“They won’t come after us when hunting’s banned. We’re too big. And unlike the hunters, there isn’t an undercurrent of public opinion against our sport.” How often have you heard that one? But try telling that to the kids who fish in Cassiobury Park, in Watford, when the summer holidays come. Because plans to ban fishing on the River Gade, which runs through the park, could well have come into force by then. FISHINGmagic members in the area and the Specialist Anglers Alliance are still trying to get to the bottom of the proposals, which have apparently been on the table for some months.
If the ban does go through it won’t be the first. Some quick research over the weekend shows around 50 bans are already in force. The reasons are depressingly familiar:
Add it up and the ‘No Fishing’ signs have gone up at more than 100 council-owned waters. The CAA website This information comes from an extremely helpful source. The website of the Campaign for the Abolition of Angling. Rarely updated and not too strong on factual content in some quarters, it’s an object lesson in how easy it is to lose waters all the same. The CAA’s main beef with fishing is it’s cruel. But it’s smart enough to realise that other arguments against angling carry far more weight in the eyes of the general public. The site contains a step-by-step guide to campaigning for a council ban. Understand how councils work and you’re half way there. Discarded tackle and litter are our worst enemies. In fact anglers have managed to get themselves banned from several waters without any assistance at all from the CAA. “Greater emphasis should be placed on incidents/considerations concerning ‘cuddly’ or ‘attractive’ animals such as swans, waterfowl and dogs,” the CAA website says. “Also stress the environmentally damaging aspects of the ‘sport’ such as litter, waterside vegetation being trampled, banks eroded and so on. “Conservation issues are guaranteed to attract favourable attention. “Experience has shown that the effects of lost/discarded fishing tackle on swans and birds evokes considerable sympathy and is often the key to a successful campaign.” The pressure is going to get worse The pressure is likely to intensify, not just because hunting’s about to be banned. More and more areas of greenbelt on the urban fringe have been designated nature reserves over the last 10 years or so.
But nature reserves are managed, species are monitored and the conservation bodies which usually get delegated the task of running them are alert to any threat to wildlife – especially birds. And the general public don’t like litter, discarded line or swans towing tackle around with them either, so if anglers treat your local municipal pond or free stretch of river like a dustbin don’t be too surprised when the ‘No Fishing’ signs go up. Of course anti-angling groups and animal rights supporters are masters at exaggerating any incident and turning a one-off into a screaming headline or a flood of irate letters to the local paper, because they’d still want us banned if no-one ever left any litter or line lying about. So how can you fight a ban….? Understanding how councils work is the key. And there have been changes over the last few years after central government gave local authorities a number of options to streamline decision making and procedures. Years ago, a proposal to ban angling might have had to go through three or four different committees, giving anyone opposed to it plenty of time to lobby support. These days councils are composed of smaller numbers of committees, some of which can make decisions without them being ratified by the full council. All of this has speeded up decision making but it has also reduced local media interest in council affairs because there is a widespread feeling things are no longer as open as they were. The upshot of all this is it is possible for quite controversial things to get a considerable distance down the decision-making process before the wider public becomes aware of them. Just look at Watford. The sooner you find out something’s afoot, the more chance you stand of doing something about it. One way of doing this is to find out which committee actually governs parks and open spaces. Different councils call them different things, (Leisure and amenities committee, open spaces and recreation panel etc…) but their website or yearbook should tell you. The agendas and minutes of this committee will be available for inspection at the council’s offices and your local library. Some councils also put them on their websites. Agendas normally come out a few days before the committee is due to meet and the council’s yearbook or website will have a calendar of meetings. If you’re involved in a local club, or even a member of one, you may be able to get the council to send you copies.Try writing in, saying you’d like to be kept informed in case of any items arising which could affect angling and the membership of the 500-strong Blanktown Angling Club. So there it is in black and white. Agenda item number 12: Angling at council-run lakes. Councillors never go to meetings and discuss things ‘cold’, there’ll be an officer’s report setting out the situation which usually contains a recommendation for further action. Looking at bans which have already happened, some of the most likely scenarios are: The council receives a petition calling for a ban on fishing for all the usual reasons. The council’s attention is drawn to an increase in litter and discarded tackle, particularly during the summer months. Conservationists from the Blankshire Wildlife Trust feel now the park is a nature reserve, fishing is no longer compatible with its status. Councils do take notice of letters and petitions – providing they come from local people who will be directly affected, rather than a sack of photocopied pro forma letters which have been downloaded off the web or distributed by an interest group. If the officer’s report in the agenda suggests the committee goes straight to the vote, it’s essential to get letters in as quickly as possible because if they arrive after the meeting, it’s too late. Lobbying councillors is vital. Many have social inclusion policies and all have a responsibility to work with the police to cut youth offending and drug use through crime reduction partnerships. If any councillors fish – the chances are some do – they’re potentially vital allies, especially if they’re on the parks and leisure committee. If not, look at the political structure. A great many borough/district or city councils are hung, meaning no party actually has overall control. While much play is made of local democracy, the reality is issues like angling bans are usually won or lost not in council chambers, in open session, but in political group meetings which do not have to be open to the public. Don’t allow the issue to become party politicised; make sure you contact the leaders of every political group as well as everyone on the committee. In the face of irresponsible behaviour by people using a water or a strong lobby from a local wildlife trust, you may find yourself fighting an uphill battle. But some groups of anglers have won resounding victories for common sense, as the story below shows. Just because there are no plans to ban angling on your local free stretch of river or council-owned pond at present, it doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future. Why wait for your sport to come under threat before you start defending it..? Why not find a pro-fishing councillor and ask him or her if there’s more the council could do for angling? How about a summer fishing course for local youngsters..? Police and councils already run courses like this in several areas, like Stoke-on-Trent. Or disabled platforms on the local pond…? Or how about organising a few of the lads from the club into a working party and offering your services…? One council in Norfolk has just spent £ 50,000 doing up a local pond and stocking it so kids have somewhere safe where they can fish for free. |
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