The Prince of Wales has endorsed a new blueprint for environmentally-friendly fishing, the National Angling Alliance Code of Conduct for Coarse Anglers. The new Code gives comprehensive coverage on care of the environment, anglers’ behaviour, tackle advice and up to date fish care. The aim is to build and enhance angling and help safeguard the natural world in which anglers fish. Anglers have always been the eyes and ears of the aquatic environment and its surrounding habitat, seeking to protect and enhance the environment in which we fish.
Britain’s millions of coarse anglers are being asked to adopt the Code,and the RSPB, Environment Agency, English Nature, Professor David Bellamy and many others have backed the document, which has been sponsored by a grant from the Environment Agency.
“We are extremely pleased that Prince Charles, who is a keen angler as well as a committed conservationist, has supported the Code.” said Chris Burt, who had the task of editing the new code.
Reading West MP and keen angler Martin Salter, Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling, said: “The vast majority of experienced anglers are highly responsible people who care both for the fish and for the environment but even they will benefit from reading this document. I applaud the work of the Specialist Anglers Alliance, the Environment Agency and everyone else who has worked so hard to put together this excellent Code of Conduct. It should be widely read by newcomers to our sport and those of us who have been wielding fishing rods with varying degrees of success for more years than we care to remember.”
Dr David Clarke Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency said, “We are very pleased to have been involved in producing this code. Angling provides a unique opportunity for people to enjoy the natural world in a quiet and unobtrusive way. Following this common sense guide to angling values and behaviour will enable coarse anglers to enjoy their sport while guarding against damage to fish stocks, their environment and other wildlife.”
The new code is available through the NAA Secretariat, the Environment Agency, the National Federation of Anglers, and the Specialist Anglers’ Alliance.
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The Prince of Wales, well-known for his stand on environmental issues, said the guide, which covers environmentally-friendly practices including tackle advice and fish care, would help ensure that fishing remained “a vibrant sport”.
In its foreword, Prince Charles says the guide is “an excellent document which will improve etiquette and make anglers even more responsible”.
He adds: “Although I have never done a great deal of coarse fishing myself, I do know how much pleasure it brings to millions of people.
“So I hope that this guide will enhance this pleasure and ensure that angling remains a vibrant and healthy sport.”
The Environment Agency, English Nature and the RSPB have all backed guidelines contained in the document.
Dr David Clarke, the EA’s head of fisheries, said: “Angling provides a unique opportunity for people to enjoy the natural world in a quiet and unobtrusive way.
“Following this common-sense guide to angling will enable coarse anglers to enjoy their sport while guarding against damage to fish stocks, their environment and other wildlife.”
Latest figures show more than 3m people fish. The anglers’ alliance claims they are the eyes and ears of the aquatic environment.
Chris Burt, who edited the code, said: “We’re pleased that Prince Charles, who is a keen angler as well as a committed conservationist, has supported us.”
Reading West MP and barbel angler Martin Salter added: “Anglers are highly responsible people who care both for the fish and the environment.
“Following this guide will enable anglers to enjoy their sport whole guarding against damage to fish stocks, their environment and other wildlife.”
NOTES
The National Angling Alliance comprises the angling governing bodies – the National Federation of Anglers, the National Federation of Sea Anglers and the Salmon & Trout Association – who have been joined by the Angling Trade Association, Specialist Anglers’ Alliance and the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives to form a working group. The NAA directly represents about one million anglers and takes action on behalf of the 3.8 million anglers in the UK.
The New Code was prepared by the Specialist Anglers’ Alliance on behalf of the National Anglers Alliance and will have a print run of nearly 50,000 copies.
