sport we are a disgrace and really need to up our own game.

 

Couldn't agree more!

 

This mentality of its our river and no-one else should be allowed to interfere with our enjoyment of it is so selfish. One of my favourite spots often has people swimming in the summer. I don't start petitions I just try a different swim/water I've be meaning to try for a while!

Edited March 27, 2007 by Richard Capper

[Steve Walker]

This mentality of its our river and no-one else should be allowed to interfere with our enjoyment of it is so selfish.

 

In what way is it selfish to support equal access? The proposal the petition objects to is not for equal access, it's for canoeing rights to always come before angling rights. Round here, there are pits for fishing and pits for watersports. Would it be selfish to oppose a proposal to allow jetskiers free access to all of them?

[corydoras]

I have only seen the odd canoeist on waters where I fish and they seemed very courteous and tried to avoid causing me any disruption.on the other hand though what about barges on the canal in midsummer ,its like the m1 they might as well be tied together end to end, the people driving them seem ok though.

Canals were built for navigation. IMO anglers come second on canals, the boats were there first, and they pay a lot more than you do for the right to use them.

[Steve Walker]

Canals were built for navigation. IMO anglers come second on canals, the boats were there first, and they pay a lot more than you do for the right to use them.

 

Absolutely, I make a point of giving a cheery wave to every coal or cotton laden barge that goes past.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Steve Walker

[wearyone]

dapper64 and other closet canoeists,

 

None of the angling governing bodies is arguing against some kind of agreed access, just against the 'open access' or free for all the BCU and some others are seeking.

 

The BCU is not prepared to consider any payment, registration or mandatory public liability cover.

Any angling lease I have ever seen has a clause insisting that adequate liability cover is taken out.

Let's face it, a canoe on crowded water is far more likely to cause some kind of loss or injury to a third party than the odd angler would.

If an angler pokes some in the eye with a rod tip he would rightly be chased for damages, a canoeist knocks over an unseen angler, who has a legitimate reason to be in the water, thinks he/she can paddle on by without any consequence

 

The following is the agreed policy from the angling side, sadly the BCU are not willing accept.

 

 

1 Canoe access must be organized under the auspices of either the British Canoe Union (BCU) or some other official body, such as a local club. Voluntary access agreements should not bestow the public right of access for canoeists onto a waterway. It should be a condition of any access agreement that canoes using the facility are clearly marked with a registration number.

 

2 Detailed consideration and proper safeguards for Health and Safety issues.

 

3 A code of conduct must be established under which canoes operate on inland waterways, similar to rules set down by angling clubs for their members.

 

4 Canoe access must be properly administered and policed, with rules strictly enforced and it should be the responsibility of the canoeing party to the agreement to ensure that such rules are complied with.

 

5 Canoeists breaking codes of conduct must face the same disciplinary procedures common within angling clubs, with rights of access denied to perpetrators. Failure to comply should result in any access agreement being withdrawn.

 

6 There should be a presumption that canoeists' responsibilities include safeguarding riparian owners’ liabilities (e.g. claims for damages arising from unmarked hazards and the additional duty of care for which owners are liable as a result of inviting third parties onto their property), maintaining their own public liability insurance, and funding for works on waterways and their infrastructure, of which canoeists are beneficiaries.

 

7 Angling clubs should be compensated for sharing access with canoeists, perhaps by paying reduced rent for leases and/or donations from canoeists into the fishery management/conservation fund.

 

8 Research should be undertaken to ascertain whether canoeing could impact upon the aquatic environment, especially in SSSIs and SAC's, and in which circumstances canoeing could be considered as unsuitable for particular types of waterway (e.g. width/depth of river) to build on the research of Keith Hendry and David Cragg-Hine (Agency R&D Technical Report W96).

 

9 The need for restrictions on other recreations on waters where the Environment Agency considered that a close season for fishing was necessary

[chesters1]

i think canoeists should be getting compensation from anglers littering up their banks

[corydoras]

dapper64 and other closet canoeists,

 

None of the angling governing bodies is arguing against some kind of agreed access, just against the 'open access' or free for all the BCU and some others are seeking.

Slightly but I would argue for 'open access' for Anglers as well. Take the Czech Republic for example. There, once you have bought your annual rod licence you can fish any fresh water river, canal or lake. They are all public access the notion of riparian rights does not exist there.