Minutes of Nene, Welland and Witham Forum held 9th June 2018.
Present David Hawley, Kelvin Allen, Chris Reeds, Jake Reeds, Brian Balderson, Andy Beal, Howard Neal, John Newman, John Wadham, Hugh Bunker, Ray Richardson, Ray Torrington, Martin Barnatt
Apologies Mark Fox, Seumas Halliday, Viktor Tzikas, Simon Bonney, Ivor Stokes, Seumas Halliday, Geoff Gilfinnan
Minutes of April’s meeting
The previous minutes were accepted as accurate with one amendment on the date of the WNDAC event changed to 30th June. and there were the following matters arising:
Actions
Tree work is still subject to an ongoing dialogue with NPT. There is a further meeting with NPT planned in the coming weeks.
Kelvin has since been in communication with NPT on this matter and is liaising with John Newman.
Election of Officers
It was agreed that all Officers be re-elected on block.
Chairman David Hawley
Vice Chair Ray Richardson
Secretary Kelvin Allen
Treasurer Ray Torrington
Regional Forum Update
Kelvin gave an update on recent activities both at national and regional level which covered the following areas:
Environmental Greener Brexit
Kelvin highlighted that a joint paper from AT and WWF is to be launched in the coming weeks laying out a six point plan on a potential replacement of the CAP. Much has been in the media and press on this recently as all sides lay out their corresponding positions.
Unstainable Abstraction
Kelvin highlighted the recently launched 10 priority catchments which are being targeted on resolving unstainable abstraction. The South Forty Foot catchment in the NWWCA area is one such catchment and David Hawley agreed to represent the forum in catchment discussions planned to start in the summer. See paper from the EA on this Here.
Regional Forum
The regional forum planned for Grantham on the 2nd May was postponed due to poor take up. It will be rescheduled for later in the year.
Angling Improvement Fund
This year’s AIF has been launched with a £300,000 pot supporting the following areas:
Predation Management
Fishery Improvements
River Access
Access for All (Participation)
Applications are invited by the 31st July 2018.
Nenescape
Kelvin presented the 3rd quarter progress update from Nenescape, some sound progress has been made in visiting many clubs and now polish schools, with some 500 people attending the school sessions in recent weeks. This has highlighted the continuing lack of understanding in fisheries crime, Riparian Rights and willingness to engage with migrate anglers. Member’s opinions were sought on this and the basis of next year’s club program. Which received welcome support. Good news with the Voluntary Bailiffs, as a further 35 folks attended the induction day held in Peterborough on the 12th May with a further 11 VBS attending from the Nene Valley.
This has really raised the bar in terms of active patrols undertaken and has been noted by both EA and Police in the number of responses.
EA Fisheries Survey Overview
Jake Reeds gave an impressive presentation on the work of the area’s fisheries monitoring team.
See the presentation here.
Cormorant Predation
Following the last meeting both John Wadham and Howard Neil reported on their findings.
These have been fed into Jake Davoile.
Clearly the area licence model isn’t going to work within the Nene Valley, as some fisheries continue to take an insular approach to the problem on what is clearly a national issue. There is no appetite to progress an Area cormorant control licence as commercial fisheries in the Catchment had their own licences
Clearly the process implemented by the Angling Trust on reporting cormorants via Cormorant Watch hasn’t received full support by the angling community for whatever reason, so it’s difficult for AT to have verified numbers which reflect angler’s personal views on actual numbers and engage with National England. Action Kelvin to discuss with AT the outcomes from the Cormorant Watch and report back to the forum.
11-Jun Update – Having discussed this with Mark Owen AT, he and Mark Lloyd are meeting DEFRA to discuss the Cormorant problem on the 3rd July. However the bar has been raised by the increased environment protection the government are instigating in their current round of Brexit consultations. This means that protected species like Cormorants will potentially receive even more protection, else it would be seen as an easement in environment protection, by many environmentalists. This year is the first that we have almost reached the 3000 cull target however.
EA FBG and Enforcement Presentation
Hugh presented two papers.
The FBG paper is available Here.
The enforcement paper is available Here.
Stillwater Update
John Wadham presented his report on Rutland Water.
Catchment Update
Hugh gave an overview of the paper attached here.
Club Updates
DSJAC
Ray gave an update on the following.
Following attendance at the IFM workshop, the club have instigated a water quality monitoring program on their lakes.
The Stibbington dredging works have been completed by the EA
The club has suffered some tree damage impacting on NVR
BDAA
Brian stated that the club was planning a series of spinning/lure competitions aims at the Eastern European angling community.
They have built 4 new disabled pegs on the new lake
PDAA
John have an update on activities within the Club.
They have reported illegal fishing to the Police who have had no knowledge of Operation Transverse. This has been taking up with Paul Thomas.
Discussions with NPT continue.
Match series on Ferry Meadows only large bream caught, some with Cormorant damage.
4 new VB’s don’t really feel engaged and on joint patrols.
Nenescape resilient river works at Elton completed successfully.
WNDAC – Howard reported that their recent Let Fish event hosted with CRT was a huge success, they are now looking to engage with the local scout group.
Blackhorse Fishery sent the following Update
Nene Anglers is a unique collaboration between the neighbouring angling clubs of the Blackhorse based in Nassington and Warmington Angling Club.
In the 2017 season, friends operating the neighbouring waters of the Blackhorse AC and Warmington AC decided to open up their waters allowing members of either club to fish on one another’s venues. This was done to promote fishing in the local area and to discover more about the secrets in our stretches of the river that get so little angling pressure. We decided to call the initiative Nene Anglers, we endeavour to promote fishing, encourage newcomers to angling, and to ensure competition anglers have larger events to attend.
The first ever Nene Anglers season ticket has gone to honorary club ambassador Matt Hayes.
The television celebrity angler, who is a huge fan of the River Nene and the Nene Anglers Project, plans to make a few trips to the venue this summer and autumn.
We are now approaching 200 members for Nene Anglers for the coming 2018 / 2019 season.
We have a new Specimen Cup to fish for based on the Drennan Cup and also have Matches arranged on all the stretches of the Nene Anglers Waters and also will be holding a junior fishing for all the junior members with prizes.
Mid Northants Trout Fishers’ provided the following update. Free monthly sessions at Pitsford have continued this season. The Beast from the East cancelled Kelmarsh Country Fair but it is back on again on 16th -17th June. We will be offering fly casting and fly tying.
We also have courses and events planned later in the year for BASC, Northants Adult Learning and the Angling Trust (Barnwell). With funding from Angling Trust 3 more of our members have obtained level 2 coaching qualifications making 6 in total and 2 Level 1s. We have 10 club competitions through the year which are well attended with usually about 28 anglers or thereabouts.
AOB
GDPR – Kelvin highlighted the need for all to agree to be part of the groups communications.
It was agreed for Kelvin to email all members for them to opt-in as a formal record.
Ray Richardson asked whether both the forum and consultative should consider using more of media communications. Kelvin to discuss with John Cheyne AT.
Dates of Next Meetings
27th Oct 2018
