Just saw the following on a canoe website http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/f...ic.php?t=18104

Has the local angling clubs given access to the canoeists for this event?

Also the 'River legacy' is an interesting group - they seem to have conceded that if they want access they should pay for it! www.riverlegacy.org.uk

__________________
I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
I cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream,
And caught a little silver trout.

I get the impression that the "access" that they have paid for is a field next to the river and their club house and for the placement of steps down to the river form said field. I am not sure that this is the sort of access that you have in mind?

The British Canoe Union bought the bed and banks of the river together with the fishing rights at the Symonds Yat rapids on the Herefordshire river Wye, on which there are already navigation rights for canoes and other craft, so that they could have access to the banks to build and maintain Groynes and install and keep slalom poles from the banks. Now that is what I call purchasing access rights.

After trying for more river access since the late sixty's the BCU have failed to get many agreements/Government help in there quest for river access.
So there are approx 2.5 million BCU members each paying £ 30 odd a year they have lots of cash to hand, So expect more rivers to be bought by them in the future and then it will be our turn to BEG for access rights.

Splash

I have checked the BCU site, they have in fact only 53,000 members, still a lot and they estimate approx 2 million paddle.

Now according to Environment Agency figures? in 2004 4 million participated in some form of freshwater angling. Yet none are members of a national "union"

So basically we are much bigger than them, but we do not have a global representative body to purchase and manage waters, this is done through the hard work and money raising of individual associations, the Teifi being a prime example.

Is the answer obvious or have I missed something?

And do we want the answer?


Bill

__________________
[url]www.wildtrout.org[/url]

There is a fine line between the angler and madness

Then again we could all register on their forum

Now that would be interesting


Bill

__________________
[url]www.wildtrout.org[/url]

There is a fine line between the angler and madness