Not such a great year I’m afraid guys. Not a bad result on the Clwyd, but both the Conwy and the Seiont struggled. We did not get the conditions we had last year and the angler effort seems to reflect that. I will add some more detailed analysis later.
We thank you all for your continued support throughout another year and wish you all the very best for the coming year with the hope of many tight lines and continued anticipation of the days to come. We will continue to work towards gathering evidence of the damage being caused to our fisheries as a result of illegal fisheries activities, but can do little without your active and continuing. Remember if you see or suspect illegal fisheries activity report it on this site by clicking on the report an incident tab above, all information is helpful and contributes to the gathering of an overview of the level of illegal activity. If you actually witness poaching taking place call the 0800 80 70 60 number and report it but please remember to confirm your call on the report an incident tab. Please remember to click in the North or South Wales box, so the incident is reported to the right team. WE HAVE TO PERSIST AND KEEP PUSHING FOR BETTER ENFORCEMENT; IF WE DON’T WHO WILL?
Many of Europe’s freshwater fish and molluscs are now threatened species, a new EU study shows.
The European Commission called for urgent action to preserve the diversity of Europe’s wildlife. Pollution, overfishing, habitat loss and alien species are blamed for the decline in species.
The latest findings are based on a study of some 6,000 species for the European Red List – an assessment of threats to wildlife.
The list of Europe’s threatened species includes 44% of all freshwater molluscs, 37% of freshwater fish, 23% of amphibians, 19% of reptiles, 15% of mammals and dragonflies and 13% of birds.
The Commission says 467 plant species are also under threat, including wild varieties of crops such as sugar beet, wheat, oats and lettuce. Such species are “vital for food security yet are often neglected in terms of conservation,” the Commission says.
The Commission has urged the 27 EU member states to adopt sustainable farming and forestry methods to halt biodiversity loss.
Nature’s ‘goods and services’”The well-being of people in Europe and all over the world depends on goods and services that nature provides,” said EU Environment Janez Potocnik. “If we don’t address the reasons behind this decline and act urgently to stop it, we could pay a very heavy price indeed.”
There are some notable successes however for wildlife conservation in Europe.
The EU’s Natura 2000 conservation network of protected wildlife areas aims to give endangered species a better chance of survival. Corsica’s Centranthus trinervis plant and the land snails on Madeira are showing signs of recovery, the Commission says.
A biodiversity expert at the environmental group Friends of the Earth, Paul de Zylva, says the thriving otter population in the UK is also a success story – a sign that the healthy fish they prey on are abundant in once-polluted rivers.
But many of Europe’s water species are suffering, often because their natural habitat is disappearing, he told BBC News.
“Our water resources are a symbol of whether we are getting environmental policies right,” he said.
Threat from aliensInvasive species from other parts of the world often spread through Europe’s rivers, he said. Among them are Chinese mitten crabs, Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed. Rivers disperse plant seeds across borders – one reason why co-ordinated European action is necessary, he said.
It is vital for the EU to provide the right financial incentives for farmers to boost nature conservation when a revised Common Agricultural Policy takes effect after 2013, he said.
The Natura 2000 network was expanded this month, taking in an additional 18,800 sq km (7,259 sq miles) – most of that being marine areas.
The UK has added some biodiversity hotspots in the Atlantic, including reefs off Rockall Island.
In the Mediterranean, marine habitats of endangered turtles and monk seals have also been added to the list of more than 26,000 European conservation sites.
Here at the campaign team, we are delighted to announce, the continuation of the Season Extension Trials for the Rivers Clwyd, Conwy and Seiont for 2011.
Anglers may ONLY apply for an authorisation by registering on this website or by supplying their name, address and license number via the contact point for each river (as described on the registration page) to register on their behalf and by the appropriate closing date.
Members of the Dolgarrog Angling club found and reported to the Environment Agency an illegal net set across the the river by poachers. Having sought more details and clarification of wheat happened, I received the following reply from a prominent and reliable member of THE CONWY VALLEY FISHERIES & CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION.
” You asked about the net at Dolgarrog unfortunately this was removed although
I think they reported it only to be told there would be a follow up within
48 hours – so they removed and destroyed the net as waiting for an EA
bailiff who turns up two days later is not a lot of use. ”
We believe a second net has since been discovered.
It is because of these incidents, and this is not an isolated example, that we are asking all anglers to use Campaign “REPORT AND INCIDENT” tab to report and record all such incidents. We know that many have lost faith in the 0800 80 70 60 number, but we ask you please still to use it and then go to the Campaign web site and confirm your report. That way, we as well as the Environment Agency get a copy and we are able to build a case for better enforcement. It is up to us to prove the case by recording incidents. You can also report “suspected” illegal activity, or warn of pending illegal activity if you hear about it. Every piece of information, no matter how small, helps. Great oaks etc…
POACHING salmon in the River Conwy is rife, according to local anglers, and could be losing the economy thousands of pounds every year.
A number of people contacted the Weekly News following last week’s story on how Conwy mussel man Geoffrey Hughes had his fishing nets stolen.
The nets, worth around £1,000, have never been recovered.
One local fishermen, who did not want to give his name, said: “I believe Geoffrey’s nets have been cut to size and are being used in Dolgarrog, as it’s the most narrow part of the river to illegally net salmon.
“A lot of these people who are doing this are jobless, and they sell the fish to hotels for cash in hand.
“It goes on at night, and the water bailiffs who are supposed to be protecting the river never seem to catch anyone.
“They are causing so much damage.”
Allan Cuthbert, founder of the Campaign for the Protection of Welsh Fisheries, commented: “Now is the time that poachers start using these stolen nets to illegally steal salmon and sea trout from our rivers.
“Both these fish species provide a massive contribution to the Welsh economy, especially the rural areas, and they are also registered as endangered, yet Environment Agency Wales has insufficient funds to provide adequate protection from illegal activity, despite being obliged to do so under EU regulations.
“There’s an awful lot of apathy in Wales, and it’s a crying shame as Scotland is making millions out of salmon fishing, and we should be doing the same here.
“I understand there are only six water bailiffs in the whole of North Wales policing the hundreds of miles of rivers, and they work in pairs so effectively there’s only three.
“Fish numbers are going down horrendously, there should be a call to arms before it’s too late.”
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “We investigate all reports of illegal fishing and carry out regular patrols in the area.
“We use the information we receive to target our enforcement activities.
“Illegal fishing damages salmon and sea trout stocks, impacts on local fishermen and harms the local economy.
“We also warn hotels and other fish retail outlets that buying salmon and sea trout from an unknown source is illegal.
“Only fish with official Environment Agency tags, caught by licensed netsmen, can be bought and sold.
“If any hotelier receives fish from an illegal source they can be prosecuted.
“If anyone sees any illegal fishing or witnesses the sale of untagged fish they should call 0800 80 70 60.”
As you can see from the article below, copied with gratitude from the North Wales Weekly News today (7th July), 1200 yards of nets have been stolen from a boat in Conwy. Apparently this is not unusual at this time of year as the poachers need nets to get on with their illegal netting of our rivers. In view of the quantity of nets stolen, please keep a watchful eye for illegal nets across your river or estuary.
Please, if you do spot an illegal net, LEAVE IT ALONE: DO NOT REMOVE IT OR MAKE IT KNOWN TAT YOU HAVE SPOTTED IT. Walk away, note the exact location of the net and call 0800 80 70 60 immediately, tell them what you have found and exactly where and request immediate action. DO NOT GO BACK TO WATCH THE NET YOURSELF. When calling ask for an incident number and also ask that they feed back to you exactly what happened.
Yes, leaving the net in place may result in the loss of a few extra fish, but leaving it means that the EA can watch it and then apprehend the poachers, and that will save a lot more fish in the long run.
Please also go to the report an incident tab on the Campaign web site and report the incident again. That way we have a record and we can build up a picture of the amount of poaching going on. Without this information our hands are tied: we can hardly call for more funding for enforcement if the records don’t show the extent of the problem.
The Angling Trust, has launched a new web site for anglers to record sightings of cormorants, goosanders and mergansers throughout the UK: www.cormorantwatch.org The new site is easy to use and will gather vital data to help persuade government of the need for action to protect fisheries.
The Angling Trust succeeded in persuading the Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon to carry out a review of the licensing procedures and he has stated that he is prepared to take “bold decisions”. As part of this review, the Trust needs data on the abundance of cormorants to convince the government to take decisive action.
Anglers can record sightings and activity of cormorants anywhere in the UK, directly onto a Google Maps driven micro-site at www.cormorantwatch.org Users will also be able to scroll around the map and zoom in to view details of each recorded cormorant sighting and watch the real picture of cormorant predation in UK waters build up week by week.
The Trust’s aim is to persuade DEFRA to simplify licensing procedures and allow greater controls on cormorant numbers. It is hoped that this data will also be factored into a wider pan European study on cormorants.
Angling Trust Chief executive Mark Lloyd commented “This is a moment when anglers need to stand up and be counted. If people don’t record sightings of cormorants and other fish eating birds on this site, then the politicians and civil servants will not have the information they need to make decisions which could affect the future of fishing for the next generation. It takes less than a minute to record a sighting. All anglers who see one of these birds in the next few months must make the effort to visit cormorantwatch.org and put a pin in the map, whether they are a member of the Angling Trust or not.”
Please find attached below the EA Fish Stocks Summary documents for North Wales. They provide a summary overiew of the estimated fish stocks for each catchment in North Wales. The documents provide an important insight in terms of how the Environment Agency assess, make decisions and plan for the future of our fisheries.
As always we welcome your comments, and if you would like us to convey any thoughts/questions to the EA please let us know. Please email: admin@cpwf.co.uk
NIGEL MILNER SHOWING DYFED JONES HOW TO READ THE SCALES FROM A SEA TROUT DYFED HAD CAUGHT THE PREVIOUS SEASON
The day was organised by the North Wales Environment Agency’s Fisheries Technical Team in partnership with Welsh Water. The stated objective of the day, was to focus on “fishing in sustainable habitats as a theme and promoting fish species, sustainable fishing and fisheries in the future”. The day was open to all comers and included presentation from the EA and their partners, stands which members of the fisheries team promoted with enthusiasm together with stands by RSPB and the Country side Council for Wales. There were also presentations on pike and grayling fishing as well as river habitat work and how it impacts on our fisheries. Part of the lake was also netted off and stocked with trout to allow juniors to try their hands at fly fishing, albeit that a few more senior members of the angling fraternity felt obliged to try their hands!
The event was far less formal than last year’s “invitation only” gathering, which was both well attended and structured. Clearly a great deal of effort and genuine enthusiasm was put into this year’s day, for which thanks are due to the organisers, most of whom were also participants. It was especially pleasing to be able to look at the scales of sea trout I had caught the previous season, thanks to Nigel Milner, of the Celtic Sea Trout Initiative, who provided the microscopes as well as instruction as to how to “read” the scales. (Please remember to support this initiative throughout the coming season.) The stands were interesting and informative as well as educational, especially the enforcement team, who were exceedingly keen to show off some of their covert intelligence gathering gear. The optimism of all participants could not however detract from the underlying pessimism as a consequence of the current financial turmoil. Sad but there you go. I am lead to believe that the exceedingly poor attendance was as a consequence of lack of publicity; publicity being restricted because of the proximity of the event to the Welsh elections and the potential for such advertising to impact on the election. I have no idea of the logic involved but it does seem so obtuse as to be correct!
It is worth remembering that this event is part of the Local Fishery Advisory Group calendar, and as such is very much involved in the process of the great and the good of the angling community and the Environment Agency working together to increase angler awareness, education and participation. A laudable aim if ever there was.
Lets us hope that this event will become an annual event and that next year there is a combination of the structure of the previous event with the breadth of this year. It would be nice to have a more formal morning session, with a fixed programme of presentations followed by an afternoon free to wander amongst the stands and chat with the fisheries staff and management. My plea would be for wider advertising as well as formal invitations, with a request that those wishing to attend confirm their proposed attendance so that a reasonable assessment of numbers can be made. I am sure that angling related web sites as well as the many forums would be please to assist in the process and that may feel the angling community even more involved.
I hope this item does not sound over critical: that is not the intention; it is however related in the hope that the event will continue and become an annual get together to which the angling community will look forward with anticipation.
Thank you to all those that worked so hard to make the day a success and here’s to seeing you again next year.
The following item has been forwarded by Wynne Griffiths, the secretary of Ogmore Angling Association, and provides a graphic example of why the EAW needs more funding. The Campaign’s sole objective it, by all means possible, to try to ensure adequate protection of our fisheries, which means, among other things, having a sufficiently funded enforcement agency who have the legal powers to apprehend offenders.
Please use the report and incident tab to record all such illegal activity and provide useful information of suspected illegal activity: that way we have a chance of proving the need for higher levels of enforcement. IF YOU DO NOT REPORT THESE INCIDENTS AND RECORD THEM VIA THE CAMPAIGN WEB SITE, WE CAN NOT BUILD A CASE.
SAFFA OF SUFFER?
The Environment Agency has a statutory obligation to maintain, improve and develop fisheries. Fisheries enforcement is a vital aspect of this. As such, in their review of fisheries enforcement in 2007 the Environment Agency stated ‘We want protected fisheries and satisfied customers confident in our actions’.
Not only is it clear that the above statement is not being achieved but it is clear that the Environment agency is failing in its statutory duty to protect our fisheries which is a requirement under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act (1975) (SAFFA).
On the evening of Sunday 8th May members of the Ogmore Angling Association whilst fishing disturbed four poachers netting a notable pool on the river Ogmore during an incoming tide. Such a high impact incident should have been given the highest importance by the Agency, yet not only did they fail to respond but they failed to contact those members during and after that event.
This incident is not unremarkable. This is in fact the third consecutive high impact incident on this river which has failed to attract a response from the Agency. In fact it would have been more far more surprising had the Agency attended given the number of enforcement officers who are available outside of office hours.
The Agency’s senior management must now ‘come clean’ and acknowledge that they cannot possibly carry out their statutory duty to protect our fisheries with their current resources. In the meantime our fisheries, fish and fishermen will continue to suffer.
Next: please confirm the details of the call via this web site. (see directly below)
Report An Incident
Here at our anonymous online reporting facility. It links directly to the Environment Agency's internal reporting systems.:
Please tell us about absolutely anything you may have seen, it's ALL important to us.
River Levels
Click the buttons below to view the various river water levels information:
Welsh River Levels:
English River Levels:
Baliff Poll
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Environment Agency Release Briefing Note On Tackling Illegal Activity
Hywel Morgan Joins The Campaign
Mick ‘Pikey’ Brown Backs The Campaign 
Leon Roskilly Joins The Campaign
Steve Pettit Joins The Campaign 
Campaign Press Coverage
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