Drive to promote fish-friendly nets
Moves
are afoot to try to ensure that fish-friendly keep nets and landing nets
are used by all anglers to protect the welfare of the different variety
of species that are caught by match and pleasure anglers.
At a recent meeting of its Nets Accreditation Group, The Angling Foundation
formally tested the first batch of nets and allied products submitted
by its members.
Five companies submitted a total of 32 products for testing, and 27 of
these were approved because they met the guidelines on un-abrasive, fish-friendly
mesh and complied with Environment Agency bye-laws on nets and other fish-retention
equipment.
During the next few months these and other approved items will start appearing
on retailers’ shelves, each carrying the foundation’s distinctive,
water lily logo and unique approval number.
This label provides an immediately visible means of identifying nets that
have been tested and have met the required fish conservation and welfare
standards.
To accompany this process, the Angling Foundation has distributed posters
to all angling retailers, fisheries and other interested parties to raise
the awareness of the foundation’s work and to demonstrate the differences
between approved and non-approved nets.
The scheme is entirely voluntary, and anglers who currently use soft-meshed
nets should not experience problems in using them at fisheries across
the country.
However, those anglers with harsh or rough-meshed nets may find that they
are prevented from using them at certain fisheries, particularly at those
controlled by the Commercial Coarse Fisheries Association members and
by members of Premier Fisheries.
Anglers in doubt about the acceptability of their nets at their normal
fishing venues are advised to contact their fishery directly.
Those who are considering purchasing new nets should check whether their
fisheries will require the use of nets that meet their required standards.
Further companies are already in the process of submitting products for
testing. The outcome of the tests is confidential to each company, but
products that gain approval will be listed on the foundation’s website,
found at www.anglingfoundation.com
Fish O’ Mania Dates
Many
local anglers look forward with a great deal of enthusiasm to seeing the
list of venues for the Fish O’ Mania qualifying events that are organised
by the National Federation of Anglers at locations throughout the country.
The following list outlines this season’s venues and dates:
Saturday 19th April
Barford Lakes, Norwich (100 pegs)
Saturday 26th April
Mid Kent Fisheries, Chilham, Kent (100 pegs)
Saturday 3rd May
Drayton Reservoir, Northants (100 pegs)
Saturday 17th May
Hallcroft Fisheries, Retford, Notts (100 pegs)
Sunday 1st June
Tunnel Barn Farm, Shrewley, West Midlands (100 pegs)
Sunday 8th June
Carr Mill Dam, St. Helens, Lancs. (100 pegs)
Saturday 14th June
White Acres, Newquay, Cornwall (100 pegs)
Wednesday 18th June
Moorlands Farm, near Kidderminster (100 pegs)
Sunday 22nd June
Grand Union Canal, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire (200 pegs)
Saturday 28th June
Gold Valley Lakes, Aldershot, Hants (100 pegs)
Sunday 29th June
River Tees, Yarm, Stockton (100 pegs)
Saturday 12th July
Attenborough Gravel Pits, Notts (100 pegs)
Sunday 13th July
River Soar, Kegworth, Leicestershire (200 pegs)
Sunday 20th July
Stainforth and Keadby Canal, Thorne (100 pegs)
In the
100 peg events only one qualifier goes forward to the final, and in the
200 peg events two anglers qualify for the final.
Entry forms are obtainable from NFA’s central office on 01283 734735.
Sherwood Forest Farm is to host a 10-match pairs event for anglers wishing
to qualify for the Skol Master’s Final at White Acres in Cornwall
later in the year.
The event is open to any pair of anglers and will be fished from 30th
March through to 1st June on Holmefield Lake from which the best seven
results of the 10 matches will count towards the final result.
The top three pairs will then go forward to fish the final on the prestigious
fishery, based in Cornwall, where the winners will receive a fantastic
one-off prize of £25,000.
Entry to the event at Sherwood Forest Farm will cost £40 per pair,
plus pools on the day of each match, and is limited to 54 anglers only
(27 pairs).
For further details contact Mick Langton on 01623 842617 or 0772 1316334.
Notice Board
Worksop
United – at the annual general meeting held on Monday evening, Paul
and Malcolm Rushton agreed to stay on as joint secretaries.
Mal has asked me to point out to those members who were not in attendance
at the meeting that subscriptions for the ensuing season must be paid
in full by the 28th February or membership will be terminated.
Worksop Senior Squad’s fund-raiser saw a total of 21 anglers fish
the Tigers Den section of the Chesterfield Canal.
Philip Green (Angling Supplies) took the honours with one small chub and
a few small roach for 3lb 9.5oz from peg 60.
Mark Pressley (Worksop Senior Squad) was second with 3lb 8oz (p71) followed
by Gary Dodsworth (Worksop Senior Squad) 3lb 0.5oz (p89), Steve Lowther
(Ken Ward Sports) 2lb 7oz (p88), John Brockway (Notts AA) 2lb (p92), Ashley
Nicolson (Worksop Juniors) 1lb 14oz (p61).
Association News
Club
secretaries should note that the association’s 2003 affiliation fee
of £10 is due to be paid no later than the date of the February
delegates meeting, scheduled to take place on Thursday 6th February.
Pre-payments should be sent to the association Secretary Derek Brown as
soon as possible.
Torksey Arm
Prior
to the onset of the flood conditions the Torksey Arm section of the River
Trent was fishing its head off with quality roach in excess of 1lb and
plenty of 6oz to 8oz skimmers being caught.
Overall pleasure weights have been running into double figures over 30lb.
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Yours in Sport Glyn |