This one could be a bolted horse by now as I believe this will be ratified by Autumn and operative 2010.........this is a second posting but in a better location.

Lots of angling clubs could be affected by this.

The regulations are due to change on what size of water is defined as a reservoir and whether there is an associated 'risk' of public damage and flood.
Lots of angling clubs for example will now find that their angling ponds will be encompassed by the law and will be required to have annual inspections by a qualified engineer.

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Two things to have in life - A good bed and a good pair of boots -and if you aren't in one you should be in t'other

Not quite but it certainly puts us in a difficult position at Trout Fisherman.

This story remains stubbornly 'off the radar' at present and is shaping up to be the one that got away unless anglers, clubs and fishery owners wake up to the fact that it's a lot more relevant to them than they seem to think.

As you'd expect, Trout Fisherman would like nothing more than to sit on this story until our next issue comes out in mid-July.

By then, however, all but one of the consultation meetings at which people have the chance to voice their opinion on the proposed changes, will have been held and the matter will be in the hands of DEFRA and Westminster.

After much gnashing of teeth, we feel we'd be failing our readers as a magazine if we didn't do our best to alert people to this potential bombshell while they are still in a position to do something about it.

So while you can get the full rundown on the proposals, their history and ramifications in our issue out on July 16, the remaining consultation meeting dates are as follows (10am-3.30pm in each case):

08 July York - Royal York Hotel
09 July Birmingham - Novotel Birmingham
16 July Exeter - Innovation Centre, University of Exeter
17 July London - Imperial College London, South Kensington

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Jeffrey Prest
Features Editor
Trout Fisherman

Well done Trout Fisherman.We already have this in Scotland,You really don't want this.

jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

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I think you may find that the consultation is not open to anglers.

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Two things to have in life - A good bed and a good pair of boots -and if you aren't in one you should be in t'other

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Hi Beanzy

The consultation will be guided in the main by health and safety issues with any pecuniary interest declared by those who are being consulted.
In my opinion anglers have been omitted as a group who would have to many emotive issues.....like costs

Can you... or the wormturns give a valid 'issue'(s) to promote your case....time IS running out though for this 'done deal'.


I first reported this new act, on FFF,....I think in March.....with little response then.

Perhaps this new forum will gain validity as time goes on.... and appreciated for the TIME it can give for these valid response to 'issues'. Even the chance to lobby those that are involved in the consultation.

Reservoir engineers are 'over the moon'.....I know of two who are currently planning to work closely with angling clubs at 'reasonable' rates.(I'm not convinced they fully understand how MANY waters will be involved).

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Two things to have in life - A good bed and a good pair of boots -and if you aren't in one you should be in t'other

I have heard about this. It would seem that the responsibilty for the inspection lies with the user not the riparian owner (unless the user is the riparian owner).

Many many clubs that lease small stillwaters will be affected. there is a grey area where anglers are not the sole user, e.g. when a water might be fished in the summer and shot in the winter or perhaps shared with water skiers or sailors.

Having said that, if the only way that a riparian owner can get their water leased is to take on board the cost of the inspection then, notwithstanding the law, the financial burden might not be borne solely, or even wholly, by the anglers.

Anglers can add this to the list of attacks that they are currently suffering and must battle this as hard as the prospect of free access to rivers by canoeists.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary