Angling Banned!

Many local anglers will have started their fishing careers in Cassiobury Park, where the river Gade offers the best free fishing in the area.

In June 2002, the whole of the area of the park adjoining the river Gade was designated a ‘Nature Reserve’.

The organisations involved were
Watford Borough Council; Friends of Cassiobury Park; the Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust; British Waterways; the Environment Agency; the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; Watford Piscators angling society.

In December 2002, a decision was taken behind closed doors to ban angling on the river Gade, with effect from the end of this season. This was done with no public consultation, in response to pressure from certain organisations who want to get angling banned.

You are urged to write to Ian Mather, Conservation Officer, Watford Borough Council, WD1 3EX to register your objection.

This is an outrageous attack on our legitimate pastime. The park was purchased for the use of local people, not to be run by small pressure-groups. If the anti-anglers get their way this time, whose water is next?

Make your voice heard!!!

Some of the points you should mention in your letter are:

• Angling is a healthy outdoor activity for young people, promoting an interest in nature and the environment as a whole
• It is a beneficial alternative to TV, computer-games, hanging around the streets, etc
• The Park is the safest environment in the area providing free fishing for young anglers.
• The only local alternatives are the River Colne between Wiggenhall Road and the Lower High Street, and the River Colne between Radlett Road and the M1 Link Road – both these alternatives are close to busy main roads.
• Anglers constitute a small minority of Park-users and their activities are confined to the river-bank, which is a relatively small part of the Park. They do not require the use of sports pitches or any other facility which needs maintenance and therefore requires Council funding. The river is self-maintaining and the fish population self-sustaining.
• Anglers actually make a financial contribution to the environment. Any angler aged 12 or over has to have an Environment Agency rod-licence. How many other Park-users pay a fee?
• If the Council plans to ban angling, how do they intend to enforce it? Will they spend Council-tax payers’ money on employing bailiffs?
• If the argument that anglers ‘disturb wildlife’ is to be used, will the Council now ban dogs from the Park? You can often see dogs jumping into the river and chasing waterfowl. Will the Council now prevent children from paddling in the river? Will the public be kept away from the river-bank during the breeding season for waterfowl?
• The vast majority of spots used by anglers are close to the public footpath anyway. If anglers are “disturbing wildlife”, will the Council now stop the general public walking on these paths?
• Anglers observe the river Close-season from mid-March to mid-June. Will the Council now close the river off during the fishes’ breeding season so they aren’t disturbed by the public?
• Plus anything else you can think of!

IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS NO REAL ARGUMENT FOR BANNING FISHING – THEY ARE BEING INFLUENCED BY ANTI-ANGLING GROUPS.

IT’S YOUR PARK – IT’S YOUR RIVER!

ACT NOW, FOR YOURSELF AND FOR ANGLING!