Federation of Welsh Anglers.

Supported by the Sports Council for Wales and the Environment Agency.

Any items of news for the new montly newsletter should be sent to Sharon Phillips

EFSA Wales Shore Championships

Eventually, the EFSA Wales Shore Championships, ostensibly for the year 2009, got under way well into 2010, in fact the weekend of 20th & 21st February to be precise. Originally scheduled for the weekend of January 9th & 10th, the extreme weather, snow and temperatures well below freezing, if you remember, gave the organizers no option but to postpone it from the original dates. Unfortunately, this did have the effect of reducing the entry, as some of the original competitors, for various reasons, couldn’t fish on the re-arranged days. It also meant that catches were likely to be down as very early Spring is not the most prolific time of the year for Sea Angling from the shore and so it turned out.

The first evening, the fishing was at Aberavon beach and though there were in fact plenty of fish, most anglers tempting numbers well into double figures, the majority were undersize, even though this catch and release event was being fished to a minimum length of only 20cm. The leader after this first day was in fact last years winner and title holder John O’Connor who managed to winkle out two fish, a Whiting of 28cm and a Five Beard Rockling of 20cm, to put him on 58points, there being one point per centimetre of length and five points per fish. However, the lead was only by a few points over Steve Rees and Phil Lustig who also managed two slightly smaller fish apiece. The other four anglers to record fish had one each and because of the small size limit were also not that far behind. So, it was Lougher first, Pembroke Dock second and Pembroke third with it all still to play for on the second evening at Freshwater East, but could the leader and last years winner maintain it and record back to back wins?

Whilst the weather on the first evening was fairly pleasant being fairly still, with only a gentle breeze from the south and not too cold, it was extremely parky on the second evening with a stiffer wind from the north/northeast and not long into the match, after darkness fell, temperatures rapidly dropped to below freezing. An incoming tide over ice cold sand was probably the most likely reason that it turned out to be a struggle to land anything, whether in size or not, having the effect of keeping most of the fish well offshore, beyond mere mortals casting range. However, despite the adverse conditions, a few fish were caught and recorded making this second evening of fishing a nail biting affair as to who was to triumph. The overnight leader John again managed to record another two fish to take his total points to 110 but it wasn’t to be enough with second placed Steve recording a further three fish, including the all important Lesser Spotted Dogfish, worth 35 points, for a total of 144, to get him the coveted Gold Pin which is awarded for first place. John had to be content with the Silver Pin for second, just managing to hold off another Lougher based angler, Dai Davies, who managed a Dogfish and a Whiting in this second session to go with his Whiting from the first evening giving him a points total of 93 and the Bronze pin.

So the final placings were:

1st & Gold Pin winner   Steve Rees                               5 fish for 144 points
2nd & Silver Pin winner John O’Connor            4 fish for 110 points
3rd & Bronze Pin winner            Dai Davies                    3 fish for   93 points

Pictured is the winner Steve Rees (left) receiving his Gold Pin from organiser, EFSA Wales Chairman and EFSA Shore Festival Officer Phil Lustig.

 

River Trusts in Wales – training in survey techniques

 
Afonydd Cymru, Environment Agency Wales and the Wild Trout Trust are collaborating in the organisation of training events for River Trust volunteers in Wales.  One day sessions will be held in North and West Wales.  
Each event will consist of a classroom session where instruction will be given on standard methods of recording features on large scale catchment maps and the use of camera and Global Positioning Systems equipment.  This will be followed by a description of the methods that are described in a habitat improvement manual for upland streams which will be launched by the Wild Trout Trust and Environment Agency Wales at the South West event. A field exercise will take place in the afternoon when groups under supervision will be given the opportunity to complete test surveys. 
By the end of the training session, volunteers will be able to undertake surveys unsupervised to identify factors affecting fisheries in their own areas.  They will be able to use equipment issued to each Rivers Trust under the Environmental Improvements to Sustain Welsh Fisheries (EISWF) project which is funded by the European Fisheries Fund.  These surveys will be invaluable in identifying real problems which can be included in the programme of remedial work undertaken within the EISWF project. 
The dates and venues for each of the training events are as follows:


Area

Venue

Date and time

North

Neuadd y Cyfnod, Bala

24/4/2010 09.30am

South West

Talbot Hotel, Tregaron

27/3/2010  09.30am

The training events are free and we hope that individuals will attend who are interested in doing something practical to protect and improve the quality, ecology and fisheries of their local rivers.

Lunch will be provided at the events

If you would like to attend please contact:

Helen Johnston helen@pembsrt.org  Direct Line 01437 783070

 

Champion Angler Wales 2010, 1st Leg.

 

Anglers from various parts braved the near like arctic conditions to complete the Anyfish Anywhere Angler of Wales round 1 qualifier and the national sea league  on the 30th of January

The top 3 on the day were 1st Mike Hughes, 534     2nd Johnny Rushton 342, 3rd Mike Flynn 327

Zone winners Mike Flynn, Johnny Rushton Mike Hughes, Gareth Flynn

 

NSL Teams Top team on the day North Wales oddballs captained by Alan Blyddin, 2nd North Wales Ultima 

 

Round 2 7th of March and open to all Holyhead breakwater over the back pegged on the last straight weather permitting alt venue Cemlyn Bay

Please ensure you call to confirm you peg , currently 38 anglers are booked in for this match already

 

Mike Flynn
Mobile 07775846712

 

 

The Anglian Water / Airflow Fishtec , Team trial this year on Llandegfedd will take place  on Friday 16th April
Any 6 man team can enter you do not have to be a member of a club, 6 fishing mates will be ok  just give yourself a name like THE  OTTERS (they are quite good at catching fish) or get some sponsorship and use the firm’s name like Tesco’s Tigers / Asda’s assassins’; you get the idea
The good thing about the comp this year is that the sponsors  Airflow Fishtec From Brecon will be looking to have the welsh final on Llandegfedd sometime in August
We can  support 12 teams of 6 on llandegfedd  so get your application in early

If you are a new team phone John Marshall on 01572 653021 or Denise  on 01572 653038 to get your application.

 

No more taking of fish.

After a 3 month consultation the Environment Agency has announced new bye laws which will make catch and release the norm apart from some limited exceptions for predator angling or for fishery management purposes where specific permission can be granted for the removal of pike and grayling. At the same time the fisheries minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, returned from the
EU Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg having successfully overturned attempts to use Article 47 to force recreational sea-anglers to have their catches counted against the quota allocated to the commercial fleet.

On the new bye laws Mr. Salter said:

"We are looking at a highly successfully outcome of a two year campaign to clear up the current chaotic, illogical and unenforceable patchwork of fishery byelaws that have made it perfectly legal for people to take and kill highly prized specimen fish by rod and line. I am delighted that the Environment Agency has listened to anglers who want us to have a culture of catch and release supported by the force of law. I am particularly grateful to those angling bodies that have backed my efforts in Parliament to use the Marine Bill to deliver these much needed and long awaited changes."

 

He added:

"I reckon the proposed new byelaws are spot on and will make enforcement and prosecution much, much easier. They will also send out a message that in this country recreational anglers are first and foremost conservationists whose primary concern is the welfare of our fish and the condition of the water in which they live. I'm particularly pleased that a way has been found to allow predator anglers to continue using small fish as bait and that still waters, subject to the owner's rules, will now come within the scope of the bye laws."

 

The FWA takes it to the Senedd.

The FWA display

Lib Dem leader, Kirsty Williams

Chris Franks Plaid Cymru and some of the FWA coaches

The FWA were recently given the opportunity to make a display on the merits of Angling and the benefit it brings to the Environment in the Senedd.  The three governing bodies Game Sea and Coarse were joined by the Country Alliance in helping organising the event.  Those AMs who attended were impressed with the work we carry out.  The Country Side Alliance is also a major sponsor for casting for recovery.  This project introduces ladies who have been unfortunate to have had breast cancer to the art of fishing.  It has been proved that it is a great aid to help them recover.  Some have also found that not only has it helped them medically but they have been Hooked and wish to  join the Angling fraternity.

 

Leslie Griffiths Labour, Sustainability Committee with Moc Morgan

Kirsty Williams promised to go fishing in 2010

 

Access to Our Inland Waters in Wales

The Federation gives evidence …..

 

The Federation of Welsh Anglers was recently called upon by the National Assembly’s Sustainability Committee to give evidence regarding access to our inland waters in Wales.

Following evidence submissions from Environment Agency Wales, Canoe Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales, the Federation’s delegation consisting of Chris Bond, Angling Development Manager, Gary Davies , Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association and Max Coventry, North Wales representative, visited the Senedd  to submit oral evidence and respond to the queries of  Assembly Members comprising the Sustainability Committee, providing answers from angling’s perspective on a range of salient questions appertaining to access.

Canoeists have been campaigning for free and open access to our inland waters, if successful in their campaign, we maintain the resulting outcome would be damaging to angling in general and could even lead to the demise of many angling clubs which own or lease their own waters.

There would be a number of other serious consequences should legislation be introduced to enable free and open access, it would have a detrimental impact on rural economies, angling tourism, conservation, the Environment Agency, in respect of reduced income from rod licences, which would, in turn, impact back on angling through reduced investment in habitat restoration, enforcement and promotion of angling. Government and the taxpayer would also be faced with large and numerous compensation claims from riparian owners and angling clubs owning their own waters, through loss of income and devaluation of assets.

The Federation’s delegation impressed on the Sustainability Committee the clarity of the definition of the law in relation to trespass and the importance of voluntary local access agreements as a major component of any strategy aimed at providing a solution to the problem of access and the delegation also submitted a Pledge of Support containing over 8000 signatures proclaiming support for the law as it stands in relation to ownership of our rivers above the tidal reach and also supporting the principle of voluntary local agreements.

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