PAC News

Get in the picture

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:29:00 +0000

PAC Pike Angler of the Year, Graham Slater, has provided some helpful tips for taking photos of your pike while fishing alone for the PAC website. Although he seems to have forgotten to pick the fish up for the shot on the right!

You can read the page here.

NACA Open Day - June 1st

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:01:00 +0000

The Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association (NACA) is holding its annual Open day event at the renowned Bawburgh Lakes Fishery just outside Norwich on Sunday 1st June 2008 between 10:00am and 4:30pm.

Entry will be free, with plenty of parking for the public to enjoy watching and meeting experienced anglers, fish with licensed angling coaches and watch many demonstrations.

All juniors must be accompanied by an adult.

Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead.

There will be the opportunity to meet with special guest for the day, 4 times World Champion “Bob Nudd MBE”.

Demonstrations will be ongoing and include pike handling and welfare, lure fishing, trace making in conjunction with PAC, NACA and Norwich Pike Anglers Club, carp fishing, boilie making and rig clinic with Carp Connection, feeder fishing with Nick Larkin, Learn to cast with Terry Houseago, Salmon and Trout Association, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, electricity and carbon rods with EDF, pond dipping and guided bird watching.

The Environment Agency will be the main sponsor of the event.

Bait for the coaches will be sponsored by Angling Direct and Sensas.

There is an emphasis on newcomers, young and lapsed anglers. NFA and PAA licensed coaches will be set up on Bawburgh, Finger and Semons Lakes to provide instruction.

Bring a picnic to this beautiful Conservation site, managed by NACA or purchase refreshments and food from the barbecue being served all day.

Access to the event is in New Road between Bawburgh Village and Bowthorpe, approximately 4 miles west of Norwich. Turn off from A47 bypass on to the B1108 Watton Road signed ‘Colney and N&N Hospital’ then head towards Watton, taking the first right down Stocks Hill to Bawburgh Village. New Road is immediate right turn after the bridge, follow the road back under the A47 with the Fishery entrance a further 100 yards on the right.

From Bowthorpe, New Road turn is directly off the perimeter Chapel Break Road.

Sat Nav NR9 3LZ

For any further information please contact NACA Publicity Officer Chris Smith on 07826 811036.

MPs debate threat to Broads

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:25:00 +0000

MPs were set to debate the threat to the Upper Thurne and its broads today - as the head of the agency behind proposals to allow them to be flooded by the sea apologised.

Natural England is behind proposals to abandon coastal defences between Eccles and Wintertion, on the Norfok coast.

If adopted by central government, the move would mean the looss of Horsey Mere, Hickling Broad, the Martham broads and heigham Sound, along with hundreds of homes in six low-lying villages.

More than 1600 people have now signed a petition to save the Upper Thurne system, which includes some of Britain's most historically-important pike fisheries.

Today Dr David Viner, Natural England's chief specialist on the impacts of climate changes, said difficult choices would need to ba made. In an interview with the Eastern Daily Press, he said the agency was right to initiate a debate over the future of flood defences.

The Environment Agency believes it can keep the North Sea at bay for at least another 50 years.

But the defences cost £1.5m a year to maintain and some officials believe allowing the area to flood would help send out "the right message" about the severity of climate change.

Other options, ranging from strengthening sea defences to doing nothing have also been proposed.

The plans became public after a draft report - not intended to be published until September - was leaked to newspapers threee weeks ago.

Today MPs led my Mid Norfolk's Keith Simpson were set to challenge the government to come clean over its plans, in a 90-minute debate.

To read the interview with Dr Viner, click here.

To sign the petition, click here.

Four must-see speakers for Piking 2008

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:44:00 +0000

Four must-see speakers have been signed up for this year's Pike Anglers Club Convention.

Piking 2008 will be held at Stoneleigh, Warks, on Saturday, September 27.

Predator fishing in all four corners of the British Isles, along with Holland and Sweden are covered by Derek MacDonald, Graham Slater, Michel Huigevoort and PA Högberg.

PAC promotions manager Mike Kelly said: "All four speakers have varied experience and fish differently, but one thing's for sure - they'll all knock you out with their talks and catches."

Derek Macdonald may be one of the country's best-known lure anglers but he rarely shares the secrets of his success.

"On my travels I have fished in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales even as far afield as Eastern Germany," he said.

"After a long and winding road, I have managed to reach my Everest and fulfil my dream, catching a monstrous fish weighing over 40lbs."

Graham Slater is another one of pike fishing's quieter exponents, who has enjoyed some phenomenal catches.

“Thirty years of fishing waters in England, Ireland and Scotland have shaped both the way I think about my fishing and the way I go about it," he said.

"My presentation will details some of my experiences and things I've learned from them, along with last season’s results and how I achieved my most successful season ever."

Michel Huigevoort will be travelling from Holland to share the Dutch style of fishing rivers.

He said: “I grew up close to the river Maas in the south of Holland. And after my very first pike the call of the river and the hunt for the biggest predator never went away.

"A part from pike fishing I like fishing for zander as well. Challenging the biggest bodies of water is what I like most, in Holland and abroad."

PA Högberg, from Stockholm, will be outlining his approach to both the increasingly popular Baltic and other Scandinavian waters.

"My talk outline will be the Swedish pike of different types like lake pike, river pike, Baltic pike and sub-groups like stationary pike.

"I'll be covering techniques to catch them. How to pick the right lure. Fishing technique with different types of baits. Rods and reels and how to chose the proper gear."

As well as the speakers, the PAC Convention is regarded by many pike anglers as the start to their winter campaign.

Stalls featuring the latest predator tackle, the lively second-hand tackle sale, demonstrations, awards and the chance to meet some of the sport's top names add up to a top day's entertainment.

All predator anglers are welcome, with tickets costing £12 for PAC members and £14 for non-members on the door.

Up to two juniors (under 16...) are admitted free with each paying adult, while advance tickets are available priced £10.

Parking is free and there are refreshments and bar.

For advance tickets, send a cheque payable to the PAC for £10 per ticket, with a stamped address envelope, to: Mike Kelly, 47 Yew Tree Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 0BG.

A day not to be missed...

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:14:00 +0000

Natural England boss on threat to Broads

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:58:00 +0000

Natural England boss Martin Doughty spells out the rationale behind plans to abandon coastal defences and allow the Upper Thurne and its broads to be flooded by the sea on The Guardian's website.

The post has already sparked an angry response from those whose homes would be lost if the plans are put into action.

Why not add to them after you've read it..? Click here for more...

Developers eye up Cotswold Water Park

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:45:00 +0000

Parts of one of Britain's best-known gravel pit complexes are under threat.

SAA Matters, newsletter of the Specialist Anglers Alliance, warns developers are buying up lakes in the Cotswold Water Park and building holiday homes around them.

"It seems the market cannot get enough of these properties and now there is a queue of developers around the block trying to buy up any piece of available water," writes Tim Marks.

"Any piece of water and the adjacent land in the Cotswold Water Park area is now the subject of developer attention.

"Those fisheries that are on short-term leases are extremely vulnerable. When the times comes for renegotiation, the anglers are simply outbid with the net result that the water is lost to angling."

Waters owned outright by South Cerney AC are safe from falling prey to the log cabin invasion, the piece goes on. But it warns gravel pit complexes in other parts of the country could also fall prey to developers.

Army chief joins battle to Save the Broads

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:29:00 +0000

Britain's top soldier who has spent a lifetime defending Queen and country today fired a broadside at proposals to allow parts of the Norfolk Broads to be flooded by the sea.

Government conservation group Natural England is behind proposals to abandon coastal defences and allow the North Sea to claim the Upper Thurne and its broads.

If adopted, the plan would spell the end for some of Britain's finest pike fisheries such as Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere.

In an interview with the Eastern Daily Press newspaper today General Sir Richard Dannatt, who is the head of the British Army, said: “I think it would be a tragedy if we allowed that area to be given up and inundated.

“I think to give up a great chunk of Norfolk to the sea without a fight is something I find quite counter-intuitive and quite difficult to do.

“I really think we should continue to invest in the sea defences around there, I think it would be a tragedy to lose a wonderful area of the county by allowing the sea in without a fight. After all, the Dutch manage to achieve this perfectly well so why can't we do this on our side of the North Sea.”

Click here to read the interview.

Click here to sign our online petition.

Broads Society condemns flooding plan

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:18:00 +0000

The government must continue to fund coastal defence projects to prevent the "completely unacceptable" loss of 25 square miles of the Broads to the sea.

That was the plea from the 1600-strong Broads Society today, which said it was "extremely concerned" to learn of proposals being considered by government conservation advisers Natural England to abandon coastal defences and allow the Upper Thurne and its broads to flood.

It came as the PAC's online Save the Broads petition, on Prime Minister Gordon Brown's 10 Downing Street website, clocked up more then 1200 signatures.

Click here to read more on the Broads Society's response.

Click here to read today's Great Yarmouth Mercury story on the latest.

Click here to sign our online petition.

Don't swim in't cut Gladys - tha'll get eaten

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:55:00 +0000

A monster pike is prowling a canal on the outskirts of Rochdale, Lancs, the Middleton Guardian reports today.

Click here for story.

Save the Broads - another option..?

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:32:00 +0000

A new option to save the Upper Thurne and its broads has been proposed by the influential Broads Society.

It says plans to abandon coastal defences and allow an eighth of the total area of the Norfolk broads to be flooded by the sea are "completely unacceptable".

It is calling for a new line of sea defences to be established to protect vital freshwater habitats, including some of our finest pike fisheries.

Click here to read a BBC report.

BBC reports on Fen flood barrier

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Ten days after the PAC revealed an entrepreneur's proposals to build a barrage across The Wash to protect the Fens from flooding, the BBC reports on the story. Conservation groups claim the plan to protect thousands of low-lying homes from rising sea levels is a non-starter. Click here for more.

Click here for our original report revealing details of the plan.

Save the Broads - questions answered

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:54:00 +0000

Today's Eastern Daily Press has a useful piece on Q&As regarding the threat to the Upper Thurne and its broads.

Click here to read it.

It comes as the PAC's online Save the Broads petition on Gordon Brown's 10 Downing Street website tops 1100 signatures, including East Anglian Euro MP Tom Wise.

The club is tonight trying to contact Mr Wise to ask his to raise our concerns in the European Parliament.

Click here to sign up.

Save the Broads petition nudges 1000

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:57:00 +0000

Nearly 1000 people have signed up the Pike Anglers Club's online petition to Save the Broads.

Click here to join them.

Windermere speed protest bid fails

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:29:00 +0000

A power boating campaigner fighting to overturn the 10mph speed limit on Lake Windermere faces trial.

Kevan Furber, of the Keep Windermere Alive Association, deliberately broke the limit when he pulled blind waterskiing champion Gerald Price, 74, on the lake last July.

Mr Furber, from Manchester, wants to challenge the Lake District National Park Authority's ruling, introduced in 2005.

Click here for more.

Why so defeatist, asks the Independent

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:54:00 +0000

A trenchant piece in the Independent asks why are government agencies so defeatist over the threat to the Broads. Click here to read it.

It comes as the PAC's online petition to Save the Broads nears 1,000 signatures. Click here to sign it.

Eel be online now....

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:41:00 +0000

Britain's oldest specialist group has gone bang up to date with the launch of a new website.

Click here to see the latest offering from the National Anguilla Club, which was launched in 1962 - 15 years before the PAC.

Check out their stand at Piking 2008 in September.

Time for public debate on the Broads - MP

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:48:00 +0000

Government bodies behind proposals to allow some of Britain's finest pike fisheries to be flooded by the sea have been challenged to come clean about their plans and take part in a public debate.
The call came from North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, at a public meeting attended by more than 400 people, in a village which would be lost under the plan.
Speaking at Potter Heigham VIllage hall, Mr Lamb said those behind plans to abandon coastal defences should "engage directly with the public".
He added: "It's absolutely essential that there should be a proper discussion."
Conservation agency Natural England believes allowing the sea to breach defences on the Norfolk coast would "send out the right message" about the severity of climate change.
But the move would mean Hickling Broad, Horsey Mere, the Martham Broads, Heigham Sound and the Upper Thurne would be lost to the sea.
Six villages, thousands of hectares of farmland and around an eighth of the entire area of the Broads would also disappear.
More than 800 people have now signed the PAC's petition to Save the Broads.

Click here for reports on last night's public meeting.

Click here to sign the petition.

Club tightens bylaws to deter fish killers

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:24:00 +0000

King's Lynn Angling Association, the biggest club in the Fens, today revealed bylaw changes in a bid to tackle fish being removed in numbers for food.

It's changed its bylaws to make it clear no fish are to removed from the waters it controls, which include parts of the Great Ouse, River Wissey, Little Ouse, Middle Level Drain, Cut Off Channel and Relief Channel.

The wording on permits and day tickets has been changed, while signs have been put up at club venues.

Officials believe the move allows a private prosecution to be taken out against anyone caught removing fish. It comes after fish were removed in numbers from Lynn AA waters.

Livebaiting is still allowed, provided they are used on the water where they have been caught.

Save The Broads petition tops 700

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:22:00 +0000

As villagers gathered for the first public meeting about plans to abandon coastal defences and allow the Upper Thurne and its broads to be flooded by the sea, the PAC's online petition to save them topped 700 signatures.

Click here to join them.

Indie reports on Save the Broads petition

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:15:00 +0000

The Independent newspaper suggests building a barrier of pike floats to save the Broads, in a slightly whimsical reference to the PAC's online petition.

Click here to see the report, in which the paper's angling correspondent recalls days spent afloat with the late Richard Furlong - and click here to join the 700 or so people who have now signed up.

Barrier proposed to protect the Fens

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:23:00 +0000

A barrage could be built across The Wash to protect the Fens from flooding, it emerged today.

The Wash Tidal Barrier Corporation is bidding to build a new sea defence barrier between Hunstanton, in Nofolk and Skegness, in Lincolnshire, in a bid to protect low-lying areas from the growing threat of storm surges.

The announcement came as Norfolk County Council pledged to fight for Government funding to protect the Upper Thurne and its broads.

Much of the Fens between King's Lynn and Ely are lower than sea level. Hundreds of thousands of homes are protcted by a network of man-made drains and rivers, many of them higher than the surrounding land.

A new pumping station is being built on the Middle Level Drain at St Germans to cope with rising sea levels and changing weather patterns.

Today the Barrier Corporation said: "Sea level rise and climate change are major threats to the Wash coast and fenland environment.

"Sea level is predicted to rise by at least one metre by 2100 and sea temperatures, already 1°C higher, are increasing by 0.4°C each decade. Storm surges sufficient to overwhelm the Wash coastal defences are becoming ever more likely.

"Raising the height of existing coastal defences would not only be prohibitively expensive, but also have a major impact on marginal habitats such as salt marsh, inter-tidal mudflats and sandbanks.

"A tidal barrier across the Wash will provide us with the opportunity to manage the tide height and range within the Wash. The Barrier also offers a number of additional benefits – in particular, the generation of a large and reliable amount of green electricity and flood protection for more than 500,000 people, 300,000 hectares of grade 1 agricultural land and billions of pounds’ worth of assets."

For more on the Wash barrier proposals, click here.

We'll fight for the Broads, pledges council

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:22:00 +0000

Norfolk County Council today pledged it would fight for Government funding to protect the Broads from flooding.

Natural England and the Broads Authority have discussed plans to abandon coastal defences and allow the Upper Thurne and its legendary pike fisheries to be flooded by the sea.

The move would mean the end for Horsey Mere, Hickling Broad, Heigham Sound and the Martham broads - along with six coastal villages, internationally-important nature reserves and thousands of hectares of farmland.

Nearly 700 people have signed an online petition launched by the Pike Anglers Club, on Gordon Brown's 10 Downing Street website, to save the Broads. Click here to join them.

Today Ian Monson, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for the environment, said the authority would press the case that the land is worth defending on social, economic and environmental grounds. Click here for more.

Public meetings over threat to Broads

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Public meetings are being held in villages threatened by plans to abandon sea defences.

Some of Britain's finest pike fisheries would also be lost if proposals to allow the sea to flood the Upper Thurne and its broads get the go-ahead.

Tonight the Coastal Concern Action group said: "In view of the confusion, fear and adverse effect on property caused by the recent proposals by Natural England which seek to allow the sea to take over some 25square miles of the upper Thurne region and the consequential loss of six villages CCAG has arranged a short series of public meetings in the affected area.
The meeting locations and times are as follows:

* Tuesday 8th April Hickling Community Hall at 7:30pm
* Wednesday 9th April Potter Heigham Village Hall at 7:30pm
* Tuesday 15th April Sea Palling Village Hall at 7:30pm

Norman Lamb MP will attend each of the meetings. CCAG's Malcolm Kerby has called these meetings to give the people a voice that their views may be carried to the very heart of Government."

Nearly 600 people have signed an online petition against the plans launched by the Pike Anglers Club. Click here to join them.

PAC 'stunned' by minister's response

noreply@blogger.com (PAC) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Pike anglers are stunned by the Government's refusal to back their campaign to save the Norfolk Broads.

The issue surfaced in Parliament during Prime Minister's Questions today (Weds), when North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb asked whether sea defences protecting the Upper Thurne and its broads would be safeguarded.

Plans to abandon defences have been proposed at a meeting between Natural England, the Broads Authority and the Environment Agency.

If put into action, the so-called managed retreat would lead to Hickling Broad, Horsey Mere, the Martham Broads and Heigham Sound being flooded by the sea.

Documents leaked to the Pike Anglers Club say the move would send out "the right message" about the impact of climate change on our coastline.

But the 2500-strong club has pledged to fight to save what it calls some of Britain's most historically-important pike fisheries.

Mr Lamb asked for assurances that sea defences between Eccles and Winterton would continue to be maintained.

But Commons Leader Harriet Harman, sitting in for Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said ministers would work to ensure "the right way forward".

Mr Lamb said he was "disappointed" at the response. Six villages, thousands of hectares of farmland and internationally-important nature reserves are also at risk.

Mr Lamb, who said he was disappointed at the response, is calling for Environment Minister Hilary Benn to visit Norfolk to see for himself the area which would be affected by the plan.

The Pike Anglers Club said: "We are stuuned. We share Mr Lamb's disappointment at the lack of assurances from the Government that the Broads will continue to be protected.

"We are talking about a cost of around £1.5m a year to maintain sea defences which protect thousands of homes, let alone some of our finest pike fisheries.

"It is unthinkable that all this could be lost to "send out the right message" about climate change" and save what is a relatively small amount in the scheme of things."

More than 500 people have signed an online petition on Gordon Brown's 10 Downing Street website to Save the Broads.

Click here to join them.