Land Registry is the government agency responsible for registering land in England and Wales. Since the Land Registration Act of 2002, it has been possible to register fishing rights and, in some cases, the bed of a river or lake with Land Registry.
Registration provides proof of ownership in the form of a state backed registration of title with key documents and plans issued by Land Registry. Such a proof of ownership protects angling clubs and fishery owners if there is any dispute regarding fishing rights and can be extremely helpful in showing title in any civil actions that may follow a pollution problem or other damage to the fishing. Finally, registration makes it far simpler to buy or sell fishing rights between clubs and owners.
The Angling Trust and Land Registry together encourage voluntary registration of fishing rights on all angling clubs and fishery owners in order to protect their fishing title.
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the Angling Trust, said:
“Registration of fishing rights is a prerequisite for the responsible management of fishing rights by angling clubs and fishing owner across England and Wales. If registration does not occur then these clubs and owners will be foregoing the obvious benefits brought about by the Land Registration Act 2002. I would urge all Angling Trust members who own or have a long lease of fishing rights to register those rights with Land Registry.”
Rosalind Turner, Assistant Land Registrar of the Land Registry Plymouth Office said:
“With the ever-growing accessing of online data by property professionals and the public at large alike, and the introduction of the facility to register profits a prendre in gross under the Land Registration Act 2002, there has never been a better time to assert ownership of fishing rights that exist independently of land ownership, by registration of those rights at Land Registry".
UK Fisherman would be delighted to hear from you if you would like to comment on any of our news articles. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would like to submit a news article of your own, please visit the CONTACT page.
