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Try fishing for free at Bells Mill Fishery in Stourbridge

20/6/2018

Bells Mill Fishery in Stourbridge is ‘angling’ for budding fishermen to try the sport out for free as part of World Fishing Day this weekend. This Saturday (June 23) marks the first-ever World Fishing Day and the Angling Trust are holding a network of 30

free events around the UK for people to try out the sport for the first time.

The events will be run by Get Fishing, national angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing and the Canal & River Trust who have joined forces to support World Fishing Day, which is being organised by Fishing TV.

For more details on the event at Bells Fishery, go online at http://www.getfishing.org.uk/events/family-fishing-world-fishing-day-bells-mill-fishery/

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Environment Agency Enforcement Officers Catch Unlicensed Anglers

13/6/2018

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Environment Agency Enforcement Officers caught five unlicensed anglers trying to steal fish to eat from the Shropshire Union Canal at Telford, in Shropshire.

They found the anglers carrying out ten offences in total, and prosecutions are expected in court by the end of the year. EA byelaws allow up to 15 small fish of up to 20cm to be taken, but these had far more dead fish with them.

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What the River Close Season EA review evidence says

12/6/2018

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The Environment Agency have published their long-awaited Close Season review in May 2018.

Anglers have long debated the river fishing Close Season, which means that fishing on

rivers for coarse species is banned between March 15 and June 15 inclusive.

The latest review of evidence by the EA was comprehensive, but very few anglers are really aware what it looked at and what it concluded.
Below is a summary of the key areas of the Close Season review’s findings. The project will later this year move along in the form of a ‘poll’ of 20,000 rod licence holders.
After that, the EA will decide whether further review and move for change via Government is the way forward.
If you would like more information on any of the six categories below, click the header link to download the official pdf files.

1. Literature review of evidence around the Close Season
The review concludes that as far as the direct and indirect impacts of angling practices on coarse fish is concerned there are still many evidence gaps, and in particular, information is lacking on angling mortality and exploitation rates of specific UK coarse fish.
But even with the best intentions, good fish handling skills, and 100 per cent catch and release, there will always be a residual mortality cost associated with angling, and to some unknown extent this would be intrinsically increased with any extension of the open season.

2. Summary of coarse fish spawning times
While coarse fish species in England do not all spawn between 15 March and 15 June, the statutory Close Season covers the majority of spawning activity by the majority of species.
Pike, grayling, dace and perch can spawn earlier than 15 March, and most cyprinids, other than dace, can spawn later than 15 June.
Hence, some spawning fish are already vulnerable to angling disturbance and potentially to angling-related stress and/or mortality.
While there have been no studies that have examined whether this is impacting on stocks, the review is not aware of any reports of detriment to stocks.

3. Coarse fish Close Seasons in other European countries
Different European countries have different Close Season arrangements and most countries have a coarse fish close season, albeit dates and species covered are different from those in England.
Notable exceptions include Belgium, which only has a Close Season on protected waters; and Ireland where there is no Close Season but restrictions on coarse fish removal.
The review is not aware of any studies or evidence of potential impacts on coarse fish stocks or fisheries in countries with no close season or lesser close season regulation than England

4. Assessment of risks of fishing during the current Close Season
The study asked a number of leading lights in the angling world to give an assessment of risk to fish by abolition of the close season.
The most sensitive species to Close Season fishing/disturbance are perceived to be barbel chub, grayling, dace and pike with the least sensitive roach, perch and bream.
The highest perceived risks were increased mortality and reduced spawning success due to catching and handling spawning fish, and disturbance of spawning aggregations, although the last of these was skewed towards certain species, including dace and barbel.
The potential impacts were generally considered to be greater in smaller rivers/upper reaches, where populations of the species of concern are present, e.g. the impacts on barbel spawning aggregations in smaller rivers/middle reaches.

5. Review of potential studies to improve Close Season evidence base
The study group examined a range of proposed field-based and other projects that could improve understanding of the risks around the close season, including those previously outlined by in a 2004 study carried out on behalf of the EA by environmental consultants, APEM.
The group concluded as in 2004 that there were no viable options and to give any degree of scientific certainty, the requisite studies are likely to be prohibitively expensive; extend over several/many years; and/or may only shed light on the risks to one or several species or river types.

6. History of the coarse fish Close Season in England
The review traces the origins of the original introduction of the current Close Season back to the Freshwater Fisheries Act (Mundella Act) of 1878, changes in legislation through the years, previous reviews and the build up to the current review.

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Take A Friend Fishing campaign runs from Saturday 16th June to Sunday 1st July 2018

12/6/2018

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“Take A Friend Fishing” (TAFF) is a campaign where UK anglers are being encouraged to take a person who they feel would benefit from a day’s fishing. Remember when a friend or family member took you fishing when you were young or just starting out?

We bet everyone has experienced a memorable session or two like that – sharing the bank with someone else is always more fun! – And with the Take A Friend Fishing campaign, there is the chance to take someone for FREE. If you make their day an enjoyable one, you should have another person to go fishing with for life and better still, allow your friends to see the enjoyment you get from Britain’s largest outdoor participated pastime.

Click on the following link for the Take A friend Fishing website it get you free voucher:
TAKE A FRIEND FISHING

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79,000 NEW YOUNG ANGLERS get into fishing

10/6/2018

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The future of fishing looks brighter than ever after 79,000 youngsters took up the sport for the first time.

In a report issued by the Environment Agency it was

announced that there was a 53 per cent rise in junior rod licences supplied this year since the law on junior licensing was amended.

For the 2016/2017 season the age bracket for free junior licences changed from 12-16 to 13-16... meaning that those under the age of 13 don’t need a licence.

Statistics for that season revealed a 25.7 per cent rise in juniors signing up to the sport – an encouraging sign that the numbers could rise even further over the course of 2018.

Kevin Austin, head of fisheries at the Environment Agency, said

“Children today have a wealth of technology at their fingertips, and coupled with the costs parents face, it’s easy to see why fewer children are enjoying outdoor activities.
With this in mind, we’re really pleased to see that a growing number of young people are now taking up the offer of a free junior licence – helping them to enjoy the great outdoors and this great sport of ours. Today’s children are the anglers of tomorrow and it’s important we attract them to the sport early.”

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Tragic death of ace lure angler

1/6/2018

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After raising funds for a young angler who drowned in a canal, Lukasz Lesniacki tragically died while sea fishing.

Lukasz, who ran the Birmingham-based UK-Lures firm, helped to organise a charity lure match on the Coventry Canal in support of pregnant Jamie Fairbrother, after her partner, Liam, drowned

following an epileptic fit while fishing his local Tamworth Canal.

Last weekend the Royal National Lifeboat Institute were called to Llandudno’s Great Orme headland, in North Wales, where Lukasz had fallen into the sea.

They discovered Lukasz and a second man, who had tried to help him, and quickly returned them to the shore, where they were airlifted to hospital, but North Wales Police confirmed that Lukasz sadly died after arrival. Originally from Poland, Lukasz and his wife Magda had a three-month-old boy.

The future of the UK-Lures business is uncertain, with the shop in Birmingham closing last week.

Nick Fecher, from the RNLI community safety team, said: “Our thoughts and sympathy are with the man’s family and friends. “Our advice for anglers fishing from rocks is to always wear a lifejacket and carry a means of calling for help, such as a portable VHF radio.”

The figures from the National Water Safety Forum show that ten people drowned while angling in 2017, seven in the sea and three in inland waters.

Jamie Fairbrother, now living in Matlock, Derbyshire, said: “Lukasz was a lovely man. He and Paul Bosworth helped arrange a Midlands lure bash in March, raising an outstanding amount of money. RIP Lukasz Lesniacki".

The lure fishing ace and family man tragically died during a fishing trip. A fundraising page has been set up at www.gofundme.com/fp28k-help-for-family-after-tragic-death

“I strongly believe that all fishermen should wear lifejackets. If Liam had been wearing one it would have probably saved his life, as no one was there to help him,” she added.

Anglers from all over the world have posted catch pictures on the Facebook memorial page, Catch a Fish for Liam, helping to raise awareness about epilepsy.

Lukasz was a lovely man.

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Try fishing for free at Bells Mill Fishery in Stourbridge

Environment Agency Enforcement Officers Catch Unlicensed Anglers

What the River Close Season EA review evidence says

Take A Friend Fishing campaign runs from Saturday 16th June to Sunday 1st July 2018

79,000 NEW YOUNG ANGLERS get into fishing

Tragic death of ace lure angler

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