Thursday, November 30, 2006

Radical action needed for water

An unprecedented coalition of environmental and angling groups has produced a ten-point plan of action to secure a healthy water environment for people and wildlife.

The grouping, which represents more than six million people, handed its Blueprint for Water to Environment Minister, Ian Pearson, in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 28 November and will be watching closely to determine whether the Government is making progress on the 10 points of action.


“We are setting out a clear programme of action the Government must take in order to meet agreed European standards for water management by 2015,” said Paul King, Director of Campaigns at WWF-UK, on behalf of the coalition. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reverse the neglect of our water resources and freshwater environment. Providing enough clean, safe water is becoming ever more difficult and expensive and climate change is increasing the challenge.”

The Blueprint (see the blog below) outlines the steps needed to slash the amount of water wasted in homes and businesses. It also calls for a huge increase in the currently low-level of fines for water pollution and the creation of a fund to help urban and rural communities restore river catchments.

Paul Knight, Executive Director of the Salmon and Trout Association, said: “Britain's four million anglers and the billions they generate for local economies, depend on healthy water ecosystems.

“Managing our water better has great benefits for wildlife, for fish and for jobs - we can no longer afford to misuse such a priceless resource.”

Graham Wynne, Chief Executive of the RSPB said: “Water, rivers and wetlands have helped shape our nation, our wildlife and the way we think about ourselves.

“Yet today many of our waterways are devoid of the fish, plants and animals they once supported, our wetlands have been lost and our rivers are polluted and over-abstracted.

“Unless things change the country will become increasingly parched and lifeless and we will all end up paying far too high a price for the shameful way we use and abuse our water.”

Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust: "It's clear that adequate supplies of clean water are essential, not only for our lives but for the health of the habitats, species, landscapes and soils we depend on. For too long, we've taken water for granted - we hope the Blueprint will mark the beginning of a concerted effort to put this right."

Jacob Tompkins, Director of Waterwise: “Water is crucial to all our lives and to the economy, but increasingly we will see floods, droughts, pollution, rising prices and dwindling reserves.
“We can all make a difference by making small behavioural changes to reduce water wastage and by choosing more water efficient products. Incorporating water efficient appliances into the built environment will ensure a sustainable supply for the future.”

Arlin Rickard, Director of the Association of Rivers Trusts: “Recent joint initiatives and community based projects have successfully shown there are better and more cost effective ways to manage our water. Blueprint has pooled this knowledge into a single strategic document that offers positive solutions.”

Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the Anglers’ Conservation Association, said: “The ACA regards the Blueprint as absolutely vital to safeguard our rivers and waterways. Anglers are often able to see at first hand the damage we are doing to our water and its wildlife. Without adequate protection for our rivers there will be no fishing.”

Martin Spray, Chief Executive of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust: “Wetlands are the lifeblood of our planet but they are disappearing faster than rainforests. As well as storing and cleaning our water, wetlands protect us from floods and storms, are a source of food and natural resources and provide essential habitats for a wealth of animal and plant species. This Blueprint is a vital step towards taking action together to prevent further loss and degradation of wetlands.”

Stephanie Hilborne, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Water is essential for all life. The EU Water Framework Directive provides an unprecedented opportunity for the UK Government to make a real improvement to the health of our water environment for the benefit of wildlife and people. This is a narrow window of opportunity and we need to act on it now.”

See below for waht you can do to support this campaign.

Blueprint for Water

A coalition of angling and other conservation bodies launched the Blueprint for Water yesterday.

Coalition members are;
The Anglers’ Conservation Association www.a-c-a.org
The Association of Rivers Trusts www.associationofriverstrusts.org.uk
The National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.uk
RSPB www.rspb.org.uk
The Salmon and Trout Association www.salmon-trout.org
Waterwise www.waterwise.org.uk
The Wildlife Trusts www.wildlifetrusts.org
WWF-UK www.wwf.org.uk
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust www.wwt.org.uk
The Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust which can be contacted on 01794 884736


10 steps for sustainable water by 2015

Waste less water
Reduce water consumption by at least 20% through more efficient use in homes, buildings and businesses

Keep our rivers flowing and wetlands wetKeep our rivers flowing and wetlands wet
Amend or revoke those water abstraction licences that damage rivers, lakes and wetlands

Price water fairly
Make household water bills reflect the amount of water people use

Make polluters pay
Ensure that those who damage the water environment bear the costs through more effective law enforcement and tougher penalties

Stop pollutants contaminating our water
Introduce targeted regulations to reduce harmful pollutants in water

Keep sewage out of homes and rivers and off beaches
Upgrade the sewage system to reduce discharges of sewage into urban environments and ecologically sensitive areas

Support water-friendly farming
Help farmers to prevent pollution and restore degraded soils, rivers and wetlands through advice, training and payments

Clean up drainage from roads and buildings
Construct modern drainage systems that prevent pollution entering rivers from buildings and roads

Restore rivers from source to sea
Regenerate rivers, lakes and wetlands in partnership with local communities

Retain water on floodplains and wetlands
Restore large areas of wetland and floodplain to create vital wildlife habitats, improve water quality and quantity, and reduce urban flooding

Take Action

Please write to your MP to ask him/her to sign up to the Blueprint for Water.

An Early Day Motion or EDM about the Blueprint for Water has now been tabled in the House of Commons. This EDM is like a petition; it is a statement about why the Blueprint is important and it urges the Government to implement its objectives. We need as many MPs as possible to sign this EDM to show their support for it.

MPs usually take more notice of letters from their constituents that are handwritten and unique. If you have time, please write to your MP in your own words and include the following points:

why water is important to you

the importance of the Blueprint for Water

the web address www.blueprintforwater.org.uk if the MP wants more details

ask your MP to support the Blueprint for Water by signing EDM

To find out the name of your MP, click on
http://www.upmystreet.com/commons/l/ fill in the post code of your home and click on “search”.

All MPs can be reached at this address: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA


Visit http://www.blueprintforwater.org.uk/index.html to find out more.

Living with Koi Herpesvirus – advice for fisheries owners

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has recently announced its intention to make Koi Herpesvirus a notifiable disease and are currently consulting stakeholders on the measures that need to be put in place.

In the meantime the Environment Agency has issued some simple guidance explaining what fisheries owners and anglers can do to prevent the spread of the disease and protect their fisheries. For further information visit
www.environment-agency.gov.uk or contact your local Environment Agency fisheries officer on 08708 506506.

“Koi Herpesvirus is a very damaging and easily spread disease that affects common and mirror carp and carp varieties such as Koi. Outbreaks of the disease occur in summer when water temperatures are high, and can kill between 20% and 100% of carp in a fishery,” said Environment Agency Senior Fisheries Scientist Nigel Hewlett.

“The disease is most likely to be spread when fish are stocked. While the risk is very small in comparison, it is also possible the virus could be moved on fishing tackle. To protect your fishery, or the place you fish, there are practical steps you can take.

“If your fishery has an outbreak of the disease, there are also actions you can take to reduce the losses and ensure that the fishery can recover as quickly as possible. You can also take action to prevent problems in the future.”
Protecting your fishery
Following this 10 point guide will reduce the risk of a KHv outbreak occurring on your site:

Always think very carefully before stocking new fish. Ask yourself if the fish are really needed, or if the fishery could be improved in other ways? Do you know what fish are already in there? Do you know how many fish your water can hold? Have a stocking plan for the fishery and always take advice. Know what you want to achieve by stocking and be patient in reaching this target. This will help protect your fishery and save you money on unnecessary stock.

If you do stock fish, always ensure you have consent from the Environment Agency. This will ensure that you are not buying fish from somewhere with a known disease problem. Never stock fish without consent it could be harmful to your fishery and is an offence.

Always stock fish from the same source and ensure the fish are health checked. You can greatly reduce the risk of getting a serious fish disease by not mixing your sources of fish. Fish from hatchery reared fish farms will have a known health history and pose a lower risk than wild cropped fish.

Is there good habitat in your fishery? This can affect stocking levels and suitability of the fishery to certain fish species. Good quality habitat will help reduce the stress on the fish. This will mean they are much less likely to suffer from disease. Features such as variations in depth, plants in the water and waterside plants and trees will all be beneficial.

Have a mix of fish species in your fishery. Fisheries dominated by a single fish species can be more susceptible to disease problems.

Never stock ornamental fish. Species like Koi carp may add some novelty value to your fishery, but KHv has been a major problem in the ornamental trade so these fish should not be put in your fishery.

If you have a high stock level in your water make sure you take action to protect your fish and minimise stress. The use of unhooking mats are essential when handling large fish, and keepnet limits at match waters should always be enforced. In very warm weather, good handling is critical and fish should not be retained. Keep a close watch on oxygen levels and take steps to oxygenate the water before problems occur. Supplemental feeding with a high quality carp feed can also help maintain good nutrition, but keep an eye on ammonia levels.

Do you know the water quality of your fishery? If not get it checked regularly, particularly during warmer months when fish will be most active. Take advice from your local Environment Agency fishery officer on how to do this and what the results mean.

Dirty and wet fishing tackle (nets and unhooking mats) could spread diseases, including KHv. There are two main ways of disinfecting fishing tackle. The first is to thoroughly dry equipment after fishing, preferably in direct sunlight. If this is not practical, then a chemical disinfectant can be used. These include iodine-based disinfectants (iodophores), or Virkon® S. For advice on disinfectants talk to the Environment Agency.

Net dips can be used on site to disinfect nets, but make sure the chemicals used are fresh and anglers use them correctly. For the best possible protection from disease only allow anglers to use nets or unhooking mats supplied by the fishery. Be careful not to allow disinfectant to be spilt into the fishery.

What should you do if you suspect a fish disease problem on your fishery?

Report it as soon as possible! If you have a problem on your fishery you should always report it to the Environment Agency. We will investigate the outbreak along with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and tell you what the cause is and how you can prevent it happening again. There are many causes of fish disease, not just KHv. Knowing what killed your fish can help minimise losses and will help in the future management of the fishery.

Stop fishing! If the fish are suffering from a disease or are in poor condition you should stop fishing. This will reduce stress, help fish recover and will reduce the total number of fish that may die. Fishing should only start again when fish have stopped dying and all the remaining fish are healthy.

Don’t stock! Never add more fish to a water with a fish disease problem. It may be legal, but could increase fish deaths and cost you money.

Protect others! When fishing restarts you can help to protect other fisheries by asking anglers to dip nets and other tackle when they leave. You could also ask them to ensure they dry their nets completely before fishing anywhere else.

Life after Koi Herpesvirus
If KHv is confirmed there is no reason why you should not continue to run a successful fishery on that water. A few simple actions will help protect you from future outbreaks. Carry out a full review of the management of the fishery. Things to consider include:

were there too many fish?
what is the quality of the water?
what habitat features are there for the fish?
is there a mixture of fish species?
can you reduce the risk of anglers bringing diseases on to the site?

If you are unsure about any of this or what steps to take get professional advice.
Do not overstock your fishery. Too many fish in a water enables diseases to spread quickly and can cause fish to be stressed. Reducing stock levels can greatly reduce the risk of disease problems.
Before restocking after a KHv outbreak always make sure that you really need to. In many cases, large numbers of fish can survive outbreaks and fisheries can still produce good catches for anglers. Don’t restock unless you really need to.
If you need to restock after a KHv outbreak always wait until fish deaths have stopped completely and water temperatures are below 15°C. It is very difficult to predict if and when KHv may re-occur within a fishery. In many cases, sensible stocking has not caused additional outbreaks of the disease. However, it is important to follow the guidelines on stocking outlined in “protecting your fishery”. These will help reduce the likelihood of re-infection, but will never provide a guarantee.
If a KHv outbreak kills a large proportion of the fish in your water it may be worth removing the rest of the fish and starting the fishery from the beginning. This could completely remove the risk of KHv outbreaks occurring again.
If in doubt – get advice. Environment Agency officers and other fisheries professionals will be able to advise you on all of the aspects covered in this document. If you have any doubts about what you should, or should not do, then get advice.

Mike Heylin of the Specialist Anglers’ Alliance: “Specialist Anglers’ Alliance welcomes this additional information on the dangers of stocking fish from the Environment Agency. There are many ways of improving the performance of fisheries without adding more fish. Enhancing the environment for existing stocks and often thinning them out will help improve fishery performance. SAA and many other angling organisations have been advising for some time since the KHv outbreaks to avoid stocking fish. Now all the national organisations working for anglers and fisheries are saying the same.”

Ash Girdler of the Institute of Fisheries Management: “This document contains information and advice based on sound fishery management and bio-security. In common with humans once fish have a disease or a population is at risk from a disease, the best defence is good management practice. If your biosecurity measures fail to keep the disease out good management can greatly reduce the impact of any disease.

Dr Bruno Broughton of the Anglers Trade Association: “The Angling Trades Association supports the Agency guidelines on preventing and coping with KHv. KHv poses a significant risk to angling, but it is preventable if fishery owners and managers follow the sensible advice. By cooperation between all facets of the angling industry, we can ensure that the sport and the fish on which it depends are protected against this and other damaging diseases."

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Angry Angler Calls for Boycott of National High Street Store Chain

A Lancashire angler is asking UK fishermen and their families to boycott a major national high street store chain because the chain appears to be endorsing PETA, the animal rights group which has attacked angling.

In calling for a boycott there is a risk of upsetting one of the richest men in Britain, the billionaire retail entrepreneur Sir Phillip Green, owner of the Arcadia store group. The call for a boycott relates to Sir Phillip's flagship Topshop store in London's Oxford Street, where the company's endorsement of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA ) was spotted on an animal rights website.

The Arcadia group owns Bhs, Burton,Topman, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Outfit. David Stocker is asking anglers and their families not to shop at any of these stores if they can help it, until Sir Phillip severs his company's link with PETA, an organisation which campaigns for 'total animal liberation'. The PETA agenda would lead to the end of angling, as well as stopping meat eating, pet keeping, horse and greyhound racing, the animal testing of human medicines, zoos, circuses, shooting, and so on.

Comments David Stocker, "The animal rights group PETA made enemies of the UK's angling community when they attacked our sport, something we anglers have found hard to forget and forgive. I used to have nothing but admiration for Sir Phillip's entrepreneurial skills. But I saw red when I saw animal rights activists crowing about Topshop's endorsement of PETA on the 'Keep on Fighting'* animal rights website. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that a man like Sir Phillip will have many wealthy friends who will own fur coats, own racehorses, enjoy horseracing and can afford to eat things like foie gras, all things that PETA hate. I can't believe that his social world is one where these things are condemned and vilified. So why is he inflicting PETA's warped views on us ordinary people? But it gets worse; is Sir Phillip aware that in the USA PETA launched a campaign that likened Holocaust victims to battery chickens*? That upset a lot of Jewish people."

"I'm sure, too, that PETA are no friends to Kosher slaughter methods. To be honest, I suspect the whole affair has been an oversight and his people have been gulled into going along with PETA, but I understand that Sir Phillip prides himself in knowing what goes on in all his stores. When decent people get involved with PETA, they are giving them credibility which helps legitimise the whole of their agenda. PETA promotes a central idea that is every bit as dangerous as any radical or extreme opinion, namely that an animal's life is worth the same as that of a human. This concept has inspired people to criminality and violence in the UK and elsewhere. Someone has to stand up and say, "Enough is enough". In this respect I've been inspired by Laurie Pyecroft, the teenager who stood up to animal rights extremists at Oxford University by creating the Pro-Test movement. So I am asking anglers and others in the UK who want to enjoy the freedom to eat meat, keep pets, enjoy a flutter on the races, go fishing or whatever, to try and boycott stores in the Arcadia group."

*Link to 'Keep on Fighting' animal rights website
http://www.keeponfighting.net/article.php?story=20061115134000173

*Link to report of PETA's 'Holocaust on a Plate' campaign http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/02/28/peta.holocaust/

* General expose of PETA
http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/oid/21

Monday, November 27, 2006

Animal Rights Guru Admits He Is WRONG!!

The founding philosopher of the Animal Rights movement, Peter Singer, has backed the use of living creatures in medical experiments.

Peter Singer, who wrote the book “Animal Liberation”, considered the bible of AR activists, has surprised everyone since he has always insisted that animals should have equal rights with humans. He has now backed research in which experiments on monkeys are carried out to develop surgical techniques for Parkinson's Disease.

'It is clear at least some animal research does have benefits,' Singer admits on Monkeys, Rats and Me: Animal Testing, which will be screened on BBC2 Monday 27th November 2006. 'I would certainly not say that no animal research could be justified and the case you have given sounds like one that is justified.'

Singer’s statement has delighted scientists, including Tipu Aziz, the Oxford surgeon who developed the techniques. 'It is a very encouraging sign,' he said.

The BBC2 documentary focuses on the battle to block the building of the £20m Oxford University animal laboratory by animal rights activists. Construction was stopped in 2004 and resumed this year only after coercion of builders and suppliers by AR activists was blocked by new legislation and renewed energy from local and national police forces.

Leader of the campaign, Mel Broughton, a 44-year-old landscape gardener from Northampton was jailed for four years in 1997 for smuggling incendiary bombs into an animal-testing facility.
He is reported as saying, “If you are going to take the money to build a place where animal torture goes on, where people are allowed to do that to sentient, thinking, feeling creatures and expect me to politely ask them to stop then you can think again, because I am going to intimidate you.”

Professor Aziz refuses to be intimidated. Despite being on the 'assassination list' of an extremist website, he has been extremely vocal in his criticism of the animal-liberation movement, calling them 'misinformed and sometimes illiterate anti-vivisectionists who adopt terrorist tactics' and who 'undermine the process of democracy through intimidation'.
Britain has probably the most violent and absurd animal-rights movement in the world, he has said. 'The problem with British society is it has a humanoid perception of animals that's almost cartoon-like.'

Thursday, November 16, 2006

No Freshwater Legislation

Come on Tony, you have had ten Queen's Speaches now and still no mention of a new Fisheries Bill.

We all worked very hard responding to the consultation from the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group, chaired by Prof. Linda Warren. You even accepted most of her recommendations. Yet we still have no timetable for a Bill, no Bill has been drafted and, outside of Defra, no one in Government seems worried.

Well, the anglers of England are worried, worried about "fish theft", worried about illegal fishing, worried about fish diseases, worried about illegal imports, worried that you keep reducing funding for vital fisheries work within the Environment Agency, worried that you promised so much and delivered so little for four million anglers.

Natural England - Outdoor Strategy

Natural England, newly formed, but underfunded, by this Government, is looking into its Outdoor Strategy.

You can find more details at http://www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/Recreation/index.asp

All our angling organisations will be working hard to ensure that angling is well represented in the outcomes of this debate.

Keep an eye on the Natural England website to make sure you get your say when the opportunity arises.

Icons of England - The Salmon

You may be aware that recently a website, www.icons.org.uk , has been launched to give us all a chance to vote for what we think should be icons for England.

The Environment Agency has nominated the salmon as one of the icons of our environment.

Whether something is selected as an icon depends on how many votes it gets , so now is your chance to visit the site at www.icons.org.uk and make sure that salmon and fish are recognised as an important environmental icon for England.

We understand that the final list will be used to form the basis of materials for schools and other groups.

Please don't miss this opportunity to highlight the importance of fish in our environment.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Angling in schools moves forward with the NFA

A new sports qualification called “Introduction to Angling & the Environment” was launched by the National Federation of Anglers (NFA) at River Leen School, Nottinghamshire on 8th November, 2006.
The course developed by the NFA in partnership with the National Open College Network (N-OCN) helps children and young people aged 10 and above learn about curriculum subjects including Geography, Biology and also helps develop Numeracy and Literacy skills.

An important aspect of the course is the integration of key environmental topics including the water cycle and the importance of water, the food chain and increasing the student’s awareness of the plants and animals which inhabit the aquatic environment. The course can be delivered by a variety of organisations including schools, youth groups and voluntary groups which work with children and young people to provide a qualification which improves both their knowledge of the environment and their angling ability.


Students who undertake the course will get a taste of the fun and healthy sport of angling which is enjoyed by millions of people throughout the UK every year. Angling is not just about going fishing to catch fish but also to helps people appreciate the environment in which it takes place.

Keith Dyson, Humanities Teacher, River Leen School, Nottingham said, “This course is a great development by the NFA which will ensure young people have access to a qualification they otherwise would never have achieved when they leave school. It will help them learn about subject areas including Geography and Biology which they would find difficult with in a traditional classroom environment. Two problem areas are literacy and numeracy, little do they know that by using weights, working out the depth of their line and writing a diary uses all these skills. We have done a number of angling activities in the school already and they really engage with the students. Angling has helped us to overcome the classroom divide and get away from the formal learning environment which they struggle with. Angling is one of the fastest growing leisure industries and this course gives them a sound route to employment and can help them progress to additional qualifications at Further and Higher Education levels, which they would never have considered previously.”

Paul Buck, Head Teacher of Portland School, Nottinghamshire, “Angling gives students a sense of the countryside and helps them gain an understanding of nature, the environment, ecology, water safety, the river system and the wildlife that surrounds you when you go fishing. Students gain a real positive engagement with angling which helps them learn so much.”

Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport
“Angling is an important pastime for young and old alike. It is a sport in which the UK excels on the international stage and it is also a major driver in terms of providing opportunities for young people to participate in what is a hugely enjoyable and rewarding sport which helps to deliver social inclusion. The development of the "Introduction to Angling and the Environment OCN" qualification by the NFA in partnership with N-OCN will play a key role in educating more young people about the sport and will encourage greater participation. I welcome its introduction and congratulate the work which the NFA continues to do in developing the grass roots of the sport.”


Martin Salter MP, Chairman of the All Party Angling Group has also supported the development of the qualification stating,“The angling world should applaud the work of the NFA in their forward and groundbreaking angling qualification. This is exactly the sort of professionalism for which angling has been crying out.”

Sorry for our absence

We have been away for a while after a computer crash. All mended now and back in action.