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Press Releases
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Anglers say “no to unregulated canoe access” |
May 6th, 2008
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Anglers expressed their disappointment that the British Canoe Union is continuing to campaign for unregulated access to rivers when appropriate local agreements are being shown to work. Following an Early Day Motion that went nowhere in 2006, the BCU have now again secured the support of John Grogan, MP for Selby, for yet another EDM (No. 1331). Fisheries & Angling Conservation Trust (FACT) is opposed to this EDM as originally drafted but supports the amendment put forward by Martin Salter MP on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Angling Group.
Ministers have repeatedly made it very clear that the Government does not and will not support unfettered access to rivers and canals.
For example, the Environment Minister Jonathan Shaw made a statement in the House of Commons on 6 February 2008: “The Government share canoeists', and other user groups', aspirations for more and better access to inland water and have been working, through our agencies, to deliver this over a number of years. The Government's view is that a statutory right of access to inland waterways is not appropriate. The evidence indicates that the demand for access would more effectively be met by a targeted approach, which involves identifying where access is needed, and then creating access agreements with the landowner and other interested parties.”
While the BCU continues to maintain a dogmatic position demanding access to all areas, at all times, free of charge, the reality on the river bank is that local joint access agreements are working and proliferating. New agreements have recently been signed on the Dee, Wye and Usk, and webcams installed to make it clear when canoeing is allowed. Anglers and riparian owners are very keen to work with local canoe clubs to draw up these agreements, but this positive work is being damaged by the BCU’s stance, which is generating misunderstanding and ill feeling.
Unregulated canoe access could be very damaging to local economies reliant on income from angling, which is worth £3bn each year to the UK economy. It would also impact on the riparian rights of angling clubs and landowners and could damage delicate ecosystems which need to be protected at particular times. Each river has a unique flow regime, array of sensitive habitats and faces particular local issues. To legislate nationally for such a local issue would be quite wrong.
Anglers spend hundreds of millions of pounds each year maintaining and improving rivers to protect fish and other wildlife. They pay £21m in rod licences to contribute to the Environment Agency’s work protecting fisheries. Angling clubs and riparian owners have spent billions buying the angling and access rights to rivers.
Jim Glasspool, Chairman of Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust, said: “The BCU’s demand for unregulated, free access, without making any contribution to the maintenance or improvement of the resource is unrealistic. It is an organisation that seems to be increasingly out of touch with its membership and we urge them to focus instead on supporting locally-agreed joint access agreements”
FACT is asking anglers and riparian owners to write to their local MP re-stressing the need for local managed agreements for access to rivers and to seek support for the EDM amendment put forward by Mr Martin Salter MP. An outline letter is available at www.factuk.co.uk and MP contact details can be obtained from websites http://www.writetothem.com/ or http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm.
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Anglers Consider Judgement On Water Company Pollution. |
April 9th, 2008
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NEWS RELEASE
Wednesday 9th April, 2008.
The Anglers’ Conservation Association, representing two angling clubs, is considering possible grounds for appeal following a court judgement last week in favour of United Utilities over a pollution incident on a Cumbrian river in April 2006. For two days raw sewage spilt from a blocked main sewer at Penrith into the river Eamont, polluting the water and littering the banks with sewage debris.
Although the Environment Agency decided at the time that the pollution was a criminal offence under the Water Resources Act 1991, no prosecution was brought against United Utilities. The Yorkshire Flyfishers Club and Penrith Anglers, who lease fishing rights on the Eamont, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) under European law, could not fish due to the filthy state of the river. Both clubs asked the Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA) to bring a civil claim against the water company for loss of amenity.
Guy Linley-Adams, senior solicitor at the ACA, commented: “The ACA is shocked and extremely disappointed that judgement has gone against the claim brought on behalf of the Yorkshire Flyfishers Club and Penrith Anglers. If it stands, the outcome effectively means that United Utilities will have been allowed to pollute the Eamont – a protected and prized river - with no legal consequences whatsoever. That cannot be right.“
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the ACA added: “We are very concerned at the awful message this will send to United Utilities and other would-be polluters. If this judgement stands, the clubs, who have a legal right to an unpolluted river, will not be compensated. The ACA is urgently considering grounds for appealing the judgement. We are also very proud to have lost only three cases at trial in 60 years and are keen to maintain that record.”
-ENDS-
Notes for Editors:
1) In February 2008, the ACA won £30,000 in compensation from United Utilities for the Rochdale & District Angling Association for damage to the Lodges Fishery, near Rochdale. Including the Eamont, the ACA is currently fighting 3 other cases against the water company on behalf of angling clubs and fishery owners.
2) The ACA was founded in 1948 with the purpose of using the law to fight to protect the aquatic environment and fisheries. Since then, the ACA has won in excess of two thousand cases and recovered many millions of pounds in damages, which is returned to the members represented to plough back into angling and the protection of the aquatic environment. Until now, only three cases have ever been lost. Clubs or riparian owners wishing to join the ACA should phone 01568 620447 during office hours or download a subscription form from the web site: www.a-c-a.org
3) The River Eamont is a major tributary of the River Eden and a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI), reflecting the diversity of wildlife to be found in the catchment. It is fed from Ullswater Lake and flows approximately 12 miles, before joining the River Eden at "Waters Meet", a few miles east of Penrith.
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Environment Agency To Hand Over Pollution Monitoring To Misleading Water Companies |
April 8th, 2008
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Tuesday 8 April Immediate Release
Given today’s announcement that Severn Trent Water is facing a record £35.8m fine for deliberately providing false information to the regulator and the fact that Southern Water was fined £20.3m for similar offences earlier this year, the Anglers’ Conservation Association has expressed its amazement that the Environment Agency is pressing ahead with plans to put water companies in charge of monitoring their own environmental performance.
The Environment Agency has recently consulted on its Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal (OPRA) and Operator Self Monitoring (OSM) proposals and reported the findings in a document entitled “greener business, healthier environment: consultation on regulating discharges to water”. The essence of these proposals is that operators of sewage treatment and other potentially polluting works will now monitor their own performance rather than the Environment Agency.
Not only was there widespread opposition amongst environmental NGOs to these proposals, but the water companies themselves seemed concerned that they would be saddled with additional costs. The ACA was particularly concerned that water companies could very easily cover up pollution incidents for which they might otherwise be fined by the Environment Agency and/or face civil claims from the ACA’s team of in-house lawyers for damage to its members’ fisheries.
The Agency’s response to these concerns was to claim blandly that: “we have taken these concerns and comments on board and are now confident that we have a scheme that will allow us to regulate in a fairer, more effective way.” The ACA does not share that confidence.
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the Anglers’ Conservation Association said: “These plans – which seem to us as naive as expecting Premiership footballers to admit to their own fouls – are supported by none of the environmental NGOs and indeed few of the water companies themselves. The proposals seem to be driven by a desire to cut the EA’s costs of regulation rather than to stop pollution getting into our water environment. Given that two water companies have this year been fined for deliberately providing false information to regulators, is it really sensible to entrust them now with monitoring their own environmental performance?”
Copies of the Agency’s Q&A document on OPRA and OSM and its response to the consultation are available on request as PDFs. The ACA’s original response to the consultation is also available.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Consultation
The Environment Agency asked for views on two proposals, which are part of its modernising water quality regulation programme.
The first proposal is to apply its Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal (OPRA) system to regulating discharge consents issued under the Water Resources Act 1991. OPRA is part of a nationally recognised system of assessing and managing environmental risk.
The second proposal asked for views on changing the way the EA assess if discharges are compliant with their discharge consents.
The EA asked a series of 16 questions throughout the consultation document. The formal consultation took place from 5 December 2006 until 27 February 2007.
The consultation response is not yet on the Environment Agency’s website, but is available from the ACA.
2. The Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA)
The ACA was established in 1948 to fight for anglers’ interests and to use the law to combat water pollution and other damage to the water environment. The ACA responded with detailed opposition to the initial consultation on OPRA and has made its views clear in two meetings with senior staff at the EA. It is not satisfied that its concerns have been taken on board.
The ACA last year settled 34 civil claims for damage to its members’ fishing. Many of its claims are against water companies.
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Water Company Pays Lancashire Angling Club £30,000 In Damages. |
March 26th, 2008
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United Utilities has agreed to pay the Rochdale & District Angling Society (RDAS) £30,000 in compensation after causing a series of flooding incidents dating back to 2003, which damaged The Lodges fishery. RDAS, who have owned the fishing rights at The Lodges since 1971, asked the Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA) to act on their behalf after being frustrated by a lack of interest from the Environment Agency and continued denials of wrong-doing from the utility.
Chlorinated water had been frequently pumped out of poorly maintained overflow pipes from the company’s Buersil reservoir, down a hill and into the five pools that make up the fishery. The resultant flooding caused species such as carp, tench, rudd, roach, perch and trout to be washed into the nearby river and, on occasions, left them stranded and dying on the banks of the fishery. The flooding also eroded the hillside, dumping tonnes of silt in the pools. The £30,000 will go towards restocking fish and dredging work to return the fishery to its previous state.
Bob Smith, the Fishery Manager at The Lodges, emphasised the importance of the fishery to local members: “Recently, we’ve encouraged kids to join the club as juniors. They took to the fishing so well that they even formed their own committee. The club members spent many hours working on the pools and the land around them, stocking with fish, planting trees and marginal or aquatic plants and making The Lodges a good habitat for wildlife.” “Every time we rang United Utilities to see what had happened, they’d always say they’d look into it and we wouldn’t hear anything again” he added. “At last, it now looks like the pollution will stop and we can get to work again on the fishery’s habitat and ecosystem and, hopefully, we’ll be able to see some improvements.”
Dr Justin Neal, solicitor at the ACA commented: “When negotiations failed and United Utilities refused to accept liability or to provide documents relating to the maintenance of the reservoir – which, according to the utility, may have been destroyed – court proceedings were issued. Finally, the company agreed to settle the claim out of court, paying damages to the club towards dredging, restocking and habitat restoration. Importantly, United Utilities told the ACA that improvements had been made to the telemetry system at the reservoir – but it looks like it took the threat of a trial to commit them to the changes.”
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the ACA said: “Some of the worst of the flooding from Buersil Reservoir happened in June 2006, a year in which many households in Lancashire were subject to a hosepipe ban and rivers in the North West were reduced to a trickle. I think everyone would expect water companies to be more responsible with such a precious resource, particularly in times of drought.”
Tom Meyrick, Honourable Secretary of the RDAS added: “I would like to express our thanks to the ACA and, in particular, Justin Neal for the effort and hard work he has put in on our Society’s behalf. Becoming members of the ACA is the best move we have made and I would urge all angling clubs to join them.”
The ACA is currently fighting three other cases on behalf of its members against United Utilities, in Cheshire, Cumbria and Wales.
-ENDS-
For further information contact Seth Johnson-Marshall, Marketing & Campaigns Manager of the ACA, on 01568 620 447/07780 996 488 or seth@a-c-a.org
Notes For Editors
1) The ACA was founded in 1948 with the purpose of using the law to fight to protect the aquatic environment and fisheries. Since then, the ACA has won in excess of two thousand cases and recovered many millions of pounds in damages, which is returned to the members represented to plough back into angling and the protection of the aquatic environment. Only three cases have ever been lost. Clubs or riparian owners wishing to join the ACA should phone 01568 620447 during office hours or download a subscription form from the web site: www.a-c-a.org
2) The Rochdale & District Angling Society was established in 1912 and currently has 300 paying members, along with 50 life and junior members.
Photographs of the damage to the fishery are available if required.
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ACA claims £16,000 for Ayreshire club from polluting farmer |
March 19th, 2008
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NEWS RELEASE 19th March 2008
An Ayrshire fishing club has sent a formal letter of claim to a farmer near Darvel in Ayrshire following the release of slurry into the Gower Water, a tributary of the River Irvine, in November 2006. The pollution caused a major fish kill, involving many thousands of mostly juvenile salmon and trout. The Darvel Angling Club, who lease the fishing rights of some of the affected area downstream, have instructed the Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA) to claim £16,000 in damages on their behalf, for a loss of amenity and to cover the costs of restocking the river.
According to research carried out by the Ayrshire Rivers Trusts (ART), the Gower Water has been one of the most productive salmon and trout spawning tributaries in the Irvine catchment. Detailed calculations derived from electrofishing data led to an estimated fish mortality of over 7,000 salmon and trout. SEPA successfully prosecuted the farmer concerned, who was fined £1,000 at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on 13th September 2007.
Andrew Wallace, Managing Director of the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland and the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards, commented: “This first case to be taken by the newly revived ACA in Scotland is the beginning of a new chapter for Scottish fisheries managers. Fishery Boards with their statutory powers to protect Scottish fish stocks, combined with high quality information provided by Fisheries Trusts, pride themselves on seeking solutions to problems through education and dialogue. But sometimes this isn’t enough and it is vital that those who threaten our water courses and fish stocks know that we, in partnership with the ACA, will use the law, where necessary, to protect the Scottish aquatic environment”.
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the ACA, said: “Slurry is one of the most damaging pollutants because it decomposes very rapidly and the bacteria remove all the oxygen dissolved in the water. Fish and invertebrates are therefore suffocated to death. We hope that it will not prove necessary to go to court to get the farmer to pay for the damage caused to our members’ fishing”.
Darvel Angling Club Secretary Billy Galbraith added: “We were horrified to see so many young fish lying dead in the river. This incident will affect the whole of the River Irvine’s trout and salmon populations for many years to come and we are claiming this compensation so that we will be able to help the river recover as quickly as possible”.
Brian Shaw of the Ayrshire Rivers Trust commented: “The River Irvine has one of the highest human population densities of any salmon river in Scotland and it is also intensively farmed with much of the river habitat suffering from degradation. The Gower Water was considered to be one of its most pristine and most productive tributaries, supporting a high density of juvenile salmon and trout. It was all the more frustrating for a fish kill to occur in that part of the catchment. The Trust welcomes the involvement of the ACA in the incident as the support they provide helps it members get the compensation they require to protect the health of their waters”.
ENDS
Issued on behalf of the ACA in Scotland by Andrew Graham-Stewart (01863 766767 or 07812 981531). For further information contact Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the ACA, on 01568 620447 or 07973 468198, or Andrew Wallace, Managing Director of the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards, on 0131 272 2797 or 07798 666553.
Notes For Editors
1) The ACA was founded in 1948 with the purpose of using the law to fight to protect the aquatic environment and fisheries. Since then, the ACA has won in excess of two thousand cases and recovered many millions of pounds in damages, which is returned to the members represented to plough back into angling and the protection of the aquatic environment. Only three cases have ever been lost. Clubs or riparian owners wishing to join the ACA should phone 01568 620447 during office hours or download a subscription form from the web site: www.a-c-a.org
2) The Darvel Angling Club was established in 1903 and currently has around 120 members.
Photographs of dead and rescued fish are available.
www.a-c-a.org
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Angling Unity News Release from FACT |
March 7th, 2008
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Media Release
ANGLING UNITY – A MAJOR STEP FORWARD
Friday 7 March 2008 Immediate Release
Chairmen of the major angling bodies in England have taken a major step towards a single unified body to represent all anglers. In a joint statement they said
‘We have agreed that the following bodies intend to wind up their organisations and form a single new organisation to represent all anglers. This will be subject to each organisation passing the necessary legal and financial checks – known as ‘due diligence’.
• Anglers’ Conservation Association
• National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives
• National Federation of Anglers
• National Federation of Sea Anglers
• Salmon and Trout Association
• Specialist Anglers’ Alliance
The transition process is being managed by the Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust, the umbrella body for fisheries and angling organisations. FACT has retained legal, financial and marketing professionals to advise on the formation of the new body.
Each of our organisations has contributed £10,000 to FACT to cover the new body’s start-up costs, a clear indication of our commitment. In addition to funding the essential due diligence much work is needed to improve marketing and our services to members.
The target date for incorporation of the new body, ie legal registration as a company, is early July with full operation by January 2009. Before then each organisation will seek approval to proceed at a general meeting - NAFAC has already done so.
As Chairmen of long-established organisations with loyal members we have not taken this step lightly. However we all believe that a single new organisation is needed to fight for the interests of all anglers and the fisheries they enjoy. We have already received many messages of support for the move and look forward to a bright future.’
Stephen Marsh-Smith, Chairman ACA
Martin Read, Chairman NAFAC
Terry Fell, Chairman NFA
Richard Ferre, Chairman NFSA
James Carr, Chairman STA
Chris Evans, Chairman SAA
No further statements are likely while the detailed due diligence and other preparatory work continues.
ENDS
For clarification please contact Jim Glasspool, Chairman of FACT on 01962 779668, or
Roger Furniss, Vice-Chairman of FACT on 01392 841235
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Sea Anglers consider unity |
February 20th, 2008
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Press Release from the NFSA
NFSA 11/08 Date: February 19 2008
Sea anglers look at a merger
Organisations promoting sea and freshwater angling in Britain are considering a merger to increase their influence on government, expand the two sports and eliminate administrative duplication.
The lead body for English sea angling, the National Federation of Sea Anglers (NFSA), will shortly sign a letter of intent to participate in the early stages of the plan (with the working title of Angling Unity) following a unanimous vote in favour of doing so by its board and regional representatives at the weekend (February 16).
Richard Ferré, chairman of the NFSA, said the letter of intent would be non- binding indicating only a desire for Angling Unity to succeed.
“Becoming a full member (there are none yet) would be a significant move and our membership would be fully consulted. Such a step would only be taken if there was overwhelming approval for it at an annual general meeting.”
The letter, however, does enable sea angling to participate fully in the process of finalising how a new joint body might function. It is anticipated it would not be ready to begin operating before 2009.
“Meanwhile it is business as usual” Mr. Ferré said. “Our activities continue unchanged and we ask our members to continue to support us.”
The expectation was that Angling Unity would ultimately be a strong, well funded professional organisation with a powerful voice for British angling interests in Europe and at national and local level in the UK, and offer a wide range of improved membership benefits.
“We would retain our dedicated focus on sea angling, including the dialogue with the government over saving coastal fishstocks, organising England’s international and national championship teams this year and in the future, and our existing development, education and training programmes,” Mr. Ferré said.
The project was started by the Fisheries and Conservation Trust (FACT) an umbrella organisation of which the NFSA was a founding member in 2004.
The freshwater fishing organisations involved in the Unity plan are the Angling Conservation Association (ACA), the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives (NAFAC), the National Federation of Anglers (NFA) and the Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA).
It is anticipated that other specialist angling groups would be eligible to join the new body.
END
National Federation of Sea Anglers
Hamlyn House, Mardle Way, Buckfastleigh, Devon TQ11 0NS
Chief Executive: David Rowe
Tel: 01364 644 643 Fax 01364 644 486 e-mail: ho@nfsa.org.uk
Promoting and protecting the interests of sea anglers nationwide
www.nfsa.org.uk
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Benefits of Angling Unity |
December 15th, 2007
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The concept of a united body to represent anglers is not new, but with your support it could become a reality. We are working hard to create a single, professional, modern organisation which brings together the best attributes and achievements of the parent organisations and will represent ALL anglers in the UK. The new body will fight the many threats to our sport, including: pollution, over abstraction, fish disease, poaching, commercial overfishing, predation and competition from others’ interests. It will offer an attractive membership package to individual anglers and provide the best services to its member clubs, fisheries and riparian owners. Some of the things the new organisation will do for you are listed below. We’d like to hear what you think about these ideas and any other things you would like to see included on the list.
Strength in Numbers
• More Influence – A single unified body representing and catering for the requirements of all anglers will make it seriously difficult for Government, the Environment Agency, Sea Fisheries Committees and other national and regional public bodies to ignore our needs and aspirations.
• Countering Negative Publicity – This body will be best placed to counter and quickly respond to any criticisms and anti-angling propaganda.
• Eliminating Uncertainty – At present, the sheer number of separate organisations, each aiming to provide a range of services to their sector, gives rise to confusion and uncertainty both within and outwith their remit as to who does what, and which organisation is the best one to support. Unification would eliminate those uncertainties by providing a one-stop-shop for representation of all angling interests.
• Eliminating Duplication – Again, with several organisations all competing with each other to satisfy the anglers in their particular branch of the sport, it is inevitable that there is a costly duplication of effort. . A unified body will eliminate this and so provide anglers with better value for their money.
• Sustainability and Growth – The proposed new organisation is best placed to demand better funding from government and ensure proper governance. Funds must be channelled to the ’sharp end’ and not lost in spurious, non productive ventures. Angling contributes at least £3 billion to the economy and sustains thousands of jobs: we need a professional PR operation to ensure that government and others understand just how important angling is to the economy, and what they must do to ensure growth and sustainability.
• Local Representation and Involvement - The unified body will be able to bring together the many individuals and organisations which work for angling at a local level into regional structures which will help anglers overcome some of the specific local problems they face, while at the same time providing an efficient mechanism to flag up regional issues at a national level.
Environmental Protection
• Guarding our Fisheries – Despite all the environmental legislation and government promises*, our nation’s fisheries continue to be threatened by pollution, over-abstraction, land drainage, fish disease, excessive commercial exploitation and competition from many quarters. Our absolute objective is that a natural environment supporting healthy fish stocks is also the central objective for the Government and its agencies, and that they can expect the strongest opposition should they shirk these duties.
• Anglers – The Key Stakeholders. Anglers have long been recognised as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the water environment and yet they have never had an effective, single national voice. Angling and the fisheries on which it depends have been marginalised in determining policies on abstraction, access, conservation, the Water Framework Directive and water recreational strategies. A unified body will clearly communicate anglers’ views and will stop the government using ‘divide and rule’ tactics.
*e.g. Where is our Fisheries Legislation?
Membership Services
• Legal Services – Sooner or later it is inevitable that an individual, club(s) or fisheries will run into problems for which there will be a need for affordable, professional help or advice. This could range from simple disagreements between an individual and his/her club, disputes over tenancy arrangements or access, to catastrophic pollution events. Consolidation of the separate legal services currently available through the different angling bodies, will create a one-stop-shop staffed by qualified professionals. They will respond quickly and positively to all your calls for help or advice and the service will be free to all members.
• Insurance – Currently, there is a diverse range of insurance schemes offered by several insurance brokers to anglers, clubs and fisheries, through the current plethora of angling groups. The centralised body would be able to negotiate top rates of discount for its members. It would also be possible to tailor policies to individual requirements.
• Member benefits – The new body will have much greater buying power and the ability to negotiate discounts for a wide range of other products and services which will give better value for members’ subscriptions.
• Information – With one organisation we will be able to support a professional marketing and PR department that maintains an up-to-the-minute website and keeps you up to date with regular magazines and e-mail updates on a wide range of topics and issues relevant to the sport.
Sports Development
Despite its superior numbers, over the past 30 years angling has lost its dominant mass-market appeal. Angling clubs are struggling to maintain membership numbers and many long-established clubs have ceased to exist because their income was insufficient to pay the rents for the fisheries that they leased for many years. Yet, over this same period, other sports have grown and flourished. The progress already made by the Angling Development Board in re-connecting angling to the sporting networks has shown the way forward in this respect. Unification would enable us to embrace and support the ADB to ensure that advice and assistance is available to clubs, branches and fisheries at a regional level in a way that enhances their efforts to put angling back at the centre of their local communities.
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£500,000 for River Wandle |
December 15th, 2007
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An historic agreement has been reached that will see more than £500,000 being paid by Thames Water to restore and improve the River Wandle over the next 5 years.
This follows the serious pollution incident on 17 September, which saw thousands of fish killed and a significant impact on invertebrate and plant life in the river. Thames Water admitted responsibility for the incident within days and has apologised unreservedly to the local community and angling clubs. The Anglers’ Conservation Association has led negotiations which have concluded today with the largest settlement in the ACA’s 60 year history. The water company will today announce:
• £7,000 project funding for a local education project;
• £10,000 in compensation for the two angling clubs;
• £30,000 to meet the costs of restocking and an ongoing survey to assess damage to the river’s ecology;
• £200,000 core funding for the Wandle Trust to include support for the cost of an employee who will raise additional project funding to deliver access and habitat improvements along the length of the river;
• £250,000 over 5 years for a restoration fund to support local projects to improve the river environment;
• Investment in failsafe measures at Beddington Sewage Treatment works to prevent pollution like this ever happening again in the future;
The announcement of this project will not have any bearing whatsoever on any future criminal prosecution of Thames Water by the Environment Agency for the incident.
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the Anglers’ Conservation Association said: “This incident has been transformed from a disaster into a triumph for the river by Thames Water’s genuine desire to put right the damage they caused back in September. The settlement we have negotiated provides the basis for a long term future for the River Wandle by giving the Wandle Trust the funding it needs to become a sustainable River Trust. It also compensates the anglers fully for their loss of angling amenity.”
Theo Pike, Trustee of the Wandle Trust and Senior Vice President of the Wandle Piscators said: “September 17 was a catastrophe for the Wandle, but we are now delighted to be entering into this 5-year habitat rehabilitation project with Thames Water and the Environment Agency. With the security of significant funding, we’re looking forward to leading a genuine partnership of local stakeholders, helping a long stretch of the river literally come back from Year Zero, and restoring the Wandle as a world-class showcase for responsible community stewardship of urban waterways. We welcome all ideas for the future health of the Wandle, its habitats and biodiversity, and will shortly start collecting these via a web forum at www.wandletrust.org”
Thames Water's CEO, David Owens said:
"Thames Water was quick to acknowledge that we caused this incident and we are acting quickly to not only restore, but improve the health of this important river. We have been working particularly closely with the Anglers’ Conservation Association, as well as other local groups to ensure that the programme being put into action now yields real and lasting results. It will provide the resources to support the ongoing stewardship of the river and create a fund which can be used to continually restore and improve the health of its habitats. We would like to thank the ACA for facilitating rapid and productive discussion with the Wandle Trust, the Environment Agency, the National Trust and the local community, which have enabled us jointly to begin what we will know will inevitably be a long process of rehabilitation."
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Letter to all ACA Members |
December 15th, 2007
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Dear ACA Member,
I am writing to advise you of a potential development that could change the face of angling in this country. In the past there have been several half-hearted attempts to replicate the success of other major sports by creating a single body that would represent and support all angling disciplines. However, all these attempts failed, largely because parochial considerations were allowed to cloud the bigger picture.
Recent discussions between representatives of the major angling bodies have been different in that they have concentrated on the key question: “what is best for angling?” The answer to this question has led to the incontrovertible conclusion that, if angling is to have any hope of being able to punch its weight at a national level in the future, we all need to set aside our differences and unite into a single national body.
Therefore, after careful consideration of the pros and cons, the ACA Committee has decided to embrace the principle of joining with the Salmon and Trout Association, National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives, and the National Federation of Anglers to create a single body that will provide a strong unified voice for angling, fisheries and aquatic conservation. These organisations have taken a similar decision and we expect the National Federation of Sea Anglers to join the unification process in the spring.
Our sport and the waters that support it face sophisticated and complex threats. Whilst we have been able to punch well above our weight as a relatively small organisation, we are acutely aware that to take on the really heavy weight challenges to angling and the water environment we will need to increase the scale of our operations by an order of magnitude. Our goal of pure and clean waters is much more likely to be achieved with better resources and weight of numbers.
Before any of this can become a reality, we will need to seek your support. We have not yet reached a point of no return in our discussions and there is much detailed work to be done before we do. However, I believe things have now progressed sufficiently for me to let you know what is happening and to highlight some of the perceived benefits that the proposed new organisation will bring (please see the enclosed list). We hope to proceed via a special resolution to the AGM in April 2008.
If and when the new unified body is established, the process of transferring administrative and operational services will begin. It is hoped that this will appear seamless to you, although there will be some fairly frantic activity going on behind the scenes. If everything went to plan, the only change that you would see, apart from an improvement in services and support, would be that from 2009 your membership subscription would be paid to the new unified body.
In the meantime, please let me have your views, by post or email as you have done so often in the past and be assured that there will be absolutely no lessening of the services we already provide to you.
Yours sincerely
Stephen Marsh-Smith
Chairman |
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Isle of Wight Anglers Back on the Bank |
December 10th, 2007
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The Isle of Wight Freshwater Angling Association (IWFAA) were celebrating yesterday after being granted permission by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to fish once more on a stretch of the River Yar on the Isle of Wight. The anglers have fished the river for several decades, but their lease with the previous owners had lapsed and was not renewed by RSPB due to concerns that the presence of the fishermen might conflict with the aims of the planned extension to the RSPB’s reserve for endangered bird species.
However, after detailed discussions between the IWFAA and the RSPB facilitated by the Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA) and initiated by the Government spokesman on Angling and Shooting, Martin Salter MP with a meeting at the House of Commons, an agreement has now been reached to allow angling to continue. Indeed, because of the positive working relationship developing between the parties, plans were developed for the angling club to work alongside the local RSPB staff to help clear litter, maintain fences and to prevent illegal fishing and shooting on the relevant stretch of the river.
It was agreed that match and pleasure angling by club members could resume with immediate effect on the section of river upstream of the Yar Bridge, where there is a public footpath along the riverbank, and throughout the fishing season. It will also be allowed on a section downstream of the Yar Bridge, but only between 15th of July and the 30th of October, to protect nesting and over-wintering birds from any disturbance. A detailed one year lease agreement is being drawn up, which will be renewable subject to various conditions. These will include: a requirement for the club to ensure that the stretch is monitored by bailiffs, that all litter is taken away, fishing is conducted in daylight hours only, only agreed access points are used and that ground bait is used sparingly to protect water quality.
John Millington, Match Secretary of the IWFAA said: "This is great news for the club, an early Christmas present from the RSPB. I can hardly wait to fish the river again. Looking forward to a closer working relationship with the RSPB. Many thanks to all concerned for making this possible."
Martin Salter MP said: “Once again, the ACA have done a fantastic job on behalf of one of their member clubs and I'm really pleased that the Isle of Wight anglers will be able to fish the River Yar once again at Brading. I was pleased that the IWFAA worked constructively with Mark Lloyd and myself to negotiate a sensible agreement that is in the long-term interests of both anglers and bird-watchers."
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the Anglers’ Conservation Association said: “The ACA has been working very closely with the RSPB on the Blueprint for Water over the past two years. We are delighted that one of the benefits of this partnership at a national level is that we have been able to help develop greater local co-operation and understanding between anglers and birders. We have found the RSPB staff to be very understanding of the value of angling as a pastime which promotes conservation. Any suggestion that the organisation is anti-angling is quite wrong and there are many more benefits that could be gained from us working even more closely together.”
Tim Callaway of the RSPB said: “We are pleased to have reached agreement with IOWFAA over angling on the Yar, and thank Martin Salter MP and the ACA for facilitating this agreement. We appreciate the support of the Association in the future management of this water, including helping to prevent illegal fishing."
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MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN ANGLING UNITY |
November 26th, 2007
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Leading angling bodies have agreed in principle to establish a powerful new body to represent all anglers.
The boards of the Anglers’ Conservation Association, National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives, National Federation of Anglers, and Salmon and Trout Association have agreed to their Chairmen signing a letter of intent committing them to the development of the new body. The full membership of each organisation will be consulted before final agreement. The National Federation of Sea Anglers has been fully involved and will formally consider joining next Spring. Other fisheries organisations will also be welcome.
The new body will build on the benefits the four organisations already deliver to their members and become a unified, powerful voice to protect fisheries, the sport they offer, and the environment on which they depend.
The development has been led by FACT, the Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust, which already acts as an umbrella body for angling. FACT Chairman Jim Glasspool said:
“This is a major step forward towards a unified organisation which will be able to provide an improved range of services to millions of anglers and be an effective voice for them. Much remains to be done but there is an enthusiasm and commitment from everyone to achieve that goal.”
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United Utilities pays £5,000 after local angler witnesses death of a river |
November 22nd, 2007
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When Steve Beech, who has fished the River Dane for more than 30 years, arranged to do a photo-shoot with the Anglers Mail on the River Dane in September 2005, he was expecting to showcase the river’s prime barbel and chub fishing.
However, this was also the day when United Utilities discharged untreated sewage into the River from its pumping station in Middlewich.
Steve and the photo-journalist were met by the unexpected sight of a few dead fish and a strange milky tint to the water: the prelude to an environmental disaster. As the day wore on, it was clear that thousands of fish – including barbel up to 8lbs in weight - had been wiped out.
The Agency eventually prosecuted United Utilities and the company was fined for polluting the river in breach of its discharge consent.
Steve is a longstanding member of the Anglers’ Conservation Association and his club is also a member of the ACA. Following the Environment Agency’s successful prosecution, the ACA’s in house legal team followed up with a civil claim on behalf of Steve’s club, the Winsford and District Anglers’ Association. United Utilities – which has an operating profit £827.5 million during fiscal year March 2007 - seemed unwilling to settle, and so the ACA was forced to issue proceedings at court. Faced with the prospect of a trial, the company eventually agreed to pay £5,000 to the club. The money will be used to help restore the river.
Steve Beech said: “it will take years for this special river to recover after this incident, which killed many specimen fish and affected all the wildlife in the river. We are very grateful to the ACA for helping us get the water company to pay up for the damage it caused.”
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the ACA said, “this is one of many cases which the ACA is fighting against United Utilities on behalf of our members in the North West. We call on this company to demonstrate more responsibility for the water environment and not to fight requests for compensation when it pollutes rivers which have been looked after lovingly by our members for decades.”
The ACA is currently fighting four other cases against this company:
In the North West, the Rochdale & District Anglers’ fishery has suffered inundations of chlorinated water and silt from Buersil Reservoir over several years. The utility has denied that it was to blame and the ACA has had no alternative but to pursue the matter at court.
A short distance away in Chorley, the Common Bank Angling Club suffered several sewage pollutions in March 2006 when the water company allowed untreated sewage to enter a stream feeding into its fishing lake, in breach of its consent, causing the death of many fish. The utility denied that it was liable – even suggesting that it was within the terms of its consent to discharge, despite receiving a letter of warning from the Environment Agency stating that it had broken the law.
In August 2006, the water utility - which had been contracted to run the water treatment works at Pontsticill in Wales by Dwr Cymru - allowed aluminium sulphate used in water treatment to spill into the Taf Fechan river. This corrosive chemical wiped-out the fish and invertebrate populations for several miles. The ACA is currently preparing a civil claim for issue at court against the utility on behalf of the Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association.
The ACA is also pursuing a case against the utility after a sewage pipe-bridge over the River Eamont burst and raw sewage from Penrith poured into the river for at least 36 hours. The ACA has served court proceedings on the company on behalf of the Yorkshire Fly-Fishers’ Club and the Penrith Angling Association and is due in Court in December.
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Wandle Rehabilitation Project Launched in Wake of Fish Kill |
October 4th, 2007
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Following the pollution of the River Wandle on Monday 17 September, which killed thousands of fish and invertebrates, a meeting yesterday agreed an ambitious vision for a new project not only to restore the river to its pre-pollution condition but also to continue the improvement that had been in progress before the incident. The meeting was co-ordinated by the Anglers’ Conservation Association and was attended by the local angling clubs, the Wandle Trust, the Chief Executive of Thames Water, two of the company’s senior directors, fisheries staff from the Environment Agency and was hosted by the National Trust. Thames Water admitted responsibility for the pollution and apologised unreservedly to everyone concerned.
Agreement was reached between all parties that:
• The announcement of this project will not have any bearing whatsoever on any future criminal prosecution of Thames Water by the Environment Agency, whose staff attended the meeting in an advisory capacity only;
• There will be an immediate appraisal of the damage caused by the pollution by independent fisheries scientists and ecologists, jointly instructed by all parties;
• Thames Water will commit to core funding and supporting a five year rehabilitation plan for the river in partnership with the local community and key land-owners;
• Failsafe measures to provide state of the art pollution monitoring at the sewage treatment works will be in place by the end of 2007;
• The feasibility of biological tertiary treatment – gravel and reed beds – to improve effluent quality and protect against any future incidents will be investigated on the outflow from Beddington Sewage Treatment Works;
• Thames Water will pay compensation to the local angling clubs and angling businesses for their immediate losses;
• A web forum should be set up immediately on www.wandletrust.org to capture the views of local people about the measures which should be taken to put right the damage;
• A draft plan for rehabilitating the river will be published early in 2008 and the local community invited to comment, including at a public meeting before it is finalised;
• Suitable fish should be identified immediately for restocking, which will be undertaken in line with the recommendations of the independent report, but only when it is clear that the river will be able to support the new stocks.
David Owens, Chief Executive of Thames Water, said: 'We accept full responsibility for this incident and apologise to the many people who have been affected. We know that rehabilitation will be a long process, and that significant costs will be involved, but we want to get started as soon as possible. The first step is to commission an independent survey of the river to assess the damage and identify what work is required. We are committed to working openly and co-operatively with the Environment Agency, the ACA, angling clubs, the Wandle Trust and the local community on a plan that will not just restore the river but - in the longer term - improve it, for the benefit of people and wildlife. We are pleased that the Environment Agency are closely involved in this process, which is entirely separate from the ongoing investigation into the incident by their legal team."
Bob Collington, Wastewater Operations Director of Thames Water, said: "My whole team are deeply upset by this incident. It is a huge disappointment after a year in which we have made big improvements to the performance of our sewage treatment works, with the lowest ever number of incidents. The work we were carrying out at Beddington was part of that process. Our investigation into what happened hasn't finished. But in summary we were cleaning the tertiary treatment filters to improve the quality of the effluent entering the river. Three of the four sets of filters had been cleaned successfully, using acid and a concentrated bleach solution. This is a routine operation. But something went terribly wrong. Until the investigation is complete, the process has been banned at all our sites. I can confirm that procedures will be tightened and that we will be installing advanced monitoring equipment, imported from the USA, as soon as possible."
Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the Anglers’ Conservation Association said: “whilst everyone regrets that this incident ever happened, we are delighted that Thames Water has responded not only by accepting responsibility and promising to compensate those affected but they have also agreed to go the extra mile and commit to core funding the long term improvement of the river. This is a very welcome change from a company that the ACA has previously had to fight through the courts. We hope that this sets a precedent for any future pollution events not only by Thames Water, but by the rest of the water industry.”
Theo Pike, Trustee of the Wandle Trust and Senior Vice President of the Wandle Piscators said: ”we are delighted to have been assured of Thames Water’s commitment to working with the local community to mitigate the effects of this environmental disaster, and provide real partnership in restoring the Wandle to its rightful status as the best urban chalkstream in the world”.
Zoe Colbeck, Property Manager for the National Trust’s Morden Hall Park, said: “The River Wandle is an incredibly import resource for the local community and for wildlife. Over a number of years we have been working with the Environment Agency and other partners to improve the water quality and associated habitat. We are delighted that Thames Water have decided to contribute to this process and we are looking forward to working in partnership with them over the coming years. We hope this experience will also help us work more closely with Thames Water across the whole of the SE region.”
Charles Rangeley-Wilson, presenter of the BBC’s Accidental Angler series, said: “Catching and releasing a 2 ½ pound trout from the River Wandle this August was probably the most significant moment in my fishing career. I'd dreamt about doing this for a decade. It meant a lot to me that this urban river was recovering from centuries of pollution. That trout was an old warhorse of a fish and to think that it had endured for so long only to die in this recent, disastrous pollution was very depressing. Despite my despair at that news I'm now really delighted to see that the ACA has worked so quickly with Thames Water and the local community to develop an ambitious plan to get the river back on its upward curve of recovery as soon as possible.”
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Tidal Barrage Power? No Thanks! |
October 2nd, 2007
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The Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA) and the Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) have read with deep concern the report launched today by the Sustainable Development Commission, Turning the Tide, which assesses the potential for tidal power to generate electricity in some of the UK’s most important estuaries, including the Severn.
The proposed Severn Barrage would have a serious impact on fish within the River Severn estuary, especially migratory species such as Atlantic salmon, sea trout, shad, lampreys and eels, all of which are protected by European legislation. Salmon in particular could become non viable in the rivers Severn, Wye and Usk.
Most alarmingly, it is the potential for turbines to kill high numbers of outwardly migrating juveniles that poses the greatest threat. The estuary is also important for marine species such as bass, mullet, pollock, sole, flounders and sprat, all of which would be impeded by the physical barrier and inevitable change in environmental quality within the estuary associated with building a barrage.
The document makes clear that there would be a legal requirement to compensate any damage to habitats. It suggests: “habitat compensation could include the creation of new habitat, the restoration of existing habitat, or the recreation of habitats within the site, in other designated sites, or in non-designated sites (and then designating them). To compensate for impacts on fish, compensation could involve the artificial restocking of certain fish species to maintain overall numbers.”
It is clear that recreating three of the largest rivers in the UK is preposterous, and that restocking of migratory fish in these rivers would be pointless as they would be killed either on their way to sea or on their return. Salmon populations from particular rivers are genetically unique and therefore cannot be replaced elsewhere.
The SDC notes that: “The practicality and cost of this requirement represents the final test of the overall viability of the proposal.” The S&TA and ACA can only conclude that this test makes a tidal barrage in the Severn non-viable.
S&TA Executive Director, Paul Knight, said, “migratory fish, especially salmon and sea trout, have a very high socio-economic importance in the area, while salmon, shad and lampreys are all designated species under the EU Habitats Directive and eels are now officially classified as an endangered species. Any structure which impeded their migration would have a catastrophic effect on the world-renowned rivers Usk, Wye and Severn, and there is no way of recreating these fish populations elsewhere as compensation.”
ACA Executive Director, Mark Lloyd, commented, “whilst we appreciate the very urgent need to address climate change, we do not believe that a barrage in the Severn or any other estuary is a sustainable solution. The damage to the environment from tidal barrages – ranging from the materials used in construction to the disruption of complex flows of sediment in estuaries – is unacceptable and probably illegal. We would much rather see comprehensive schemes to reduce energy demand coupled with the development of relatively benign tidal stream technologies which could be developed around new marine reserves. That strategy would qualify as sustainable development.”
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Surge in ACA membership leads to expansion |
October 2nd, 2007
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Membership of the ACA has increased over the past year as individual anglers have made use of the new online membership facility and over 200 new clubs and riparian owners have signed up since January to benefit from the unique legal protection and advice only the ACA can offer them.
The organisation’s services are now in such demand that it has recently expanded its legal department through the appointment of a new Legal Support Assistant, Penny Gane, who started work today. New funding from WWF has also allowed the ACA to recruit a Marketing and Campaigns Manager. This post is currently being advertised and anyone interested should visit the ACA’s web site or phone 01568 620447.
The increase in membership is also thought to reflect the sustained increase in activity by the legal department and press coverage of the ACA’s many victories for angling.
Mark Lloyd, ACA Executive Director said: “we are delighted that our new marketing strategy, the online membership facility and the recent increase in media coverage of the ACA are all paying dividends. We can only carry out our unique role if anglers contribute a fraction of what they spend on tackle and fishing each year to support our work. We hope that this surge in support is the thin end of the wedge and hope to see many more applications forms landing on our doormat and in our e-mail inbox.”
Recent legal work
The ACA’s threat of judicial review proceedings still hangs over government agencies should they decide to lift the suspension of pyrethroid sheep dips. So far, there is no sign of any such lifting of the suspension. In the meantime, the ACA has referred the case to the Information Commissioner for a ruling on the interpretation of freedom of information law as it applies to the environmental impact of veterinary medicines such as sheep dip and indeed all pesticides. As it stands, manufacturers’ assessments of the ecological damage done by their pesticide products are kept secret by government agencies – the ACA believes that is wrong and against European law.
On a more routine front, the ACA secured £4,500 in compensation for the Burton Mutual Angling Association, whose members have been excluded from a stretch of the River Dove by a Severn-Trent Water pumping station. The ACA’s lawyers continue to look closely at the impact of the pumping itself on the lower Dove to see if a case can be made to the Secretary of State to reduce the licensed abstraction rate.
We have also secured a settlement of £8,000 on the River Wenning where the ACA – acting under a Court Order it secured in 2006 against a rainbow trout farmer – sent in fisheries experts and arranged electrofishing of the River Wenning at Bentham following yet more reports and catches of rainbow trout in the river. The ACA hopes that the wild brown trout on the Wenning will now be protected from the threat of escapee rainbows. Its lawyers are now looking closely at three cases in Scotland – on the Lochy, the Awe and the Tay – where escapee rainbows are threatening wild fisheries and ruining the fishing.
Part of a large claim relating to the River Backwater – which involved pollution of the Blackwater with tributyl tin and a very significant fish kill – has been settled by one of the defendants but the ACA will continue to pursue the rest of the claim against the other defendants.
The ACA has also been to the Companies Court to restore a once-dissolved company to the Register of Companies in order to then sue it for the damage caused to the Sussex Ouse in August 2001 following a terrible spill of chlorpyrifos insecticide that wiped out 80% of fish on affected stretches of the river.
Just last week, the ACA sprang into action as soon as it heard the news about the disastrous pollution on the River Wandle and has set up a meeting between Thames Water, the local angling clubs and the Wandle Trust to discuss what can be done to help the river recover in the long term.
The work in Scotland continues to grow. We are pursuing the insurers for a farmer on the Darvel stretch of the River Irvine in Scotland following a huge fish kill caused by farm slurry. We are also assembling a claim for chemical pollution of a tributary of the River Ugie and are investigating four other cases north of the border.
The ACA has sent in the bailiffs against two other farmers this summer - on the River Brue in Somerset and the Olway Brook, a tributary of the Usk in Monmouthshire. On the Olway, the farmer has paid only £500 of the damages in excess of £10,000 which the ACA won for its member river owner this year at Hereford County Court.
Guy Linley-Adams, ACA Solicitor said: “seizing property is not something we enjoy doing. we would much rather see the threat of pollution removed and farmers taking care not to cause damage to rivers, but there can be no question of the ACA pulling its punches where careless or persistent offenders are concerned”.
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2,000 dead fish on the Wandle |
September 24th, 2007
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On Monday 17 September, anglers fishing the River Wandle in South London noticed that the water was changing colour. Shortly afterwards they saw dead fish floating to the surface. They immediately reported the pollution to the Environment Agency whose staff were on the scene in 30 minutes taking water and fish samples. At least 2,000 fish died on a 5km stretch of the Wandle. The river had been recovering gradually over the past 10 years and is widely regarded as a beacon success story for an urban river. The dead fish included barbel to 10lb, chub to 6lb, roach to 3lb and at least one dace over 1lb.
On Wednesday, after carrying out an urgent internal investigation, Thames Water contacted the Anglers’ Conservation Association to admit responsibility for the pollution. They revealed that it was caused by a blunder at Beddington Sewage Treatment Works. Sodium hydrochloride was being used to clean its tertiary treatment screens, but instead of being circulated back through the treatment works, it was accidentally discharged into the river. The company immediately offered to meet with the local angling clubs and the Wandle Trust to discuss restocking and long term support for the work of the Trust.
Thames Water’s External Affairs and Sustainability Director Richard Aylard said “Everyone at Thames Water has been mortified by this whole incident. As a keen angler myself, I was particularly upset to hear that we had caused such a setback to the recovery of this very special river. We are determined to act quickly to work with the local community to put it right.”
The ACA’s Executive Director Mark Lloyd said “this is a disaster for the River Wandle which has become a vital part of the regeneration of this part of South London. It has reversed years of work by the local community, the Environment Agency and Thames Water themselves. However, both the prompt admission of responsibility by Thames Water and its promise to work constructively with the ACA, the Environment Agency, local angling clubs and the Wandle Trust to restore the river are extremely welcome. This will save us wasting a lot of time fighting a legal case on behalf of our member clubs on the Wandle. Once again, anglers were the first to notice and report the pollution and will lead the efforts to restore the river.”
Theo Pike, Director of the Wandle Trust, President of the Wandle Piscators and Vice Chairman of Morden Hall Park Angling Club said: “we have been working for years with the local community to restore this hidden gem of a river and we are very upset that this disastrous pollution has wound back the clock. We look forward to discussing with Thames Water a sustainable long term plan for restoring the Wandle and ensuring that this event is not repeated in the future.”
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May/June: ACA 5, Polluters 0 |
June 21st, 2007
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In the last two months, the ACA has continued its winning streak by winning damages in no less than five cases for seven angling clubs and five riparian owners of fishing rights. The ACA secured over £32,000 for its members in the five cases and in addition recovered more than £10,000 from the polluters as a contribution to its costs of fighting these cases.
The ACA secured just over £2,000 from the supermarket chain Morrisons after a leak of diesel into still waters fished by the Northampton Nene Angling Club. To their credit, Morrisons settled the claim against them without a fight.
In cases that both went to Court, two polluting farmers, one on the River Brue in Somerset and the other on the Olway Brook, a tributary of the River Usk in Monmouthshire, found themselves regretting their actions.
In the Somerset case, liquid food waste imported onto the farm ostensibly for use as fertiliser was allowed to escape into the River Brue, killing many hundreds of coarse fish and brown trout on waters fished by four different riparian owners as well as the Glaston Manor Angling Association and the Dorchester and District Angling Club, all of whom were members of the ACA. The farmer claimed the discharge had been the act of a disgruntled employee who then vanished but the ACA issued proceedings. When challenged by the ACA, he failed to provide the employee’s employment records and shortly afterwards the farmer agreed to pay £11,000 in damages and costs. This compares favourably with the £1,000 criminal fine, which disappeared into Government coffers.
In the Monmouthshire case, the Court awarded the ACA the full £10,013 in damages it had claimed following repeat pollution of the Olway Brook with agricultural waste. The polluting farmer concerned was already massively in debt, not least due to unpaid fines for repeated environmental offences at his farm and the ACA reluctantly agreed to payment of his judgment debt (and the ACA‘s costs of another c. £3,000) by instalments, but he is already behind on his payments to the ACA and enforcement proceedings are now being considered.
In another case for the Grantham Angling Association, the ACA has helped secure a payment of £10,000 in compensation for the building of a surface water discharge pipe from a nearby housing development. Should anything other than surface water be discharged and the fishing ends up being damaged, then the ACA will come knocking. Through the Blueprint for Water campaign, the ACA has campaigned for surface water to be treated locally in sustainable urban drainage schemes, which could avoid this damage in the first place (see www.blueprintforwater.org.uk for more details).
Finally, on the Thame, the long running claim against Thames Water following the serious pollution incident at the Aylesbury sewage works in 2002 has now been settled and the Court proceedings brought to a close. The clubs received damages for the loss of fishing they have suffered, the ACA recovered some of its costs, but most importantly, alongside the formal proceedings, Thames Water has also agreed to begin the re-stocking of the river at the end of this year and is supporting financially the River Thame Habitat Project which aims to improve fish habitat in the river for the future.
ACA Executive Director Mark Lloyd said: “Following a record year in 2006, the ACA is continuing to succeed in making polluters pay back anglers for the damage they do to our fisheries. These 5 cases won in the last two months demonstrate that the ACA will take on anyone from multinational water companies to repeatedly-polluting farmers. The only tragedy is that similar incidents are going unpunished all over the country where angling clubs and owners are not members of the ACA. We also need the support of far more individual anglers to help us pay for taking these expensive and difficult legal cases.”
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Anglers can now sign up to the ACA online |
May 30th, 2007
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The Anglers’ Conservation Association (ACA), the unique organisation setup in 1948 to use the law to make polluters pay for damaging the nation’s fisheries, has recently launched a new facility on its website (www.a-c-a.org) for anglers to sign up for membership, make donations and buy merchandise using a credit or debit card. The facility is safe and secure, managed by Pay Pal, one of the web’s leading payment service providers. It is also possible for anglers to download a subscription form to print out and complete. Now there is no excuse not to be a member!
The ACA legal team takes on legal cases against big business on behalf of its members and wins. All of the compensation reclaimed is put straight back into restoring the affected fisheries, benefiting the natural environment and safeguarding the future of many waters. The ACA also lobbies government and its agencies to protect freshwater in the UK.
Since October 2006, the ACA has settled 14 separate cases and secured damages of £96,000 for its members. These cases have involved food oil spillages, sewage discharges, cement pollution, farm waste, persistent detergent discharges, red diesel escapes and abattoir waste flowing into rivers, lakes and canals.. It was a lead organisation in the Blueprint for Water campaign (www.blueprintforwater.org.uk) which is proving a powerful tool in forcing the government to take action to protect the water environment. The ACA has also n | | | | | | |
