All go for Angling Unity - press release

Angling groups due to join forces in a single unified governing body today issued the following press release:

Last Pieces of Unity Jigsaw in Place

All the organisations participating in the creation of the Angling Trust have now undertaken the necessary constitutional steps to wind up their existing operations and form the Angling Trust on 5 January 2009.

The National Federation of Anglers (NFA) held an Extraordinary General Meeting at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham on Saturday 6 December to approve the dissolution of the NFA and the transfer of its assets and staff to the Angling Trust. The meeting was attended both by individual and club members who voted 30 to 2 for the resolution.

The National Federation of Sea Anglers (NFSA) held an EGM at Buckfastleigh in Devon on Saturday 6th December at which the membership approved the proposals to allow the winding up of the NFSA and the transfer of its assets to Angling Trust. Including proxy votes, the membership supported the 3 proposals by a margin of 418 to1, 418 to 1 and 412 to 8 respectively.

The Anglers' Conservation Association (ACA) held its EGM in Birmingham on Monday 8 December and agreed to change its name to Fish Legal and to become a part of the Angling Trust with a proxy vote of 1,484 in favour to 67 against the change.

The National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives (NAFAC) and the Specialist Anglers Alliance (SAA) had both approved the merger with their respective memberships earlier in the year and therefore there are now no constitutional reasons for the merger not to go ahead as planned at the start of 2009.

All the organisations are now writing to their existing individual, club, riparian and fishery owner members with information about the benefits on offer from the Angling Trust. These include free public liability insurance for individual members, along with the innovative Fish For Free scheme which can earn Angling Trust members more than the cost of their subscription in cashback on fishing tackle and the annual rod licence. For angling clubs and riparian and fishery owners, there is a new discounted insurance package on offer which will offer savings of hundreds of pounds on existing cover.

Terry Fell, Chairman of the NFA commented, "This is a very historic occasion both for the NFA and the sport of angling as a whole. The NFA has been in existence since 1903 and has a wealth of history; however the board believes that now is the right time to bring together all of angling's assets and create one Governing Body for the sport. There is a huge wealth of expertise and experience in the Angling Trust and we are all looking forward to working with the other parties involved. The success of the Angling Trust will rely upon the support of the angling community and I would urge anyone who has an interest in the sport to join up and support The Voice of Angling: the Angling Trust."

Richard Ferré, Chairman of the NFSA said, "The NFSA is proud to be a part of the formation of the Angling Trust. Sea anglers share an interest in many issues with their freshwater counterparts and we will be much stronger if we pool our resources. The new Angling Trust will build on the work we have undertaken for many years, lobbying for greater protection for marine fish stocks and running national and international competitions on and off shore."

Stephen Marsh-Smith, Chairman of the ACA said, "The ACA's unrivalled record of taking polluters and others to task will be continued by the Angling Trust under a new brand: Fish Legal. All clubs, fisheries and riparian owners in England should join the Angling Trust and Fish Legal to benefit from this unique legal protection. Now that we are one organisation, we will be able to link the legal work with proactive campaigns to change policy and practice and to stop damage to fisheries happening in the first place."

Mike Heylin, Secretary of SAA said, "We have finally achieved the dream of a united front for angling with Angling Trust. Now we have to do the hard work of delivering for the nation's anglers and the fisheries they enjoy. I urge all anglers to join as soon as they can. It takes money to defend angling from national as well as European policymakers."

Martin Read, Executive Chairman of NAFAC said, "It has been a long time coming, but now the talking is over its time for action."

Trevor Johnson, Chairman of Milton Keynes Angling Association, commented, "One body - speaking with one voice for England's anglers - is now the only way forward if our sport is to survive and prosper. But let no-one think that it is all done and dusted...that all we have to do now is go fishing. If this is going to work anglers have to put their hands in their pockets and give Angling Trust their support - whether they fish for bass off Cornwall, carp in Milton Keynes or trout in a northern beck. Old rivalries and narrow interests are going to have to be put aside and everyone, at all levels, must work for the common good of our sport. That will not be easy for some...but it has to done."

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of Angling Trust commented, "the Angling Trust will not only continue the work of all these bodies, but it will also do much more. We will now be able to represent all anglers much more efficiently and effectively. All the staff of the organisations involved are working flat out to make sure that everything is in place for the launch in January. We all hope that every angler's New Year resolution will be to join the Angling Trust."

Farm run-off blamed for carp deaths

Nitrates caused by farm run-off is being blamed for an increase in carp deaths at fisheries up and down the country, the SAA revealed today. Anglers are being asked to report any problems they have encountered.

More here.

Stupendous victory for pike fishing - report

Pike fishing has scored a "stupendous victory" following the recent announcement there would be no livebaiting ban in England and Wales, writes Roy Webster in the Great Yarmouth Mercury.

Click here.

SAA Press Release on Livebaiting

18/01/07NO ISSUES for Live-Baiting in England or Wales!
There has been some discussion recently about the right to live-bait in England and Wales, given the potential ban in Scotland that comes before their Assembly for consideration on the 24th of January 2007.

SAA have raised our concerns with the Environment Agency that Scotland's potential move could lead to restrictions in the rest of the UK.

We have discussed this in depth with Adrian Taylor, Fisheries Policy & Process Manager at the Environment Agency, and are pleased to advise that they have given us an unequivocal assurance that they have NO restrictions either planned or considered to restrict the use of live-bait in England and Wales.

Furthermore, to answer the concerns of our predator group members we would like to elaborate on the individual points that have been raised with the EA, with their replies below;

1. "Could the proposed Secondary Legislation that is being used to enable sections of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review, be used to restrict live-baiting?"

"The EA already has the powers to bring in such bans if they were justified, but there are NO plans or thoughts to ban live-baiting. As far as EA head office is aware there are also no plans to look at any other local bans similar to the NW situation. In theory new secondary legislation could be used but the Animal Welfare Bill would have been the logical route for this-see point 3 below."

2. "If Scotland moves to a ban, surely England and Wales will follow?"

"Regarding the potential Scottish ban, geography and game fish heritage create an issue for the whole of Scotland, under the fish conservation ticket. The proposal has been driven by the translocation of unwanted species. The proposed ban is NOT based on taking a moral stance on live-baiting. It does not therefore set a precedent for the UK, and the EA have NO plans OR intention to ban or restrict live-baiting."

3. "Surely a ban is being considered "behind the scenes", it would be a logical extension of the NW ban?"

"If a ban on live-baiting had been sought on fish welfare grounds then the Animal Welfare Bill was the perfect opportunity. However fishing overall, and by definition that includes the use of live-bait, is specifically excluded from the Bill. The Act is now current legislation."

To sum up, the EA have no plans to either extend the existing local ban, or to introduce a national ban on live-baiting. SAA would urge all predator anglers to act in a responsible manner in future and abide by the PAC/SAA Codes of Practice with regard the movement of fish for live-baits. These must not in future be moved without Section 30's, which would ensure the EA do not have any reason to reconsider the matter. Individual anglers who flout the rules will place the right to live-bait at risk for all of us!

Chris Burt, SAA.

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The SAA (Specialist Anglers Alliance) has been defending livebaiting for around a decade. Its efforts have played a major part in helping ensure pike anglers may still lawfully use the method.

Membership costs £10 a year - enough bait for a day's fishing, petrol to get there or a round of drinks with your mates on the way home.

Not much to pay to protect the way you fish.

For more information on the SAA click here. You can even sign up to join straight away using Paypal.

Livebaiting is safe in England and Wales

Livebaiting is safe in England and Wales, the Pike Anglers Club can reveal tonight.

A senior Environment Agency policy chief has gone on record to state the agency will not be seeking either a blanket ban - like that proposed in Scotland - or further regional by-laws, such as the Cumbrian coarse bait ban.

PAC president Phil Wakeford said: "We are extremely pleased, however it will never go away completely. The eyes of the public and the authorities are now upon anglers and pike anglers in particular.

"We urge all predator anglers to stay within the law and follow our code of conduct."

Senior officials in the Environment Agency were lobbied on behalf of the PAC and other predator groups by the Specialist Anglers Alliance.

The SAA put our concerns to Adrian Taylor, the EA's fisheries policy manager.

SAA vice-president Chris Burt said: "We have discussed this in depth with Adrian Taylor and are pleased to advise that they have given us an unequivocal assurance that they have no restrictions being planned or considered to restrict the use of live-bait in England and Wales.

"Furthermore, to answer the concerns of our predator group members we would like to elaborate on the individual points that have been raised with the EA."

The PAC's biggest fear was that the proposed Secondary Legislation that being used to make sections of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review law could be used to ban livebaiting by the back door.

But at the meeting with the SAA, Mr Taylor said: "The EA already has the powers to bring in such bans if they were justified, but there are no plans or thoughts to ban live-baiting.

"As far as the EA head office is aware there are also no plans to look at any other local bans similar to the North-west situation. In theory new secondary legislation could be used but the Animal Welfare Bill would have been the logical route for this."

Many feared the blanket ban which looks almost certain to be imposed by the Scottish Parliament makes a similar ban inevitable in the remainder of the UK.

But Mr Taylor said: "Regarding the potential Scottish ban, geography and game fish heritage create an issue for the whole of Scotland, under the fish conservation ticket. The proposal has been driven by the translocation of unwanted species.

"The proposed ban is not based on taking a moral stance on live-baiting. It does not therefore set a precedent for the UK and the EA has no plans or intention to ban or restrict livebaiting."

Chris Burt said: "To sum up, the EA have no plans to either extend the existing
local ban, or to introduce a national ban on live-baiting.

"The SAA would urge all predator anglers to act in a responsible manner in future and abide by the PAC/SAA Code of Practice with regard to the movement of fish for bait."

SAA calls for trade to support fighting fund

The SAA and other specialist groups are calling on the angling trade to support a new fund which will be used to campaign for the sport.

Click here to read more on the SAA blog.