Displaying items by tag: fishing news

Many anglers have achieved instructors’ or coaching qualifications or awards such as STANIC and C25 dating back five or more years and which are no longer adequate to become a licensed coach. A scheme launched by the Angling Development Board (ADB) gives these anglers the chance to upgrade to the modern coaching qualification compatible with other sports and the UK Coaching Certificate.

Jackie Sheldon, Senior Development Manager for the ADB explains;

‘Through the UKCC Source Group and our Coach Steering Group, the ADB has developed ‘bridging packs’ which will enable these instructors to meet requirements for becoming ADB licensed coaches and will be accepted by Local Authorities, County Sports Partnerships and schools throughout England and eventually the UK.’

‘We are expecting at least 80 applications for this opportunity and hope it will encourage many lapsed coaches into being more active and getting involved in all the new angling initiatives starting around the country.’

Anyone holding an angling qualification or award other than the 1st4sport Certificate in Coaching Angling can apply using the ‘Recognised Prior Learning’ (RPL) forms on the Angling Trust – ADB website where the process is explained.  It usually includes one day of additional training plus a two-day assessment. The cost of the upgrade has been reduced to £80 by funding secured by the ADB and many applicants will also be eligible for grants, sponsorship and bursaries to offset this cost.  Help is available on this from the ADB office or its Regional staff.

Fishing for Charity, the brainchild of angler Tony Shaw of Lafarge Aggregates Limited, has presented a cheque for £2,000 to International Manager Joe Roberts to support the England Disabled Coarse Angling team.

Tony was amazed at the lack of support that angling at international level received from our government and in 2008 raised £650 for the team, with a similar amount going to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. He has promised to raise even more in 2010, with a big event planned for April.

With his army of friends and helpers, Tony has organised a series of charity angling matches and has raised money at car boot sales.

The Angling Trust and the Disabled International team would like to thank the following for their support of these events. Without their help it would not have been possible to raise this money.

Dynamite Baits; Richworth Baits; Limelight Marquees; Colin Thornton; Andy Hermitage; Richard Hunger; Bob, Kevin and Colin from Phoenix Weighing Services and of course the owner of Apps Court Farm, Stuart McGregor.

Apps Court Premier Fishery manager Clive Terry is also singled out for special thanks for his help by Tony who hopes to use the same venue for his final presentation day next April.

Dick Clegg, International Events Manager for the Angling Trust ( FIPSed) said: “Once again I would like to thank Tony and everyone concerned for their efforts in raising a substantial amount towards our disabled teams’ international expenses. Without their support the teams would not be able to compete at the highest level”

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust said: “We are very grateful to all the volunteers and sponsors involved in this fantastic effort. Our aim is to grow the Angling Trust membership so that we can attract greater sponsorship to help fund all our international teams.”

Anyone wishing to support Tony’s fundraising can contact him on 07900126431 or 01784248745 or e-mail him: tony.shaw777@yahoo.co.uk

Angling Trust and Matchroom Sport announced today that entries to Fish O Mania 2010 will be open from 9.00am on 18th January 2010 for a three week period. The closing date for entries will be 8th February 2010 at 4.00pm. Tickets will be on sale at £23.00, an increase of 50p on 2009 to reflect higher peg fees. A new venue, Partridge Lakes, near Culcheth in Cheshire, will be used for a qualifying heat this year. Anglers wishing to register in this year's event will need to have a valid individual membership of the Angling Trust to register and have their membership card with them when they compete.

The Angling Trust website (www.anglingtrust.net) will be the only means by which anglers can enter Fish O Mania. Once the event is launched, competitors will have three weeks in which to enter through the on-line process. Once the entry has closed, the site software will then generate a random draw to select the 130 anglers for each of the 16 qualifying heats. The system does not operate on a first come first served basis, therefore all entries received from 18th January to 8th February will have an equal chance of obtaining a ticket. The site will also generate a reserve list for each of the 16 qualifiers with details being regularly updated on the Angling Trust website.

Anglers can sign up for membership on the Angling Trust website by following the links on the online entry process, or by clicking on “Join Here” on the home page. Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust explained the decision to make the competition members-only: "This is in line with most of the Trust’s other competitions, and other governing bodies’ policies.  It has been welcomed by all the competition anglers we have spoken to, who saw it as a way of helping the Trust to continue to grow and develop into a powerful voice for all angling, and to develop match angling in the future."  It will also ensure that all participants are covered by the Angling Trust’s free civil liability insurance, included in the membership subscription.

A spokesman for Matchroom Sport said: “Having worked with the NFA, and now the Angling Trust, for 16 years on Fish O Mania, we feel that it is important that anglers unite to give themselves a stronger voice in what are challenging times for the sport. On that basis we are happy that it is a pre-requisite that anglers taking part in Fish O Mania be members of the governing body that administers the sport. I can’t think of another sport that Matchroom operate in where this isn’t the case and it is of obvious benefit to all.”

Sandra Drew, Competitions and Events Manager for the Angling Trust said: “The importance of the Fish O Mania title is obvious from the distances some anglers travel to take part in the qualifiers each year and the huge attention that this competition attracts in the angling media and on Sky Sports. Once again there will be 16 qualifiers held around the country giving anglers a chance of winning the biggest prize in coarse angling and taking the prestigious title of Fish O Mania Champion.”

Matchroom Sport and the Angling Trust also announced the venues and dates for the Fish O Mania qualifiers for 2010:

Saturday 10th April 2010 Viaduct Fishery
Saturday 17th April 2010 Tunnel Barn Farm
Wednesday 21st April 2010 Barford Lakes
Saturday 24th April 2010 Lakeview Fishery
Wednesday 28th April 2010 Woodlands View
Saturday 1st May 2010 Maver Larford Lakes
Wednesday 5th May 2010 Monk Lakes
Saturday 8th May 2010 Stafford Moor
Saturday 15th May 2010 Moorlands Farm
Saturday 22nd May 2010 Octoplus Boldings
Saturday 29th May 2010 Partridge Lakes
Wednesday 2nd June 2010 Heronbrook Fisheries
Saturday 5th June 2010 The Oaks
Wednesday 16th June 2010 Willinghurst Fishery
Saturday 19th June 2010 Woodlands Lakes
Wednesday 30th June 2010 Lindholme Lakes

The England pair, Billy Flowers and Jamie Londers, were denied 1st place at the World Carp Championships only because the match was extended to 73 hours due to the clocks being put back. Having led from the start, they were only beaten to a silver medal position in the last 20 minutes by the South African pairing by a margin of just under 5 Kg. Instead of the competition running for the usual 72 hours, it was decided to extend it by an hour. At the 72 hour mark, our boys were 3Kg in front of the South Africans.

The team, generously sponsored by HS Works, finished in a very disappointing 9th place with two out of three pairs fishing in fishless areas. This compares with a very creditable 2nd place last year. South Africa won the overall team event, with Serbia coming 2nd and home team France in 3rd place.

The 11th World FIPSed Carp Championships were held from 21st October to 25th October 2009 at Cazaubon Barbotan in France. There were widespread complaints about the organisation of the event, which was regarded as the worst organised world championships of recent years.

Mitch Smith, England Carp Team Manager said: “the competition this year was an extremely fraught one. To see Billy Flowers and Jamie Londers take 2nd place was a bag of mixed emotions; on one hand they took a wonderful position in 2nd place that anyone would have gladly taken at the start of any competition, but on the other hand to lead a 72hr competition for 72 hrs 40 mins and then get the title taken away from you in an extended hour due to the clocks going back is just an unimaginable catastrophe.”

Mitch continued: “We tried so hard to be ready for this competition only to see the whole lot go down the pan at the draw. It was just devastating to be pitched in fishless pegs, I can only compare it to having your shoe laces tied to the starting blocks in a 100 metre running race. Well, as they say, the show goes on and it arrives here in the UK next October. We have already picked ourselves up and dusted ourselves down and are ready to select another 2 pairs to challenge the world alongside Billy and Jamie on the great Linear fisheries near Oxford, at the 12th World Carp Champs.”

Dick Clegg, International Events Manager for the Angling Trust said: "It's always frustrating in fishing competitions when the draw automatically rules out any medal chances. I know the whole team will be disappointed after weeks of practice, but the shining consolation is that were on the podium once again. It was a tremendous performance from Billy Flowers and Jamie Londers to finish in silver medal position in the individual honours. Well done guys!"

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust said: “We would like to thank the sponsors, HS Works, for all their support of the national squad, without which our team would not be able to compete in these championships. Congratulations must go to Billy and Jamie for their achievement in the pairs, but it seems that the draw and the strange decision about the match length conspired against us. We look forward very much to hosting the Championships in England next year.”

Results
Team positions
1st: South Africa 5points 171.320 kg
2nd: Serbia 13 points 100.510 kg
3rd: France 15 points 80.330 kgs

Individual positions
1st:South Africa Hennie Du Preez & Andries Maree 79.00kgs (C Section winners)
2nd: England Jamie Londers & Billy Flowers 73.190kgs (B Section winners)
3rd: South Africa Gp Nell & Kobus Van Loggerenbe 49.650kgs (A Section winners & last year’s winners)

Fish Legal has secured a swift settlement of £3,000 on behalf of its member, the Egremont & District Anglers Association, from contractors for Cumbria County Council after poorly-secured scaffolding assembled under a bridge on the River Ehen collapsed and lodged in one of the club’s prime salmon and sea trout holding pools.

Following rainfall in Egremont on the 3rd October 2008 the Ehen rose rapidly and tore down the steel girders and wooden boards which had been put in place as part of a bridge strengthening scheme at Braystones. The falling scaffold ripped out sections of the river bank and continued downstream before collecting in a tangled mass in what is known to local anglers as the Dark Corner Pool.

Tonnes of river debris gathered behind the scaffolding until the pool – which was once about 16ft in depth – shallowed to only a foot in places.

Justin Neal, the Fish Legal solicitor handling the case, said:
“The contractors set about erecting the scaffolding without giving any thought to the characteristics of the river which flowed beneath. The most basic enquiries would have revealed that the Ehen was a spate river and that both the strength and volume of water passing under the bridge following a downpour could easily dislodge any lean-to temporary structure. In fact, a similar incident occurred back in September 2007 when the river was in spate so there is absolutely no excuse for the lack of care taken by the Council’s contractors on this occasion”

The scaffolding stayed in the river for some 9 months following the incident before the contractors returned with heavy equipment to remove the structure.

Surprisingly, the Environment Agency regarded the presence of tonnes of scaffolding and debris as being of “no significant detriment to the ecology of the river”.

Roy Adams, Chairman of the Egremont & District Anglers Association, said:
“The complexity and variety of fishing in the Dark Corner Pool changes with the flow of the river and it is one of the most sought after spots by anglers on the club’s waters”.

He added:
“All manner of rubbish got caught up on the scaffolding whilst it was in the river – from old tyres to shopping trolleys to huge tree branches. Now that the scaffold has finally been removed and the depth and profile of Dark Corner Pool has returned to how it was before this debacle we hope that salmon and sea trout will collect, once again, in this stretch, during their passage upstream”.

Swift action by the Angling Trust has hopefully saved waterways in South Yorkshire’s River Don catchment from becoming infested with an alien invader, floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides).

The plant, which was brought to Britain in the 1980s for tropical aquaria and garden ponds, was first noticed in the wild in Essex in 1991. Since then it has spread throughout the South and Midlands with devastating effects, covering the surface of waterways, blocking boat traffic and killing fish and other species. New plants can establish from small pieces of stems which break free from the parent and can grow at up to 20cm (8inches) per day, doubling the plant’s weight in as little as 3 days. This, together with a resistance to chemical control, makes elimination difficult once the plant has become established.

Fortunately reports from anglers of sightings throughout the Don and other canal systems in the region have enabled the Trust to highlight the problem to the Environment Agency who have begun mapping the plant's distribution this week and will shortly be taking action to limit its spread.

Mike Heylin, Chairman of the Angling Trust commented, “Angling Trust has been working with the Non Native Species secretariat for some time to develop policies to control invasive plants and animals. We are very pleased to be able to put that experience to practical use in defending our rivers from damaging plants. We appeal to all gardeners and pond keepers to keep non natives where they belong, in their gardens and ponds, and not risk the environment by letting them escape to the wild. Funds have recently been made available from Defra for management of these plants and we expect the Environment Agency will be using some of this money to remove the floating pennywort from the wild.

We hope that this, together with the urgent action of our members in notifying Angling Trust of the spread of this obnoxious plant, will enable the Agency to control and prevent it causing more problems in future, especially in rivers such as the Don in South Yorkshire.”

Fish Legal has successfully settled a civil action against a poacher on behalf of its member club the King's Lynn Angling Association.

Fish Legal issued proceedings against Mr Chirokov, who was one of three men arrested by police on 25th May 2008 at a makeshift camp set up on the banks of the Wissey from where they took fish illegally from the river over a number of days.

When apprehended by the police, the group had in their possession an assortment of fishing paraphernalia including a commercial-type gill net, a crayfish trap, several baited rods, two dinghies and a large number of live fish threaded through the gills onto a washing line and submerged in the water in an attempt to keep them fresh.

During a hearing at King's Lynn County Court on 7th October 2009, the defendant gave an undertaking – or sealed promise – to the judge that he would not trespass or fish on the club’s waters at any time in the future. If found in breach of this undertaking, the defendant could face a charge of contempt of court which carries with it the possibility of a prison sentence.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of Fish Legal said:
“Poaching is not simply an irritation for anglers but, as in this case, it can have a detrimental impact on fish populations. There are also welfare issues to consider, as the fish had been threaded onto a line to keep them alive for hours”.

He added:
“Although two other poachers were successfully prosecuted by the police, there was insufficient evidence to prosecute this defendant, which is why Fish Legal pressed forward with a civil action to ensure that he didn't go back to the waters”.

Ashley Brown of the King's Lynn Angling Association said:
“There clearly is a problem with poachers taking fish so we hope this sends out a clear message that King’s Lynn AA will take legal action against anyone caught taking fish from their waters. It is unfortunate that we have to resort to this but we have spent over £2000 with help from the EA on signage warning no fish can be taken and these are being ignored. I would like to thank Fish Legal for taking on our case."

Anglers have reacted with dismay and anger to the news that thousands of fish in the River Trent have been killed by what is reported to be a mix of cyanide and raw sewage. The river is very popular with anglers and was the venue for this year’s Angling Trust 2nd division national coarse angling championship, which saw hundreds of anglers gather from all over the country to compete for the coveted trophy.

Angling clubs and individuals have invested huge amounts of money and volunteer time over several generations in improving the River Trent, both through physical works to improve habitats and by campaigning for improvement of water quality. This spill could reverse years of hard work to improve the river and its tributaries.

The news comes just two weeks after the Angling Trust launched a specific campaign, in partnership with WWF and the HSBC Climate Partnership, to address surface water run-off from Birmingham causing pollution downstream. There were significant fish kills earlier this year on the River Tame, a tributary of the Trent, and on the main river itself after thunderstorms over the city flushed pollutants into the river.

The Angling Trust’s Environmental Campaigns Manager Mark Owen will be travelling the length of the affected stretch of the river this morning to make an initial assessment of the damage to fish and other wildlife. He will be working closely with the Environment Agency to identify the polluter as soon as possible.

Fish Legal, which acts as the legal arm of the Angling Trust in England, will be investigating the potential for taking a civil claim for compensation on behalf of its member angling clubs and riparian owners on the river. This claim would complement any criminal prosecution by the Environment Agency in punishing whoever is found to be responsible for this pollution.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal said: “This incident demonstrates yet again the need for business to take the utmost care in handling noxious chemicals. Drains should never be used as a means of disposing of waste chemicals. We will be pressing for a full investigation of this tragedy and will do everything we can to make the polluters pay for the damage they have done to our members’ interests on the river.”

Mark Owen, Environmental Campaigns Manager at the Angling Trust said: “Once more the River Trent has suffered a severe pollution incident which has killed thousands of fish. We will continue to campaign for as long as it takes for the systems to be put in place to prevent these incidents being repeated.”

The Angling Trust is warning all anglers to keep clear of the river and not to handle any dead fish or take any samples of water.

For further information, please contact Mark Lloyd on 07973 468198 or Mark Owen on 07545 733245.

Chatton Ladies have entered 2 ladies teams in the Macmillan's Fishing Day at Derwent 11th October. The ladies have grown in strength and enthusiasm over the season and are looking forward to entering again, for some of the ladies it will be there first competition.

Ali has the assistance from a fishing instructor on the day, to help with coaching and fishing advice.

Ali commented:
“I’m thrilled we have 2 ladies teams entering this year for such a good cause. All the money raised will be used to fund vital cancer services, from specialist nurses and doctors to help and advice for people who have financial problems because of their cancer.”

Any ladies interested in entering this event please contact Ali at Chatton. No experience necessary, just a smile and the opportunity to help a good cause. If you wish to donate to such a good cause please contact Ali at Chatton or visit our Just giving page called Chatton ladies.

We have our last training session 4th october 2009 at chatton fishery.

In response to Tuesday’s report from the Environment Agency (EA) regarding the ecological status of water bodies in England and Wales, WWF and the Angling Trust have launched a joint campaign to restore and conserve a number of rivers in the UK that are under threat from pollution, over-abstraction and habitat damage.

As part of the HSBC Climate Partnership, WWF and the Angling Trust will implement a total of eight campaigns in as many months that call for clear and immediate action on specific local problems to restore and conserve the biodiversity and fisheries of these rivers. These local campaigns will also be used as case studies nationally to highlight the widespread nature of threats to our rivers.

The first of these campaigns will focus on the River Tame and middle Trent catchment. Parts of the Trent have been identified as being amongst the lowest quality rivers in Europe, according to the EA report. The campaign was launched on Tuesday, with coverage on BBC Breakfast News: Click here to watch the interview in full

The Angling Trust had already begun research on this river after identifying that urban run off was a key factor in its degradation. Then in June 2009, more than 1000 fish were killed as a result of increased urban run off following some severe storms over Birmingham.  With climate change scenarios predicting a more unstable weather pattern, which will see an increase in storms and flooding, it is essential for the security of the River Trent, its wildlife, the local communities and the angling clubs that the issue of urban runoff is addressed by the local councils immediately.

Mark Owen, Environmental Campaigns Manager at the Angling Trust, who will be leading on these campaigns, said: “Our focus for this catchment is to ensure that we have an effective Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) in place to reduce the risk of urban run off in the face of a changing and unstable climate. Pollution from urban run-off, such as Birmingham, is a major problem in many English rivers. However, if pollution is properly managed, then we can create attractive and useful havens for wildlife and angling which will reduce the speed and quantity of run-off from the vast paved areas in urban areas.”

The Angling Trust and WWF will focus on bringing together the two councils which suffer the brunt of the pollution, Tamworth and Burton, with Birmingham City Council to develop solutions to the issue, focusing on an improved SUDs policy in Birmingham. This plan will also need to take into account the potential increases in population, due to the planned development of half a million more homes by 2026 in the region, which will add additional urban run-off and sewage. Much can be achieved by improving the design of new developments to allow surface water to soak away and be stored in small scale storage areas.

WWF’s Policy and Programme Manager for Freshwater, Rose Timlett, commented on the EA report; “The confirmation that over 74% of our rivers currently fall below the ‘good ecological status’ line, is a wake-up call to the government that the time to act is now. These rivers are our water supply and they are the lifeblood for an abundance of wildlife. Anglers are the eyes and ears of our waterways and the Angling Trust’s involvement in the protection of UK Rivers is therefore imperative to securing a healthy future for them”.

The joint partnership between the Angling Trust and WWF, supported by HSBC, will campaign to get local councils, the government, the Environment Agency and farmers to make the necessary changes to secure the health of our waterways.

The eight campaigns will focus on keys issues such as over abstraction, urban and agricultural diffuse pollution, barriers to fish migration and hydropower installations.
Anglers can get involved by adopting a river and writing a letter to their MPs from the Our Rivers website (www.ourrivers.org) encouraging the Environment Agency to show much greater ambition in the River Basin Management Plans. There will also be various community events organised by local angling groups for local residents and anglers to get hands on in the conservation of their local rivers such as clean-up days.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust said: “the Angling Trust will be writing to all its member clubs and riparian owners asking for suitable candidate campaigns. Anglers have, for generations, done more than any other group to campaign for and implement improvements to our rivers. We know what the problems are and our great numbers can help persuade politicians that action should be taken to address them. By teaming up with the largest environmental charities in the country, we have been able to broaden the base of support for implementing these solutions.”