SC(3) - AIW175

Sustainability Committee

Inquiry into access to inland water in Wales

Dear Ms Hawkins,

I understand from various sources that Canoeists are seeking access to all Welsh Waters, rivers and lakes in Wales, without any let or hiderance, 365 days a year and for 24 hours a day!

As a member of the Seiont, Llyfni and Gwyrfai Angling Soviety I would like to raise the following concerns.

1. Access for anglers is limited by a fishing season normally from March to September/October. The reason we are not allowed to fish from November to February is that Brown Trout, Sea Trout (Sewin) and Salmon spawn during this period and access at this time has to be denied to prevent damage to spawning redds which would be irreparably damaged should canoeists use the water during this time.

2. As a member of an Angling Association we are required to pay membership fees so that our Society can buy, lease or rent the right to access the rivers to fish. Also to enable our club or society to preserve bank side habitat, maintain access and parking areas and also produce from our own hatchery juvenile fish (parr) with which to help maintain the stocks of our increasingly dwindling stocks of salmon and sea trout. The current fees for our Association vary but range from £220 - £290 for the season which is not a full year and on top of this we pay £75.00 for our Environment Agency licence making a total of between £295 - £365.00.

3. If canoeists are allowed access 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year irreparable damage could be caused to our rivers and fishing and they want this access free! Some of our fishing incorporates SSSI’s.

4. Certainly it might be possible to allow access at certain point and times and by agreement with owners, but this would have to be licensed by the Environment Agency and a fee paid as anglers do at present.

5. As well as the EA fee the canoeists should also be required to pay water access fees in the same way that anglers do, so that access points can be determined and maintained and rents paid to riparian owners for this access.

6. Unlimited access by canoes would be a disaster for the Welsh economy as revenue produced from fishing is considerable and far exceeds any benefit that would be derived from allowing canoeists unrestricted access.

There are many other reasons to deny the canoeists requests and I trust the brief summary above will help the consultation come to a realistic and sensible conlusion.

Yours sincerely,

Ron Miers.