The first report was commissioned by the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee from Professor Ian Cowx of Hull University's acclaimed Fisheries Institute and the other is the European Commission's clarification on derogation under the Birds Directive which provides important information to support any moves by the UK Government to open up the current inadequate licensing system for controlling cormorant numbers.

A review of the licensing of fish eating birds has been carried out over the past two years following pressure from the Angling Trust for the Environment Minister to act to protect fish stocks.
One of the aims of Professor Cowx's report was to recommend a management strategy to reduce the damage caused by cormorants to fisheries and aquaculture.

Key findings:

• Cormorant numbers across Europe are now at their highest for at least 150 years, in excess of 500,000 birds
• There has been an upsurge of cormorants in inland waters in Europe since the late 1980s
• Cormorants are causing direct damage to fisheries and indirect damage to ecosystem dynamics including forestry, water quality and biodiversity
• Countries need a structured management plan including lethal control
• A large scale management plan on Lake Huron in North America worked: cormorant populations in North America were reduced by 160,000 birds, nests in the Lake Huron area were reduced from a peak of 5,500 nests to 500. This resulted in a rapid recovery of fish stocks
• Each Member State should organise their response to cormorants drawing on lessons from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

The second report provides the European Commission's clarification on derogations allowed under the Birds Directive. The report can be downloaded from our website HERE (5.8Mb file).

Key Points:

• Allowed to protect fauna & flora and to prevent serious damage to crops, livestock, forests, fisheries and water
• Annual report by Member States to EC required
• Have to show "no other satisfactory solution" to lethal control
• Denmark & France have National Management Schemes
• Derogations to protect eels from predation in eel management plans is acceptable
• Derogations to protect marble trout, grayling and salmon are acceptable where their conservation status is at risk
• Measures should be aimed not at maintaining specific population levels of cormorants but to provide necessary protection for fish and fisheries.

Chief executive of the Angling Trust Mark Lloyd said:
"These two reports are highly significant as they clarify beyond argument that the EU Birds Directive is no barrier to allowing member states to take the necessary action, including shooting, to protect fisheries from unsustainable predation by cormorants whose numbers have exploded in recent decades. Without healthy fish populations in our rivers, streams and lakes many other types of wildlife will suffer, and we will lose the huge benefits of angling to the economy and society. Cormorant numbers are doing untold damage to our fish and fishing, which is why the Angling Trust has persuaded the government to review the current and wholly inadequate system of licensing controls on their numbers and the damage they do. We urge the Minister to act as soon as possible now that the review has concluded."

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Buried away in the small print at www.rodlicence.net are details of the extra charges, none of which is necessary.

“Rodlicence.net offers you third party data processing services, for which we charge a service and administration fee of £5 for short-term licences and £11 for full licences.”

The site offers no additional benefits to anglers for these charges. Indeed, it is worse than the official sites because it does not provide anglers with a licence number immediately and so they could be prosecuted if they go fishing while they wait for their licence to turn up in the post.

Angling Trust campaigns coordinator Martin Salter said:

“It beggars belief when we are in the middle of a nasty recession which has hit hard the pockets of so many people that there are organisations out there seeking to charge anglers 40% extra on the cost of a coarse fishing licence for absolutely no benefit at all. Of course the situation has been made worse by the government’s ridiculous ban on marketing by public bodies like the EA which has adversely affected rod licence sales and has prevented the Agency from getting its message out to the wider angling public about renewals. This has opened the door once again to the profiteers who are hoping to make a quick buck at anglers’ expense.”

He added:

“The Angling Trust has been lobbying MPs and government ministers to allow the EA to market rod licences and the correct process for renewals as they provide an irreplaceable source of income for both angling and fisheries. However, in the meantime we strongly advice all anglers to avoid these websites like the plague that they are and to apply either on line at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/31497.aspx or visit their local Post Office in person.”

The Environment Agency website has been amended to warn people that there is no need to pay any processing charges whatsoever.

Paul Lidgett, Senior Fisheries Officer with the Environment Agency said:

“We are aware that other websites offer to ‘process’ your rod licence application for you and may charge you a fee for this service. We have no connection with such websites and do not endorse the service they provide. Anglers who buy their licence direct from the Post Office website are not charged an additional fee. They also receive a licence confirmation number by email allowing them to go fishing immediately”

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

To help combat this growing problem and support its member clubs and fisheries the Angling Trust has produced a simple but effective new poster that spells out the rules in five different languages. Clubs just need to download the poster from the Trust's website, print and laminate it, then post them in prominent positions on their rivers, lakes and canals which are shut during the close season.

Martin Salter, National Campaigns Coordinator for the Angling Trust said:

"Fishing for coarse fish between March 15th and June 15th (inclusive) on rivers and some stillwaters and canals is illegal. Yet many people still don't seem to be getting the message, as fishing during the close season is one of the most common illegal angling activities in England. There can't be an angler in the country who hasn't seen someone ignoring the rules on one of their local waters. Not only is it illegal, it's also really annoying!

Ignorance of the rules is a poor excuse, but it is the one most frequently used when an approach is made to an angler caught in the act. Hopefully these new posters will help deter the usual culprits and at worst they will at least mean that rule breakers have no excuse when they get caught!"

Download the poster as a print-ready PDF HERE

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The Voluntary Bailiff Service (VBS) was launched in May 2012, comprising 29 Volunteer Bailiffs (VB) deployed into four 'Angling Watches' (AW), each overseen by an Area Co-ordinator (AC). Each AW has a dedicated EA Fisheries Enforcement Officer (FEO), with whom VBs work closely. In April 2013, a further 27 VBs will be inducted into the VBS, making a total of 56 VBs active in EASE.

At this stage VBs are involved with gathering intelligence on illegal fishing. The quantity and quality of information reports will be carefully analysed upon conclusion of CLAMP DOWN, and any successes widely publicised.

Although CLAMP DOWN specifically targets waters in EASE, anglers throughout England can contribute by reporting any offences in progress or useful information to the EA. Indeed, anglers generally in EASE, not just VBs, are positively encouraged to contribute to this process. Anglers should call the EA on 0800 80 70 60. "All anglers are asked to report those fishing illegally out of season. Information received fromVBs and the public will be invaluable and used to target patrols at known locations. Anglers caught fishing during the annual close season are all reported to our legal department and may face prosecution ," said Adrian Brightley, the EASE Technical Specialist (Fisheries Enforcement).

Angling Trust (AT) Fisheries Enforcement Manager (FEM) Dilip Sarkar said "Both the AT and EA recognise that poaching and fish theft are of great concern to many anglers. Anglers themselves are, in fact, our greatest resource, given that we are out there on the bank in all weathers and possessed of immense local knowledge. The VBS provides an opportunity for anglers to get involved by giving just four hours of their time per week to support EA FEOs. Operation CLAMP DOWN is our response to dealing with those who break the law and fish illegally during the close season. Law enforcement today is intelligence driven, and providing information and reporting incidents is an absolutely essential process to which all anglers can contribute. By working together in this way, we can make a positive difference".

It is hoped that the next VBS development stage will see selected VBS given further training and the power to demand and inspect rod licences. Ultimately some VBs could become fully warranted and work in direct support of EA FEOs on High Impact Fisheries Enforcement operations. The pilot project in EASE is crucially important, providing a model applicable to other EA areas.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

BRASENOSE ONE

Steve Cliff had fifteen fish whilst on B-1 about one week ago. Steve used cell boilies over a spodded area at 85 yards, with his catch being topped by mirrors weighing 22lb and 28lb 08oz. Whilst braving a very cold East wind, Ryan Robinson had a cracking 27lb mirror using cell pop-ups.

BRASENOSE TWO

Father and son duo of Tony and Alex Willetts from Witney spent a day's lure fishing for pike, landing 6 fish between them. Alex landed a 15lb fish and on his first ever trip pike fishing his father landed a new lake record 20lb 06oz beauty. GAUNTS LAKE 27 Feb Sutton Courtenay angler Barry Evans had a lovely low double mirror.

GENERAL

Flooding Update
NOW THAT THE FLOOD WATERS HAVE ALMOST RECEEDED - ST. JOHNS LAKE AND ALL OF OXLEASE LAKE WILL BE OPEN FOR FISHING AGAIN ON MONDAY 25th FEBRUARY. HUNTS CORNER LAKE IS STILL CLOSED, WE HOPE TO OPEN THIS BY MID-MARCH. DATE TBC.

New 2013 Linear DVD.
The new Linear Fisheries DVD is now available. A free copy of this 1-hour DVD can be ordered through our web site, the only charge is £2 for P&P or it can be obtained from numerous tackle shops around the country. Shortly you will also be able to download a copy via our web site.

New 2013 Linear Brochure
The new, 40th Anniversary Linear Brochure is now available. A free copy can be ordered through our web site or obtained from numerous tackle shops around the country. Alternatively you can download a copy via our web site. 27 Feb **Pay by Credit or Debit Card** Linear operates a mobile credit/debit card payment system for day tickets sold on the bank side. This is Linear's preferred method of payment.

KORDA UNDERWATER-7 DVD “Unlocking the Day-Ticket Code”.
This brilliant DVD was filmed entirely on Linear’s, St. John Pool where the film crew captured some very unique underwater footage of the lakes stunning residents, including it’s most famous resident, ‘The Big Plated’ – which was hooked and landed at over 44 pounds. “The mission was simple. Go to the busiest day-ticket complex in the UK and fish St. Johns, one of its most popular lakes, which is steeped in history and full of pressured carp that have seen every trick in the book”. As you would expect from a Korda Underwater DVD there is extensive underwater footage of carp behaviour which reveals some breathtaking footage of the carp’s response to various rigs and bait, definitely not to be missed. Linear have a small number of these DVD’s that they can pass on. The price is £19.95 and the DVD can be ordered by phone using a credit/debit card: 07885327708 or purchased at the Fishery. Alternatively you can obtain your copy by sending a cheque or postal order for £19.95 to: Linear Fisheries, 12 Farm House Close, Stanton Harcourt, Witney, Oxon OX29 5TD. (FREE POSTAGE ON ALL ORDERS). Cheques etc. should be made payable to Linear Fisheries Oxford. 27 Feb

**Important Info - End of Pike Fishing Season**
Please remember that the pike season at the Linear waters finishes on the 28th of Feb and doesn’t re-commence until the 1st of Oct, this includes spinning/lure fishing.

OXLEASE LAKE

We've had reports of at least seven fish being landed from Oxlease Lake in the last 24-hours, more details when we get them. SECURITY 27 Feb **Gate Locking Times** From the 1st of March the main gates on all lakes will be locked down at 9pm and will be opened by 8am in the morning.

ST JOHNS POOL

**Pike Match Results** The recent pike match on St. Johns fished very well producing 31 fish for 240lb 02oz in weight, new records for pike matches’ held at our waters. 1st - J. Lees 37lb 04oz (4 fish) 2nd - T. Dolan 32lb (3 fish) 3rd - J. Wagner 28lb 13oz (3 fish) Biggest Fish - T. Dolan 19lb *Please remember that the pike season at the Linear waters finishes on the 28th of Feb and doesn’t re-commence until the 1st of Oct, this includes spinning/lure fishing*

UNITY LAKE

Lewis Cunningham had a 17lb mirror using CC Moore live system boilies. Fishing with him was Matthew Cunningham who had a 32lb 02oz mirror using the same bait.

Source: Linear Fisheries

Becky, who is a member of Swanage & District Sea Angling Club, was delighted to receive her official team colours from Chris, who is himself a multiple world champion and has coached the junior England sea angling team to numerous medals at world championships. Chris was selected to carry the Olympic torch this year on behalf of the sport of angling.

Becky will take part in the first ever Home International Ladies Championships, which will be held in North Wales in early July 2013, and is one of two new ladies caps this year.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust said:
"Many congratulations to Becky for reaching the pinnacle of the sport. We wish her and the whole of the ladies sea angling team the best of luck as they fish against the other home nations this summer. I hope that Becky comes back to Swanage with a gold medal in July, but whatever happens she should be very proud to have been selected to represent her country."

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The Angling Trust has joined the Thames Tunnel Now coalition of environmental and amenity groups to urge the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to put his weight behind the Thames Tunnel project ahead of its submission to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate on February 28th.

Thames Tunnel Now (TTN) is calling for the final progression of the tunnel to tackle the on-going sewage pollution of the River Thames, which has only worsened during 10 years of research and debate.

TTN member and Chairman of the Thames Anglers Conservancy, Dave Harvey said:
“A solution to the devastating raw sewage discharges is long overdue, and that solution is the Tideway Tunnel. To walk the foreshore after a discharge is to see human faeces, sanitary towels and condoms floating in the margins, its London’s dirty secret and we need to act now.”

The Mayor was an early supporter of the Thames Tunnel project, and TTN urges him to stand his ground and to not be swayed by the small number of highly vocal groups that oppose this essential project.

Boris Johnson wrote in his Telegraph column in September 2011:
“Unless we act, neither man nor beast will survive the Thames in 10 years’ time... We are facing the long-term deterioration in Thames water quality, and unless we act now I am afraid no one in their right mind will be swimming this river in 10 years’ time....it is time to recognise that we can no longer rely on Victorian capital, and why Thames Water is right to be consulting on its proposed super-sewer, known as the Thames Tideway Tunnel. It is a breathtakingly ambitious project, on a scale that would have attracted the approval of Brunel and Bazalgette themselves.”

London’s sewerage system, founded over 150 years ago, was future-proofed for a maximum of 2 million Londoners. Today, we are now almost 8 million and rising. Overflows pumped into the Thames were originally designed as a last resort in times of unnaturally high rainfall. Now however, our overloaded sewerage system forces untreated sewage into the River Thames after as little as 2mm of rain. London’s iconic river, which is used by over 30 watersports clubs and thousands of tourists and walkers each day, is contaminated with harmful pathogens, viruses and bacteria, such as E coli, hepatitis A and faecal streptococci. Indeed, these sewage discharges breach the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive; the UK would face the prospect of hefty fines, if the tunnel is not built.

Chief Executive of Thames21 Debbie Leach said:
“The Thames has made significant recovery in recent years, but we must have no doubt about the severity of the current situation; raw sewage is entering the river at least once a week, threatening not just the many fish, birds and mammals that depend on it, but human health too. We cannot afford to delay this desperately needed action any further if we want the Thames to maintain its role as a vital wildlife nursery, global tourist destination and source of recreation and respite for Londoners.”

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust added:
“Thames anglers have been waiting 40 years for action to stop sewage pouring into the tideway and killing tens of thousands of fish each year. Millions of anglers will be watching to see that Boris doesn't wobble from his position of support for this vital project just because of a few riverside Nimbys.”

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Because of the decline in fish numbers on these rivers, clubs and businesses are losing members, day ticket and tackle sales on a daily basis. These are important rural businesses which rely on healthy fish stocks to continue employing staff and providing benefits to the local economy and to people and communities.

The letter to Dafydd Evans, Area Manager at the Environment Agency is copied below.

Andy Jones, Secretary of Montgomery Anglers Association and Assistant Manager at Total Angling, Shrewsbury said:

"We have been asking the Environment Agency questions about the downturn in match and pleasure angling catches for over five years and not one representative from the Agency has been able to answer us or has seemed willing to do anything to improve the situation. The Environment Agency just will not admit that there is a serious problem with fish stocks and they continue to ignore a simple fact, which is how good the fishing has been on the river Severn in the past and how poor it has become now. Local anglers fully support this letter from the Angling Trust and hope that now, at last, something will be done to improve things. Our club memberships, retail income and the local economy have been affected by fewer anglers coming to fish the Severn here and that's a real shame because in the past the river has produced amazing catches of roach, dace and chub. If the Environment Agency act now then things can get better."

Sir John Roberts, Chairman of Shropshire Anglers Federation commented on the decline in fishing on the Severn:

"It is now time for anglers to shout and shout loud. This has to stop. Summer floods have played a part in natural egg and fry losses and the constant onslaught of predation cannot be accepted by us." Sir John continued "The competition scene in Shrewsbury has seen income in the £1,000s five years ago reduced to less than £100 in 2012. Local clubs and Federations alike have seen their revenue halved."

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Angling’s representative body agreed to support a ban on the taking of eels by rod and line three years ago, asking at the same time for a complete ban on the commercial exploitation of the stock. Eels have a lifecycle of between 10 and 40 years and very little is known about the factors affecting their numbers so it is just not possible to know whether a commercial harvest is sustainable.

Eels are a vital part of the aquatic ecosystem and a favourite food of cormorants and otters. It is thought that the decline in eels may have contributed to increased predation on other fish species.

Eels are highly valuable and it is thought that far more eels and elvers are taken than the licences allow. The continued licensed commercial fishing of eels and elvers makes enforcement more difficult; if it were banned entirely then anglers would be able much more easily to report any eel or elver fishing as being illegal, and puts remaining stocks at risk.

The Trust’s view is that elvers should only be caught for the purpose of supporting dedicated re-stocking programmes.

The Angling Trust and Fish Legal campaign and take legal action to tackle pollution, over-abstraction, migration barriers and damaging hydropower schemes which are being promoted and licensed by the Environment Agency.

The 2007 EC Eel Regulation required member states to develop and implement eel management plans to restore the escapement of silver eels to at least 40% of historic, “pristine” levels. Plans were published in 2009 covering each of the 11 river basin districts in England and Wales. The EC Regulation required states to report on the latest condition of eel stocks and on progress in delivering the management plans in 2012 and at 3-yearly (until 2018) then 6-yearly intervals.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal said: “we were recently asked for a view of the Environment Agency’s eel management plans at the England & Wales Fisheries Group which oversees the work of the Agency in this area and we emphatically called again for an end to commercial netting and trapping of all eels and elvers.

"There is some good work being done by the Agency to build fish passes and to stop eels being sucked into water intakes, but its value is diminished because they are still being slaughtered and exported. To prosecute an angler for killing three eels while licensing the harvest of many tonnes of eels each year by commercial fisheries is wrong. All commercial fishing for eels and elvers must stop, and it must stop now.”

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News