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Source: www.nfadirect.com |
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March 15th 2007 - West Midlands Community Centre Get Hooked.
The West Midlands Region got their first NFA course up and running in Solihull working with the local Community Centre this month.
Kingshurst Youth and Community Centre, which is run by Solihull Council, is the first in the region to deliver the NFA’s Introduction to Angling and the Environment qualification. The course which is being delivered by the NFA’s Senior Regional Coach, for the West Midlands will enable children aged between 12 and 19 years of age get their first taste of angling.
Senior Coach, Ian Boden stated, “I have found the course incredibly easy to deliver and believe that the course is ideal for all angling coaches out there to get involved in schools and youth projects and deliver the course. Already they have had 6 trips to the local fishery and the community centre has found it a great way to get the kids a qualification at the end of an activity.”
Navelet Pink, Community Centre Manager commented:
“Young people have expressed an interest in going fishing in the local area and this qualification is an ideal opportunity for them to develop new skills by learning how to fish and also take their existing fishing ability to a new level. The course is ideal to give young people the opportunity to develop new skills and get recognised for doing it. With the course being accredited its great to give something back to young people who go fishing. The kids so far are really enjoying the course.”
One participant commented:
“I am ever so glad I came on the course, I have never caught so many fish.”
Navelet continued:
"Fishing always gives children a chance to achieve and provides an opportunity for all. It’s also a great method of peer tutoring, where the kids help each other progress and develop.”
What’s great to see from this project in particular is that the coach, Ian Boden isn’t just looking at introducing these kids into our sport, but also developing their interest into an after school activity and also a team competition. Projects like this are starting all over the country and will only help Angling achieve its goal of increasing participation in the sport and provide the anglers of the future.
Related News Articles:
NFA Receives Great Support for ‘Introduction to Angling and the Environment’ qualification 
Source: www.nfadirect.com |
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March 10th 2007 - Efftex 2007 - update. 
To date we have over 200 visitors pre-registered since registration opened just three weeks ago! We are continuously inundated with pre-registration forms each day.
Compared to this time last year, the number of pre-registered visitors has increased by 200%. Clearly FREE pre-registration is working exceptionally well!
The show buzz is already circulating in the neighbouring countries of the Czech Republic. EFTTA staff paid visits to some of the local shows in Poland, Hungary and Russia in recent weeks to spread the word about EFTTEX, the free pre-registration and promote Rome as the 2008 venue. The locals are excited about Prague and are eagerly awaiting next year’s show in Rome.
EFTTEX 2007 would like to remind once again that this year we are offering free admission for all visitors who pre-register. We will also host a free Intellectual Property seminar, Best New Product Competition, Drinks Reception Friday evening on the EFTTA Stand (E4), Line Testing Stand, New Business Reception Format and much more. Below are some of the things our team would like you to know:
Related News Articles:
EFFTEX 07 - Europe's finest, Prague, Czech Republic, 15-17 June 2007
Source: www.eftta.com |
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March 8th 2007 - Anglers check their flies for cleaner waters.
Anglers are set to become a key part of protecting Britain's rivers from
decline. Launching tomorrow at the Natural History Museum, the Anglers
Monitoring Initiative will provide a three-minute health check for our
waterways by training anglers to use riverflies as a barometer for water
quality.
The angler-led scheme will simplify how fishing groups share their
knowledge about rivers with the Environment Agency and the Scottish
Environment Protection Agency by providing regular, coordinated riverfly
updates. Not only will this make it easier to detect and respond quickly
to sudden severe water quality issues such as pesticide spills, the
frequent sampling also acts as a neighbourhood 'river watch' scheme
deterring would-be polluters. Good water quality means a river is better
placed to support strong, healthy gamefish populations.
Key examples of how the scheme can work include angling groups on the
River Rhymney in South Wales and on the River Wey in Surrey highlighting
separate pollution incidents that had seriously affected the water
quality. As a result, the Environment Agency was able to investigate
further with a view to tracing the source of the pollution and reducing
the threat to the river.
'All anglers have a responsibility to look after their rivers and this
gives us a unique opportunity to make an impact,' said Dai Roberts, a
member of Rhymney Riverfly Life Monitoring Group. 'On the Rhymney we've
shown how anglers, working together with government agencies, can help
ensure the better quality of our waters.'
While a river may appear to be healthy, its true health can only be
gauged by thoroughly investigating its biological quality. The
techniques for the Angler's Monitoring Initiative have been developed
over more than a decade, involving over 500 anglers on rivers across the country as well as conservation, academic and fishing organisations and
regulatory agencies. The methods are based on the biological monitoring
conducted by the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment
Protection Agency, which assesses long-term water quality by examining
chosen sites in spring and autumn.
The Anglers Monitoring Initiative offers one-day workshops to fishing
clubs on their local river, helping them choose good sampling sites and
explaining how to identify the eight groups of organisms that need to be
tracked. The simple monitoring technique involves a three-minute kick
sample of the riverbed which is then examined on the riverbank. To
support their training anglers receive a guide published in partnership
with The Field Studies Council which includes notes on the monitoring
technique and the insect species to look for. Once trained, fishing
clubs can record data from their chosen sample sites. Anglers who want
more about riverflies or to get involved in monitoring can sign up
through www.riverflies.org
'Anglers know their local rivers better than anyone, and trials of this
scheme have shown their expertise makes a real, noticeable difference to
how we monitor river quality,' said Steve Brooks, freshwater insect
specialist at the Natural History Museum. 'Healthy riverfly populations
are a sure sign of healthy rivers, which means better water quality for
everyone.'
Riverflies, including mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies, are a vital
part of rivers. As well as providing food for fish, birds and bats,
their wellbeing is a sensitive indicator of the health of our watery
environments. Severe declines could have serious implications for those
who enjoy flyfishing. Riverfly populations may be damaged by a variety
of factors, such as low river flows, poor land management,
acidification, siltation, pesticides, climatic change and pollution.
The Anglers Monitoring Initiative is formally launched today at the
Riverfly Partnership conference How Good is Your River? Many of the
country's most experienced and knowledgeable aquatic entomologists and
representatives of a wide range of environmental, angling and government
bodies will discuss the conservation of riverfly populations and the
associated impact of river management, farming and climate change.
Keynote speeches will be given by Dafydd Evans, Head of Fisheries at the
Environment Agency and Martin Salter MP, Chair of the All-Party
Parliamentary Angling Group, followed by a panel discussion chaired by
Jeremy Paxman.
Related News Articles:
Help save the salmon in Carmarthenshire
Source: www.salmon-trout.org |
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March 2nd 2007 - Local Man Netted For Fishing Offences
Operating an unauthorised fixed net on the River Tywi Estuary at Ferryside on 24 April 2006 cost a Ferryside man £1,150 in fines and costs at Carmarthen Magistrate’s Court on Febuary 20th.
David Laughton Sandbrook Cole of Brigstocke Terrace, Ferryside was fined £400 and also ordered to pay costs of £750 in a prosecution brought by Environment Agency Wales.
He had pleaded guilty to using an unauthorised net in the estuary. The net was confiscated by the Agency.
The Court was told that on 24 April 2006 Agency Enforcement Officers found a stake net set on the left bank of the river downstream of Ferryside Railway Station. The net appeared to have been recently cleaned and no fish were present.
Byelaws issued by the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee (SWSFC) restrict the height of stake nets in the Tywi estuary to 1.25 metres, however the net being used on this occasion was capable of exceeding this height. Lawful nets are effective for catching bottom dwelling fish such as flat fish, but migratory fish can swim over them safely.
Cole admitted that the net was his but argued that the nature of the tides was such that the height of the net would not have exceeded the height restriction.
In response to this the Agency carried further investigations of the river which demonstrated that the net would have exceeded the limit. The argument became unnecessary as the Court ruled that the Agency need only establish that a net had the capacity to exceed the height restriction.
As a result of that ruling the defendant amended his original pleas of not guilty to guilty although it was stressed on his behalf that it had not been his intention to catch migratory fish.
Following the case Stephen Williams, Senior Environmental Crime Officer said:
"These byelaws are aimed at conserving fish stocks and specifically protecting salmon and sea trout. Stake nets are designed to catch bottom-feeding species such as flat fish and are therefore allowed in suitable areas. Nets that are allowed to float with the rising tide are however far less discriminatory and hence banned from most estuaries. We must protect vulnerable fish stocks from exploitation and salmon and sea trout are in serious decline on the River Tywi. Our enforcement officers make regular patrols to ensure that rules and regulations are being observed, and this will continue."
Related News Articles:
Illegal net catches angler out in Gloucestershire
Appeal to help catch salmon poachers on Cornish rivers
Eight fined for fishing without a licence
Source: The Environment Agency |
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March 2nd 2007 - Stopping the Invasion of Non-Native SpeciesThe Environment Agency is joining a coalition of government bodies aiming to protect UK plants and animals from invasive species such as Floating Pennywort and Topmouth Gudgeon.
Consultation to refine the Governments Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy will focus on stopping further incursions from non-native species and limiting any negative impact from those already established, by:
Legislative framework: ensuring that current and any future legislation can adequately guard against the negative impacts;
Head of Conservation Paul Raven said the technical expertise of the Environment Agency in dealing with problems posed within river systems in particular, would play an important role in counteracting the impact of non-native species.
"The Environment Agency’s remit involves elements of detection, control, research and public awareness of non-native species that have already reached Britain, and it’s hoped this new framework will improve collaboration between organisations and individuals across the country," said Dr Raven.
"While our main concern is the detrimental effect that non-native species can have on our native wildlife and habitats, some can also have an impact on agriculture, fisheries and flood risk management. We’ve identified 70 non-native species that hinder our work with 36 being a particular problem."
Examples of current Invasive Species concerns for the Environment Agency include:
A recent study carried out in England has shown that there are 2,721 non-native species in England, of which 1,798 (66%) are plants. Complete eradication is often too expensive and impractical. For example it has been estimated that it would cost £1.56billion to eradicate Japanese Knotweed (an invasive non-native weed) alone.
The consultation will run until 23rd May 2007.
Source: The Environment Agency |
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March 1st 2007 - Alien Fish Invades Kent FisheryEnvironment Agency Fisheries Officers this week uncovered a rogue catfish whilst doing a fisheries survey in Canterbury, Kent.
Catfish are non-native to the UK but are becoming more and more popular in recreational fisheries. They can pose a threat to the environment by competing with our native fish for food and habitat and spreading disease or parasites.
Howe Barracks is managed by Ministry of Defence staff. They are looking to establish an angling group on a lake on site and asked the Environment Agency for assistance to determine the fish population there so that they can ensure the fishery is managed in a sustainable way. The Environment Agency Fisheries Technical team in Kent spotted the channel catfish in the net whilst doing a survey of the lake at Howe Barracks in Canterbury on Monday 19 February 2007.
The keeping of non-native fish species is restricted under the Import of Live Fish Act (ILFA), administered by CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) because of the potential ecological threat. The Ministry of Defence staff did not know the species was present so there was no ILFA licence in place covering the keeping of this fish. It is likely the catfish was introduced by an angler who fishes the lake.
Fisheries officers removed the fish and passed it onto the Environment Agency’s National Fisheries Laboratory in Cambridgeshire.
Jon Whitmore, Fisheries Technical Team Leader in Kent, said:
“Money generated from rod licence sales has enabled us to help the MOD make plans for the future of this lake. Non-native fish can pose a significant risk to the local environment so it was lucky that we found this fish when we did and were able to remove it from the pond. The staff managing this lake acted very responsibly. By working with us they have ensured that their lakes and the wider environment is protected. We urge others to do the same.”
Sgt David Handforth said:
"It is encouraging that the Environment Agency and the Ministry of Defence can work together in partnership, to help make this fishery available to anglers in the future."
If you have any information on illegal fish movement, please contact the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.
Read more about the Wels Catfish
Source: The Environment Agency |
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The latest edition of the FREE Anglers’ Lines, NFA newspaper is now available from selected tackle shops around the country. 
The closing date is the 27th April 2007 so get down to your tackle shop quickly to pick up your copy.
There are also sections on the latest NFA news, including a call for help to get the BBC hooked on angling and an update on the latest developments in the sport. Readers can see what coaching is going in their region and there is also a column from Steve Gray, the man behind 
The feedback after the first day of the course held at Windermere has been very positive with a number of attendees stating:
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