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Voluntary Bailiff Service to tackle illegal fishing now live in the Midlands

The Angling Trust and Environment Agency partnership has now made possible the keenly anticipated national roll-out of the Voluntary Bailiff Service (VBS), following a pilot project in the South East.
The Midlands was the third VBS region to go ‘live’ on Saturday, 20th February. This region includes Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, with 33 successful applicants attending the inaugural mandatory induction day held near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

The event was jointly hosted by Angling Trust Midlands Regional Enforcement Manager Kevin Pearson, a retired West Midlands Police inspector, and Environment Agency VBS Project Manager Adrian Brightley.
Kevin Pearson said: “This was a fantastic day for angling in the Midlands with 33 volunteers joining Phase 1 Voluntary Bailiff Service and offering their support to the Environment Agency and the Police in tackling poaching and all angling-related crime. I am very optimistic about the future and already have more volunteers ready to join at the next induction later in the year.”

The event was attended and supported by the Environment Agency together with Chief Inspector Martin Sims, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, and PC Paul Lambon from West Mercia Constabulary.
PC Lambon, a key-player in Operation Leviathan, a high profile multi-agency, multi-force, operation focussing on illegal fishing and fish theft, said: “From a policing perspective I am extremely pleased the Voluntary Bailiff Service is now up and running in our area. It’s early days and we shouldn’t expect to see huge changes overnight, but by working together we will make a difference: we are stronger together.”
Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer Chris Ponsford contributed to training at the induction and said: “The Environment Agency welcomes the opportunity to work with enthusiastic volunteers to […]

By |March 18th, 2016|News|Comments Off on Voluntary Bailiff Service to tackle illegal fishing now live in the Midlands|

The Barbel Show 2016

Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LD
Sunday 1st May 2016. 9.30am-5.00pm

Guest speakers include;
Stu Walker
Dr Paul Garner
Lee Swords
Terry Theobald
Martin Salter
Dom Garnett

Large trade room for all your pre-season purchases of tackle and bait, bargains galore.

Tickets in advance from The Barbel Society, 1 Larchwood, Castlegate, Scotforth, Lancaster, LA1 4QG.
OR via PayPal. PayPal receipt as ticket.

You can purchase tickets via Paypal here The Barbel Show

Alternatively you can pay on the door on the day.

Members £10.00
Non-members £12.00
Wives/partners and children under 16 FREE

Members can bring second hand tackle for sale on the second hand stall, label items clearly with price and include 10% for BS funds.

Renewals and fishery permits can be purchased on the day:

By |March 17th, 2016|News|Comments Off on The Barbel Show 2016|

Staffordshire Regional Meeting – 2nd April

An evening with Paul Floyd and new R/O Andy Degville

Doveridge Village Club 2nd April 7.30pm for an 8pm start

By |March 17th, 2016|News|Comments Off on Staffordshire Regional Meeting – 2nd April|

Lancashire Regional Meeting – 11th April

An evening with Paul Floyd

Hinds Head Pub 11th April 7.00pm for an 8pm start

By |March 17th, 2016|News|Comments Off on Lancashire Regional Meeting – 11th April|

Update from Angling Trust & Fish Legal about Canoe Access

Update to club, fishery and trade members of Angling Trust and/or Fish Legal regarding the legal position about canoe access
Last year, Fish Legal, working closely with the Angling Trust, challenged the Canoe Governing Bodies (British Canoe Union/British Canoeing, Canoe England and Canoe Wales) to get them to change the information that they were publishing suggesting that the law regarding rights of access to rivers is unclear in England and Wales. This included reference to the academic works of Rev Dr Douglas Caffyn. We felt that this information was contributing to a widespread increase in unlawful canoeing.

We have spent many months of work and several thousands of pounds on this legal case and we are making slow but significant progress. This included commissioning an eminent QC to advise on the legal position and review the works of Rev Dr Caffyn. The QC’s Advice is very clear. The summary of the Advice is set out below and we aim to publish the full document (which runs to 19 pages) in the coming weeks after further discussion with the Canoeing Governing Bodies.
Thank you very much for your support.

Advice Summary
1. There is no general Public Right of Navigation (PRN) on English and Welsh non-tidal rivers for canoeists.
2. A PRN can only be established by long use of vessels on the relevant stretch of river, fulfilling all of the criteria below.
3. That use must have been regular and habitual, and must have made the river of substantial practical value as a channel of communication or transport.
4. The time for which that use must be established is “time immemorial.”
5. The law is entirely clear on the above issues.
6. The law is, however, not absolutely clear on how long is required […]

By |January 19th, 2016|News|Comments Off on Update from Angling Trust & Fish Legal about Canoe Access|

Barbel Tales

We are now down to the last 100 copies of Barbel Tales

Copies can be purchased here Barbel Tales

By |January 19th, 2016|News|Comments Off on Barbel Tales|

Defra proposals to protect farmland could make flooding worse and damage wildlife

Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs, in a speech at the Oxford Farming Conference today (Wednesday 6 January) announced a number of measures which could increase the risk of flooding in towns and cities and cause widespread damage to the environment, according to the Angling Trust.

Today’s announcement from Defra states that the department will be allowing farmers to dredge ‘ditches’ without seeking permission from the Environment Agency because they ‘know their land best’. This follows a series of pilot projects last year, the results of which failed to make the case for further deregulation of dredging (note 1).

In 2014 the Angling Trust, water engineers and wildlife groups expressed grave concern about any increase in wholesale dredging because the evidence from the Environment Agency shows that in many cases it simply increases the speed and volume of water heading into main rivers which will then flood more towns and cities. They commissioned a report from the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) entitled “Floods and Dredging – A Reality Check” which was presented as evidence to the Select Committee inquiry into the 2014 floods (note 2).

The Defra announcement goes on to say that investment in flood defences will protect a million acres of prime farmland from flooding. Once again, this proposal makes no sense; stopping rivers flooding fields upstream will only increase the discharge of water downstream where it will cause damaging flooding of homes and businesses.

The Angling Trust is writing to the Secretary of State calling on her to reconsider these proposals and to look not at how farmland can be protected from rivers, but how rivers can be better protected from unsustainable farming that […]

By |January 7th, 2016|News|Comments Off on Defra proposals to protect farmland could make flooding worse and damage wildlife|

The Annual Barbel Society Research and Conservation online Auction

Starting at the end of November we will be running the annual online research and conservation auction.

A long list of desirable lots, such as days out with well-known or experienced local anglers, tackle, bait, books, pictures and other fishy items can be bid for by BS members, or by proxy via a member you know. Better still, join and bid on the items yourself!

The current list can be viewed here 2015 Auction Lots and we expect to add to this over the coming days.

Tackle and bait firms, tackle shops, famous anglers and BS members have all donated generous lots, and more donations are welcome!

All in aid of the important research and conservation work the Society is funding nationwide!

By |November 26th, 2015|News|Comments Off on The Annual Barbel Society Research and Conservation online Auction|

Teme Angler Catch Questionairre

Dear Anglers, I’m hoping to meet lots of you out on the banks of the glorious River Teme over the next couple of years, whilst I carry out research for a PhD with Bournemouth University. The project is in collaboration with the Severn Rivers Trust, the Barbel Society and the Environment Agency. The research focuses on the European barbel, but river fish communities and interactions will also be investigated. I’ll be studying a number of stretches from Ashford Carbonell all the way down to the confluence at the Severn, covering around 55 kilometres of the River Teme.

I’m investigating what environmental factors may have a role to play in the successes and failures of the barbel population since their introduction to the River Severn in the 1950’s. There are five main subjects I am hoping to look at during my research in the River Teme:

1. Historical and current population levels of barbel and other coarse fish
Fish populations are cyclic, increasing and decreasing over time, these changes can be caused by both natural and human factors. We are investigating changes in the River Teme barbel population levels over time. I am collecting data from a number of sources, however, local anglers are a vital source of information and this is where I am looking for your help. I’m collecting historical catch records from local anglers, I also want to collect current catch data over the next three years in an online survey.

2. The health of the River Teme barbel and other coarse fish
We can tell a lot about the health of a fish by looking at growth rates. We will be collecting information of sizes of fish, as a minimum we want to collect length information. […]

By |November 20th, 2015|News|Comments Off on Teme Angler Catch Questionairre|

Severn Angling News – Autumn 2015

The magnificent River Severn, the longest river in Britain is home to salmon and coarse fisheries, as well as a number of rare fish species. This newsletter is a chance for us to tell you what we are doing for angling in your rivers.

By |November 20th, 2015|News|Comments Off on Severn Angling News – Autumn 2015|