Angling News - Blackcountryfishing

MORTIMER & WHITEHOUSE: GONE FISHING TO RETURN FOR THIRD SERIES

25/11/2019

Filming has started for a brand new series of the countries much-loved and critically acclaimed angling show – Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.

The announcement was made by the BBC after the show’s second series charmed the nation over the summer, boasting viewing figures in excess of a staggering 2.2 million.

The format for the new series is set to stay the same with the comedy duo exploring venues across the UK and possibly abroad.

Each episode focuses on a particular species, with Paul using his extensive angling knowledge to be Bob’s fishing guide, whilst Bob hunts out unique places to stay and prepares some ‘heart-healthy’ food.

Paul said: “It was a surprise to be honest as following the feedback from the second series, the BBC were quickly on to us to begin the third – so it was a very quick turnaround.

Paul said: “It was a surprise to be honest as following the feedback from the second series, the BBC were quickly on to us to begin the third – so it was a very quick turnaround.

“Filming has started and this series we plan to showcase fishing through all four seasons.”

Paul and Bob will be looking to build on the universally positive reviews the shows second season received, whilst recognising this support, Paul was also keen to bring a new element to the show, as he explained:

“We really want to bring anglers together and highlight just a few of the issues that affect our sport, whilst still in keeping with the feel good factor of the show.

“I think that the angling community will be in a much stronger place if we can show a unified front on conservation issues and we have the audience to highlight some of those.”

So what can viewers expect in season three?

“There will be all the usual antics, laughs and tears. At the end of the day we are the fishing show for people who don’t go fishing.

“Bob likes to use a float and hopefully we can capture that magic of watching one, whilst probably behaving like a couple of kids”, Paul said.

Angling Trust and Fish Legal AGM and Building a Brighter Future Angling Conference Saturday 30th November 2019

25/11/2019

The Angling Trust is holding a Building A Brighter Future Angling Conference to help tackle the issue of falling numbers in angling.

The free-entry event follows their AGM on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at West Midlands Golf Club, near Solihull. Trust head of marketing Richard Morley said: "Conference highlights include a first address by incoming CEO Jamie Cook. And we'll hear from Adam Brown, from research company Substance, on the latest National Angling Strategy, launched earlier this year by the Environment Agency, on the way to grow our sport.

"Our guest speaker Amy Crow, participation manager at British Triathlon, will present some great insights on how another sport has seized the opportunity to grow membership and wider participation in their sport:'

The AGM, for members only, starts at 10.00am, before the conference at 11.30am until 4.00pm.

Key information:

Date – Saturday 30th November 2019

Venue – West Midlands Golf Club, The Lake at Barston, Marsh House Farm Lane, Barston, Solihull B92 0LB

Time – 10:00 am (members), 11:30 am (non members) until 4:00 pm

This event is free to attend. They have limited spaces, so book early to avoid disappointment!

You can book places online at www. anglingtrust.net

Source: Angling Trust

Angling Patrol Groups Disputes Over Powers

20/11/2019

Established and operating well as a team - a few members of the Midlands Voluntary Bailiff Service, Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officers and Police.

A War of words has broken out between two rival fishery patrol groups over what powers they have. As we exclusively revealed two weeks ago. Fishery Watch has been created by Adrian Lane to combat fishery crimes across the UK, despite Angling Trust's Voluntary Bailiff Service

already being well established. Dilip Sarkar, national enforcement manager for VBS, originally welcomed extra help, but things have quickly turned sour with a disagreement over what powers a voluntary bailiff has when it comes to holding suspects for fishery offences, such as stealing fish.

Worcestershire-based Dilip explained: "The Environment Agency has told Mr Lane that the advice he is giving about Schedule 1 Theft Act offences and powers of citizen's arrest is wrong. Despite this, he still believes he is right, but he is not. "Schedule 1 offences, including fishing without permission (Taking & Destroying Fish) are summarily triable, and there is no power of citizen's arrest for summary offences, "Theft Sections 1-7 Theft Act 1968, is indictable, and there is a power of citizen's arrest for such offences, but that does not apply to Schedule 1, in any case.

Crown Prosecution Service advice is that citizen's arrests should be avoided and best left to the Police. "They should only be made in 'serious cases' when no constable is available. The legal debate in court, therefore, would be over what constitutes 'serious: "I would suggest that a court is highly unlikely to consider theft of a fish sufficiently serious to justify the extreme step of a citizen's arrest, "The CPS also advises caution because if the individual gets it wrong, they could be liable for assault and/or other litigation. "We cover all of this in Fisheries Enforcement workshops, but Adrian is adamant that he is in the right, believing that his force can hold suspects? Dilip concluded.

But Gloucestershire-based Adrian is adamant that he is in the right and that his group, which is launching in January, can hold suspects.

Adrian a former VBS area co-ordinator, said: "The Trust has started a 'smear campaign' against myself and Fishery Watch for stating that people have the right to perform a citizen's arrest on people caught stealing fish, "They say that it is no longer covered, as they say that it is not an indictable offence, which we know to be incorrect. "It is actually in their own guidelines, dated June 2019. I have also double-checked that this is correct, and it has been checked by Ask the Police." Adrian added.

Voluntary bailiffing facts revealed

The Angling Trust has just revealed some interesting facts about the levels of its vital bailiffing work. Details emerged at the inaugural Voluntary Bailiff Service area co-ordinators' conference, in Worcester, in partnership with West Mercia and Gloucestershire Police and the Environment Agency.

The Trust is funded by the EA to train and deploy 500 voluntary bailiffs around England, Dilip explained: "I prepared statistics covering the work done by the VBS for the past three and-a-half years, and these figures are impressive, by any standards.

Our bailiffs have been on the bank for 85.369 hours, undertaken 333 patrols with the EA and 232 patrols with the Police. "We've sent 810 fishery reports to the EA. 441 reports to the Police and 211 other reports covering waste and pollution, "And there have been 500 intelligence logs shared with the EA and the Police:"

Source: Anglers Mail

NEW BAILIFFING ORGANISATION FISHERY WATCH

19/11/2019

New Bailiffing Organisation Fishery Watch

A new organisation aiming to form a nationwide network of voluntary bailiffs has been inundated with enquiries during its first week. With an objective to fight fishery crime, Fishery Watch has been started

by Adrian Lane, who until recently was the Gloucestershire region's co-ordinator for the Voluntary Bailiff Service, run by the Angling Trust. The VBS already has over 500 bailiffs across the country, and is actively expanding, which begs the question: is there room for two organisations? Adrian thinks so.

He explained: "We have already managed to appoint area coordinators in Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, North Somerset, Suffolk, Dorset, Worcestershire, Essex and Norfolk, and it is growing fast, with enquiries every day.”We will be going about things with a more hands-on approach, allowing trained water bailiffs to patrol in plain clothes. "We will assist clubs and fisheries that are having issues with fishery crime and, unlike the VBS, our groups will also be able to patrol at night, which is when a lot of fishery crime happens and goes unnoticed.

Our motto is 'Anglers Protecting Angling: as that is exactly what we are doing. There are certain powers under Schedule 1 of the Theft Act 1968 that empower citizens to detain an offender until Police arrive, and we will use those powers in a proper and legal manner when necessary, and when it is safe to do so. "We will not be insisting that bailiffs use the power that the Theft Act allows. It all depends on whether they feel safe and competent to do so, and also whether the situation is serious enough to require action.

“It is growing fast, with enquiries every day.” Adrian Lane

"Training will be done online to start with, using the latest software, and we will develop a course and exam for our water bailiffs. “We will also be monitoring the state of local rivers and canals, and if necessary we will arrange work parties to remove litter and improve the environment.

"The organisation will be run by a management committee, all of them volunteers, as nobody will take a salary. We do not ask for membership fees, and we will be looking to the angling trade for sponsorship, to cover basic running costs, such as insurance and stationery, which should be very little when compared to the massive costs that some organisations have to cover. "Everything we do will be in a safe and legal manner. We want to be seen as a friendly service to angling, one that will help anglers, clubs and fisheries to preserve the future of our great sport.

"We intend to officially launch the scheme on Monday 6th January 2019, but our water bailiffs will be out on the banks beforehand, letting anglers know all about the service and getting fisheries on board. We will help any angling organisation that needs us, provided we have a team in the area. "We currently have voluntary positions available for water bailiffs and area co-ordinators nationwide. It is all voluntary, and you will have no commitment to how many hours you put in.

You will be trained and valued as a volunteer, so come and join us," Adrian requested. Dilip Sarkar, national enforcement manager of the Fisheries Enforcement Support Service, commented: "We at the Angling Trust welcome any initiative that is joining the fight against fishery crime and helping to protect fish and fisheries. Further information can be obtained from Adrian Lane, by calling him on 07704 931159, emailing [email protected] or by visiting www.fisherywatch.co.uk

Source: Anglers Mail

BAA subscriptions frozen again for 2020

18/11/2019

BAA subscriptions frozen again

As a result of continuing healthy finances, the BAA is pleased to be able to hold membership rates for 2020, unchanged since 2015.

2020 membership covers the period 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020,
irrespective of when you buy it, so go on don't wait until the middle of 2020, buy it now and get a full years access to our waters.

If you buy it before the end of 2019, you can also use it during the remainder of this year.

A car sticker will also be included with your membership card.

Full Membership
(Adult Male / Female of 17 years and under 65 years) £40.00

Senior Membership
(Adult Male / Female of 65 years or more) £30.00

Junior Membership
(Child of 10 years and under 17 years) £15.00

Family Membership
(Husband, Wife or partner, two children under 17 years)* £80.00

Infant Membership
(Child under 10 years) £2.00

Non-Fishing Membership
(Male / Female of any age, allowed to be present at Association waters but not allowed to fish)** £5.00

To get your memebrship go to https://www.baa.uk.com

Source: BAA

Legend’s daughter Lisa Wilson praises Fisheries Enforcement Workshops for ‘protecting fish and fisheries’

12/11/2019

Eastern Regional Enforcement Manager Paul Thomas (left) and Mark Owen, Head of Freshwater, with Lisa Wilson at the Eastern Fisheries Enforcement Workshop

The Angling Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service has recently completed its annual round of Fisheries Enforcement Workshops held in all six regions of England.
Funded by fishing licence income and organised as part of the National Angling Strategic Services contract with the Environment Agency, 617 anglers have

now benefitited from these important days since they began in 2015

A star guest at this year's Eastern workshop was Lisa Wilson, daughter of the late, great John Wilson MBE.

Lisa Wilson said: “John had a thirst to learn about everything he did. He loved to pass on knowledge and was passionate about educating as many people as possible about fishing. These workshops are vital in making more people aware of the law around fisheries enforcement and ensure that we all can play a role in protecting fish and fisheries for the future."

Workshop training is provided free of charge by policing and enforcement professionals and is aimed at upskilling the angling community and is especially helpful to clubs and fisheries. Sessions included help to ensure that fisheries can be safely, effectively and efficiently protected by fishery bailiffs working in partnership with the Environment Agency and police. The workshops also provide a great opportunity for anglers to engage with Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers and local Police Rural & Wildlife Crime Officers.

Angling Trust’s National Enforcement Manager Dilip Sarkar MBE said: “These workshops are essential and a key part of our overall strategy. The days are always well-received – as the unanimously positive feedback confirms. Our regions are huge, so locations never suit everyone, hence why we move the venues around every year. Were it up to me, I would make attendance mandatory before issuing a rod licence – it really is that important.”

Source: Angling Trust

THE TOOL MATCH ORGANISERS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 'HOT FISHIN'

7/11/2019

Hot Fishin' is a free online tool that lets club and fishery match organisers set up, promote and fill their competitions easily. It calculates net weights, scores matches and allows results to be shared online at the touch of a button.
The brainchild of match organiser John Wilkes and his angling-obsessed family, the tool is designed to reduce the amount of time and effort

it takes to plan, organise, promote and share results of matches. John has always thought match organisers have been missing a trick by not using the results of matches as a way of promoting the club or fishery as well as upcoming events. Currently very few organisers promote matches beyond the regulars (quite often via Facebook posts showing a photo of the top three anglers hastily written on a piece of wet paper!).

The Hot Fishin app elevates the sharing of match results to professionally-presented, automatically-calculated tables that are available for all to see online. But it is also a tool that can then be used to promote clubs, fisheries and matches to a wider much wider audience in a new and informative way.

By embracing this new modem approach to match fishing it will certainly help to entice more young people into the sport, something the industry is pushing harder than ever before. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through digital content and social media and Hot Fishin does this perfectly. Easier to use than Facebook and free to access, it's clear to see how this will appeal to a younger, more tech-savvy audience.

Built and developed alongside existing match organisers and anglers, it has been tried and tested to ensure maximum efficiency. Included in the development process was Paul Turner at the Wolverhampton Angling Association, who played a pivotal role in producing features that make the tool more useful for organisers, especially those on the canal circuit. Barbara lkin at Partridge Lakes was also crucial in making the product rich with features for big commercial matches and is already sharing results on the Partridge Lakes Facebook page.

For more info, examples of the app in action or to book a live demo at your club please visit: WWW.HOTFISHIN.COM or call 01902 252004
Source: Anglers Mail

RIVERFEST FINAL POSTPONED

5/11/2019

Floods hit Shrewsbury town as the Severn reached its highest levels since 2014, according to extra-busy Environment Agency staff.

The Angling Trust RiverFest Final has been postponed for the first time in the event's seven-year history, with the River Severn at Shrewsbury deemed unsafe due to sustained high water levels.

Event creator Dave Harrell and Shrewsbury Town Fisheries co-ordinator Andy Jones took the decision to postpone the big money event, issuing the news via the Angling Trust's website on
Tuesday, October 29.

Refunds had already been issued for RiverFest 2019's last scheduled qualifying heat, also set to be fished at Shrewsbury, after a second cancellation due to high levels.

Dave Harrell's postponement statement, which was well received by the vast majority of online respondents, said: "At 9am today, the level of the river at the Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury, was 3.37 m. Frankwell car park is still underwater, and there is no way that the river will be right for this weekend.

"After lengthy discussions with Shrewsbury Town Fisheries co-ordinator Andy Jones, we have decided to postpone this weekend's Final now, to give finalists plenty of notice for cancelling hotels etc. "There is light rain forecast for later this week until next Tuesday and thereafter a dry spell is promised. We all live in hope! "Once the river drops, all the pegs will need to be looked at for safety reasons and also to ensure that they can be fished after such a high flood, which may have caused damage and created obstacles.

“Realistically, we need a river level of 1.2 m or less for a good Final. It is possible that it may be able to go ahead on Nov 9/10, but feel it will more likely be Nov 16/17 or 23/24.

Source: Anglers Mail

2020 Fish ‘O’ Mania Qualifier tickets to go on sale on Tuesday 5th November

4/11/2019

Matchroom Multi Sport and the Angling Trust are pleased to announce the dates for the 2020 Fish ‘O’ Mania Qualifiers, with tickets to go on sale on Tuesday 5th November.

The winner of the Fish ‘O’ Mania Grand Final will net a cool £50,000, with the runner-up taking home £10,000. For the first time, a section prize will be introduced. The angler with the highest total weight from the sections which do not produce the winner and runner-up will receive £2,500.

The Fish 'O' Mania Grand Final will be held at Hayfield Lakes, Doncaster on Saturday 11th July. There will be 18 UK qualifying matches, with defending champion Andy Bennett and Ladies National Champion Abbi Kendall already qualified. There will be four international qualifying matches, details of which will be announced shortly.

Tickets for all 18 qualifiers will be available from 10am on Tuesday 5th November HERE. The winners of all 18 UK qualifiers will receive £250 and a place in the 2020 Fish ‘O’ Mania Grand Final.

Matchroom Multi Sport and the Angling Trust are committed to making Fish ‘O ’Mania as accessible as possible. This year 11 qualifying matches will be wheelchair accessible, up from six in 2019. These venues, denoted below with an asterisk, will have dedicated drawing procedures to ensure that an angler fishing from a wheelchair can access as many pegs as possible.

2020 Fish ‘O’ Mania Qualifiers

Saturday 14th March – Tunnel Barn Farm, 150 pegs*
Wednesday 18th March – Viaduct Fishery, 100 pegs
Saturday 21st March – Decoy Lakes, 120 pegs*
Saturday 28th March – Heronbrook Fisheries, 110 pegs*
Saturday 4th April – Viaduct Fishery, 120 pegs
Wednesday 15th April – Tunnel Barn Farm, 100 pegs*
Saturday 18th April – Partridge Lakes, 150 pegs*
Wednesday 29th April – Moorlands Farm, 100 pegs
Saturday 2nd May – Monk Lakes, 100 pegs
Wednesday 13th May – Lindholme Lakes, 100 pegs*
Saturday 16th May – Larford Lakes, 120 pegs
Wednesday 20th May – Gold Valley Lakes, 100 pegs*
Saturday 23rd May – Lindholme Lakes, 130 pegs*
Saturday 30th May – Weston Pools, 100 pegs
Saturday 13th June – Woodland Lakes, 100 pegs*
Wednesday 17th June – Partridge Lakes, 100 pegs*
Saturday 20th June – Lake View Fishery, 100 pegs
Saturday 27th June – Woodland View, 100 pegs*

ANGLING TIMES CAMPAIGN FOR JOHN WILSON MEMORIAL

4/11/2019

Angling Times is launching a campaign for a memorial blue plaque in honour of John Wilson to be erected where his Norwich tackle shop once stood.
John, who was voted ‘The Greatest Angler of All Time’,

died just under a year ago, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy of TV programmes and books that inspired generations.

Plans are afoot for a memorial bench to be installed at one of his favourite fishing spots, Lenwade Mill, but believe that John deserves to be immortalised further in the form of a blue plaque being placed on the wall at the former site of ‘John’s Tackle Den’ in Bridewell Alley.

Blue plaques typically commemorate a link between locations and famous people, and those already present in Norwich form part of a programme to promote the city’s cultural heritage, of which John is undoubtedly a part following a prolific career that spanned 160 TV programmes over 20 years, dozens of books and long-standing columns for Angling Times and the Sunday Express.

Initial conversations with Norwich City Council have been positive, with a spokesperson saying: “A memorial plaque for John is certainly something we could do. He was a very popular figure here in Norfolk, so I’m sure it would be well received. It would no doubt bring tourists into the city as well.”

Memorial plaques of sorts exist for several famous anglers, notably Peter Stone and Ivan Marks, at their favourite fishing locations, but no official blue plaques.

Steve Fitzpatrick, editor of Angling Times, believes that if anybody deserves to be the first, it’s John Wilson. He said: “Through his shop and then all of his writing and filming achievements, nobody has done more to promote coarse fishing in this country than John. It would be a fitting tribute to have him remembered in this way.”

Source: Angling Times