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Coarse Fishing News Archives - December 2005 !!
22.12.05 DEVON AND CORNWALL FISHERIES FLOURISH River and lake habitat and access for anglers in Devon and Cornwall has significantly improved since the start of this year with the help of a raft of special Environment Agency fisheries projects. Thirteen major schemes have been completed and are reaping rewards....................................[Read More]
21.12.05 TEIGN AND SALMON STOCKS SET TO RISE Salmon stocks on two of Devon’s most important rivers will soon be helped on the road to recovery thanks to a pioneering agreement between the Environment Agency, riparian owners, local anglers................[Read More]
08.12.05 HEFTY FINES FOR LICENCE DODGERS Three anglers were today ordered to pay a total of £710 in fines and costs for fishing at two Somerset lakes without a licence. The cases were brought by the EA. They included a couple who were caught at Emerald Pool, Puriton, Bridgwater...................................................................[Read More]
01.12.05 FISHING MAGIC NEWS Police officer and regular FISHINGmagic contributor Mark Hodson is back with the second part of his essential feature on security where you and your fishing tackle are concerned. Mark tells us how best to deter thieves by personalising your tackle...........................................................[Read More]
22.12.05 - DEVON AND CORNWALL FISHERIES FLOURISH
River and lake habitat and access for anglers in Devon and Cornwall has significantly improved since the start of this year with the help of a raft of special Environment Agency fisheries projects. Thirteen major schemes have been completed and are reaping rewards for fish populations, wildlife and anglers.
Around 1,500 people took up the opportunity to try their hand at coarse fishing or fly-fishing for trout with a well supported series of free angling participation events throughout Devon and Cornwall. Some of the improvements are as follows:
Tavy, Walkham and Plym Fishing Club controlling knotweed and improving riverbank access
Brunel Fishing Club improving disabled access at Sillaton Lake near Saltash by removing stiles, replacing gates and improving the pathway to the lake.
Threemilestone Angling Club making easier disabled access to the club caravan and the construction of three all access fishing platforms at Langarth Pool near Truro.
The Environment Agency provided the final funding to help South West Lakes Trust, the Wheelyboat Trust and other partners buy a specially designed Wheelyboat for Roadford Reservoir. Disabled anglers now have good access on to the reservoir for fly fishing.
On the Camel Estuary a joint project, with the financial support of the Environment Agency and English Nature, bought out the licenced Atlantic salmon and sea trout nets for part of their fishing season. The seven netsmen stopped fishing during July and August to help increase salmon spawning in the River Camel and its tributaries.
In West Devon the Action for Wildlife: Dartmoor Biodiversity Project has put up fencing close to Raddon at Lydford to protect woodland springs and a brook from access by farm animals. This will prevent ground poaching in this wet woodland area and minimise soil erosion. Atlantic salmon, sea trout, brown trout plus water quality and two Biodiversity Action Plan woodland habitats will benefit from this work.
A further fourteen fencing projects have been completed on the rivers Tamar, Tavy and Yealm in partnership with landowners and farmers to reduce bankside erosion and improve riverside habitat. Over 10,000 metres of fencing has been put up this year mainly within the Tamar catchment. The Tamar, Yealm and Fowey riverbeds have also benefited from salmon and sea trout spawning gravel improvement at eight trial sites.
Robert Hurrell, fisheries technical specialist for the Environment Agency in Cornwall, said: "It has been a really rewarding year for our fisheries team. Our work and the partnership projects ensure that fish stocks, river and lake environments are being safeguarded for the future, and they are improving angling access for all. This work is constantly evolving and we are now looking ahead to 2006."
Environment manager for Devon, Alan Burrows, said: "Many of our projects in Devon this year have improved fish passes to ease the passage of migrating fish in the county’s rivers. Next year we will be tackling further sites. This work, along with improving water quality, will give salmon and sea trout a greater chance of spawning and reproducing in our Devon rivers.
Salmon stocks on two of Devon’s most important rivers will soon be helped on the road to recovery thanks to a pioneering agreement between the Environment Agency, riparian owners, local anglers and netsmen. The Agency played a central part in the negotiations and successfully introduced the legislation for a ground-breaking package of measures.
There has been a major decline in salmon numbers on both the Teign and Dart in recent years with neither river meeting its conservation limit. With too few adult salmon breeding, future stocks are at serious risk. But a series of new conservation measures, including a scheme to compensate commercial netsmen for giving up their licences could help to reverse that trend and give salmon numbers on both rivers a welcome boost. The new measures also include regulations recently approved by Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw.
The agreement represents a major breakthrough for all parties and comes after months of painstaking talks between the Environment Agency and fisheries interest groups. At one point senior DEFRA fisheries officials paid a flying visit to South Devon for face to face talks with the interested parties. The net limitation orders will see the number of licensed salmon nets on the Teign reduced from 6 to 3 and on the Dart 13 to 3. In return netsmen will receive compensation payments. The orders will in place for 10 years after which time they will be reviewed. The new bylaws will see a return to ending the netting season on the Dart to August 16 (currently July 16), while on the Teign the netting season will remain and end on July 31.
One of the main aims of the agreement is to enable angling interest groups to restrict catches on a voluntary basis, rather than through less flexible bylaws. It is hoped that through a combination of Association rules and individuals releasing fish voluntarily, at least 70% of salmon taken in the Teign rod fishery and over 90% taken on the Dart will now be returned to the river. The three netsmen remaining on each river will also be encouraged to exercise catch restraint to help safeguard salmon stocks for the future. Mike Weaver Chairman of the Upper Teign Fishing Association said, ‘Fisheries interests on the Teign are delighted at the completion of the package that has led to a new Net Limitation Order of three and additional conservation measures.
Three anglers were today ordered to pay a total of £710 in fines and costs for fishing at two Somerset lakes without a licence. The cases were brought by the Environment Agency.
The defendants included a couple who were caught at Emerald Pool, Puriton, Bridgwater. The woman, Samantha Storer, had borrowed her boyfriend’s new fishing rod and was using it for the first time when she was questioned by Environment Agency fisheries officers during a routine patrol on May 27, 2005. Storer was fined £50.00 by Bridgwater magistrates and ordered to pay £70 costs after pleading guilty to fishing without a licence at Emerald Pool. Her boyfriend, Richard Smith was fined £150 with £70 costs.
A week earlier [May 19], Roger Withers was caught illegally fishing with two rods at Folly Foot Farm, North Petherton. He was fined £300 [£150 for each rod] and ordered to pay £70 costs. Magistrates said they had imposed a large fine on Withers because he had failed to co-operate with either the Environment Agency or the court. This led, ultimately, to him being convicted in his absence and the issuing of a higher than average penalty.
"Fishing without a licence can be an expensive business as these cases clearly show. It is not worth the risk because sooner or later you will be caught and face a stiff financial penalty. The cost of a licence [£23.50] is less than the price of a fishing rod and for that you can enjoy a year’s fishing and peace of mind" said Richard Dearnley for the Environment Agency.
Buying a licence couldn’t be easier. There are around 15,000 Post Offices and other outlets which sell them direct and for a small additional charge they can be purchased over the phone [0870 1662662] or from this web site: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/fish
Police officer and regular FISHINGmagic contributor Mark Hodson is back with the second part of his essential feature on security where you and your fishing tackle are concerned. Mark tells us how best to deter thieves by personalising your tackle with badges and even a simple marker pen. He also offers some great tips on securing your car and the best way to protect yourself from attackers. It's a must read, especially for those who live in or close to high crime rate areas and have lots of fishing tackle that could be vulnerable.
Ever used a multiplier reel? If so, then you'll know that casting with them is not the easiest thing to do. Unlike most other types of reel a multiplier takes some mastering, and even when you think you've got it beat, out spews another 'bird's nest' to be either untangled or cut off. Kevin Perkins, in his latest Alternative Angler column, describes multiplier reels quite succinctly: "To use a multiplier is to embark on one of life's great love/hate relationships; the nearest parallel I can draw is that of owning an Italian car. When they are good, both pieces of machinery are brilliant, and you want to marry them and have their babies, such is the sense of euphoria they can bestow upon you. When they are bad, which in my experience is more often that not, then I am afraid that they both become *** ********, ***** ***** *******s, and there is no middle ground in between! Trust Kevin to put things into perspective!
Nitepalm FieldLamp: Bivvying up for one or more night's fishing is no longer the simple thing it used to be. It isn't enough these days to erect a shelter and stick a bedchair in it to have a kip on in between bites. Oh no, there are loads of accessories now to make that night on the bank more comfortable and bearable when those indicators are not moving. One of them is a good bivvy lamp so you can have a low light for most of the night so that when the bite alarm wakes you it's easy to find your way to the rod, and with this new lamp from Nitepalm there are five settings to choose from, up to a very bright one that is a wide beamed torch.
Ribble Barbel Record: The barbel record for the Ribble has been broken with a magnificent fish of 15lb 8oz. We have a great picture of it in the Gallery.
Mr Angry: Bob Roberts, aka Mr Angry, is back with more criticisms about the way barbel are handled and the code of practice as documented by the Barbel Society. We don't know if it's what he says or the way he tells 'em, but his comments are not going down too well with some! Read the article and take a look at the forum threads.
User Review Makeover: The nip and tuck to the User Review system has brought some great praise. You like the way it all gels together to give you a complete guide to buying tackle and bait. Click your way over and take a look. Bet you'll like it! And while you're there write a few reviews about your own gear and help to swell the database of this great resource.
News Archives
22.12.05
River and lake habitat and access for anglers in Devon and Cornwall has significantly improved since the start of this year with the help of a raft of special Environment Agency fisheries projects. Thirteen major schemes have been completed and are reaping rewards for fish populations, wildlife and anglers.
