Fishery Accreditation Scheme Launched

Angling and fishery management have received a major boost with the launch of the Fisheries Accreditation Scheme, a major new initiative aimed at driving the competence of fisheries managers up and improving the management of fish in recreational fisheries.

The scheme is a joint venture by the Institute of Fisheries Management, the Angling Foundation and the Professional Coarse Fisheries Association, supported by the Environment Agency. Fisheries are invited to be inspected by qualified IFM professional member using the Institute’s ‘codes of practice’ as a baseline for the standards to be assessed. If successful, the fishery will be issued with a certificate – at gold, silver or bronze level - and will be entitled to publicise the accreditation under a two-year license agreement.

The media launch at Portcullis House, opposite the Houses of Parliament, was hosted by Martin Salter MP, Labour’s Parliamentary spokesman for Angling. He was joined by speakers from the Institute of Fisheries Management, the Angling Foundation, the Environment Agency, the Professional Coarse Fisheries Association and the Fisheries & Angling Conservation Trust.

This was followed by the public launch and workshop meeting, held in Nottingham, at which fishery owners and tenants joined in discussions on the Scheme and the IFM’s new Biosecurity Code of Conduct.

Initially, the Fisheries Accreditation Scheme will be restricted to coarse fisheries. There are plans to extend it to stillwater trout fisheries in future. Full details and application forms are available from:-

Suraj Roopra, Fisheries Accreditation Scheme, Federation House, National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warks, CV8 2RF. Tel: 02476 414999; Fax: 02476 414999; Email: suraj@sportsandplay.com; Website: www.fisheriesaccreditation.co.uk

The Scheme partners are:-

Angling Foundation

The Foundation awards its accreditation to fishing net manufacturers and wholesalers that meet its accreditation standards, issuing a licence to use its distinctive water-lily logo on accredited products. Its funds are used to assist educational and conservation initiatives.

Institute for Fisheries Management

The IFM is the competent body for fisheries management which trains future professionals through its Fisheries Management Diploma, validated by the Open University. The Institute is also author of the ‘Codes of Practice for the Management of Intensively Stocked Stillwater Fisheries’.

Professional Coarse Fisheries Association

The Association protects and promotes the interests of its member fisheries through political action, media campaigns and partnership with other bodies. It encourages best practice, the development of high quality, accessible facilities and the conservation of fish, wildlife and the water environment.

The Environment Agency

The Environment Agency is the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. It supports and helped develop the Fisheries Accreditation Scheme, and it has provided vital financial assistance to enable the Scheme to commence.

The active support and input of the national umbrella body for angling and fisheries, the Fisheries & Angling Conservation Trust (FACT), and the Fish Welfare Group were instrumental in the development and launch of the Fisheries Accreditation Scheme.

EFTTA Petition on Sea Angling Licences

A sea angling license has been introduced in Portugal and has had a very bad effect on number of people going fishing as a result. Sales of tackle are down by as much as 60%.

In Portugal the funds raised from the license are used to subsidise the commercial fleet!!!

EAA will be sending a delegation to Portugal to lobby for change but have raised a petition as part of the struggle. You can support EAA by signing the petition here;

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/eftta-licences/index.html

The petition

The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) believes that all revenue generated by EU governments from recreational angling and boating licences should go back to recreational angling and sportfishing.

In January this year, the Portuguese government implemented a new sea fishing licence law with catastrophic effects on the tackle trade in the country.

Sales of fishing equipment have fallen by up to 60%.

EFTTA is pressing for the law in Portugal to be changed - and does not want other countries to suffer the same fate.

EFTTA does not argue against any well thought-out licence scheme as long the revenue is spent on:

* More and improved access to fishing waters for anglers;
* Improved marine environment including a halt to the loss of aquatic biodiversity;
* And increased efforts to conserve and restore depleted fish stocks.

Often overlooked in the biodiversity debate is the urgent need for a change in fisheries management to secure a more natural and healthy age structure in exploited fish stocks - there are far too few big fish around to secure biodiversity.

By signing this petition you support EFTTA's continued pledge to safeguard the European angling community – anglers as well as businesses dependent on angling - by ensuring that all money raised from anglers for sea licenses is invested back in measures safeguarding and improving the right to go angling, more and better access to angling waters, healthy and plentiful fish stocks and a sound aquatic environment.

Carp Deaths??

ECHO has been getting a lot of reports of deaths of large carp at fisheries across the country. Some of these are due to KHV, which is being monitored now. Some are due to fish still holding spawn they did not shed during the spring and summer. Most are unexplained.

A single common thread through many of the waters affected is the colour of the water, a tea colour, just like peat water running off the moors.

This colour may be caused by a diatom, or an algal bloom, or by the stirring of the bottom strata during the recent floods, but not all the waters reporting kills have been flooded.

The pattern of deaths on many waters follows the pattern one would associate with a viral infection, although in most reports the fish are showing no signs of disease, parasite loading or any damage to gills.

SAA and ECHO are very concerned about this situation but much of what we are being told is hearsay.

We need to build a database of events and circumstances to even be able to project the size of the problem and to develop ideas of what may be the cause.

We need the nation’s anglers to report facts, seen with their own eyes.

If you have any information regarding carp deaths in your waters please email secretary@saauk.org, heading it Carp Deaths, with the following information; name of water, location, number of deaths, size and species of fish affected, colour of water, if the water was subject to flooding in the recent summer rains, the timescale over which the deaths occurred, what action the Environment Agency has taken to determine the cause, any explanation they might have given.

It may be that we can do nothing to prevent further deaths, but this information may allow those of us who are working on the problem to gain a better understanding of the cause and give our scientists some directions in which to conduct further research.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Fish “gumshoe” receives USA accolade for part in shark sting

Building on 30 year’s investigative experience in the Dorset Police, an ex-Detective Superintendent currently working for Cefas (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science) didn’t know how much his experience in the CID would be appreciated in the world of international marine enquiries.

But the recent presentation of a plaque from the USA to Fish Health Inspector Steve Maidment shows just how valuable those skills have been for cross-government co-operation.

After retiring from the police Steve took up his post at Cefas in 1997, to provide a much-needed investigative role for the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) based at Weymouth, Dorset. His duties included under-cover operations to crack down on illegal importation and other transgressions related to fish health in England and Wales.

Steve and the FHI made inquiries in the UK on behalf of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), based in California, USA.

The case, which lasted nearly two years, involved 200 California leopard sharks that were imported via Heathrow airport between 2000 and 2005. Once legally imported, the sharks were legitimately sold on to various aquaria around Great Britain.

Unfortunately, the sharks had been caught in San Francisco Bay and sold on while less than 36 inches long. Removing them from their natural habitat at that size is an offence under Californian State legislation.

Steve’s work on the operation helped to build a strong case against the criminal defendants. They were sentenced to imprisonment and given substantial financial restitution orders in California earlier this year.
Donald Masters, Special Agent in Charge of NOAA in California, commented: “Inspector Maidment distinguished himself as a very thorough and diligent investigator during his work on this case. He has been instrumental in overcoming this worldwide conspiracy. The tenacity and perseverance he demonstrated in conducting his investigation are hallmarks of his professionalism. His support and assistance in the protection of marine resources has enhanced the United States Federal Government’s efforts to manage our nation’s marine resources.”

US Attorney Kevin V. Ryan stated: “As a result of this local and international investigation, $1.5 million has been designated, by restitution and donation, to the restoration of wildlife habitat in the San Francisco Bay. The prosecution … has enabled federal and state authorities to devise means to further protect the California leopard shark.”

Helen Ghosh, Defra’s Permanent Secretary, presented an impressive blue and gold plaque to Steve Maidment recently at the Cefas laboratory in Weymouth.
Steve said: “I’m particularly pleased that the money, $1 million from the offenders alone, will be used to such good effect. It’s gratifying to see that our work here in the UK can have such a wide impact. But I must say, I was stunned by all the fuss about my role in the operation. After all, it’s what we do here: it’s our job. But I am pleased and proud to receive the citation on behalf of my colleagues in the Inspectorate, who were also involved.”

Steve is due for retirement from Cefas in spring 2008, however the FHI will continue to ensure fish health regulations and legislation are properly enforced. Those interested in the work of the FHI should visit www.cefas.co.uk/fhi or contact Cefas directly.

SAA and its member groups have worked closely with Steve, and his colleagues, at Cefas to stop illegal imports. He has always been supportive of our aims in preventing fish disease and stolen fish arriving through our ports. This award reflects his commitment and ability. SAA would like to add its congratulations to Steve and to record our thanks for all his efforts. He is a true friend to angling and the environment.