News - JULY / AUGUST

NRW AND ANGLERS

My friend and colleague Allan Cuthbert has, once again, re-iterated his call for anglers to “start to re-establish a working relationship with NRW”. He goes on to commend the officers with whom we work “at the chalk face”. Allan’s plea has now appeared in his Dee and Clwyd fishery report, in the monthly Trout & Salmon magazine, over the last couple of months.

This is a cry I am bound to support. Indeed, I made the same point at a meeting last year, exclusively for anglers, in Corwen.
I support him whole heartedly in this.

When we were at the joint Local Fishing Group meeting at Bala in December in 2019 last year, the very same plea was made by Miss Clare Pillman the CEO of NRW.
It would appear we three are in agreement, are we not?

I was reminded of this by the death of John Hume, last week. Who?

If you have not heard of him, he was a Derry man who spent thirty years struggling to bring peace to Northern Ireland. His work undoubtedly contributed to the end product, which was the Good Friday Agreement.

Whatever the cause, to reach agreement, there MUST be movement. Such movement needs to be encased in tolerance, understanding and respect, by both sides.
As a youngster, when with my family in Ireland, I can recall the existence of divides – even within my own family. This should never be allowed to happen – and, most of all, within the sport we all love, enjoy and, in our own various ways, work to improve.
Divides should not exist!

WORLD FISH MIGRATION FOUNDATION

The following “Help” diagram appears by kind permission of the above Foundation. (www.worldfishmigrationfoundation.com) It is succinct and meaningful.

In the May June News, I mentioned an entry from Wales in the
State Fish Art competition. Congratulations to Bryn on your success. To view a full list of the results, go to the link below. Wales, alphabetically comes at the end. Having said that, there are an impressive list of countries showing where our young fishing artists come from. A total of 2,700 entries came from 27 countries. It is worth scrolling through “…the whole list”.

The contest will also be held in 2021. Maybe we can see more UK entries?
There were some UK entries, as my contact points out:
“The state-fish art competition is over for now, but we did have some participation from the UK and the two honourable mentions from there are on this page”
https://www.wildlifeforever.org/home/state-fish-art/winners/1st-place-international-winners-2020/

Wales being “The Land of Song” you might feel drawn to composing!
There is an ongoing competition called the International Eurofishion Song Competition. For this song contest, anyone can submit their ‘love song’ about fish and fish migration! This closes in October 2020.
Check out the page here for the other entrants: www.eurofishion.com
There are both adults and children participating!
The other related website is www.seppo.net!
Possibly it might double as an aid to home tuition?

PANDEMIC.

FishingFishingFishing

Whilst the riverbank or lake edge may seem to be safe, it is important to remember that the virus is still out there and the need to still be cautious remains.
Avoid crowds whenever possible – maintain social distancing – use gel – wash hands as often as possible – mask up (even if it hides your good looks!).
Remain vigilant. Spikes are expected here and happening already elsewhere – except New Zealand!!!

DROWNING!

I was reminded, as I watched some moorings being laid the other day, in my local harbour, of the complacency which can be exhibited in respect of our own safety as far as small boats is concerned.

No one was wearing life jackets – otherwise known as PFDs, in the commercial fishing world! Even professionals fail.
It was not long ago, in April 2004 in fact, that both the Harbour Master and Assistant Harbour Master at Barmouth, died in similar circumstances.
In the words of the Coroner “It would remain a mystery why the two men were found without lifejackets”.
In 2019 The UK Marine Accident Investigation Board examined accidents involving nine fishing vessels.
Of the six fatalities, three might not have happened if PFDs had been worn.

I mention this as, on the 18th of June, on Lough Kiel, in Donegal, a father and son were drowned whilst fishing from a small boat. A third teenage relative was saved. It appears that no one was wearing a PFD.
A desperately sad end for a family holiday!
Need I say more? Stay safe on and near the water!

 Fishing

LICENCES.

Research undertaken by the Countryside Alliance shows that between January and March this year, some 142,000 EA/NRW licences were sold, Following this, when the light at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, between the 13th of May and the 9th of June more than 335,000 licences were sold. A rise of 230% and 200,000 more for the same period in 2019.
Maybe there are still more anglers than football supporters?
What we do not yet know is how many were salmon licences, nor what the total number of salmon licences purchased this year may be.