It’s time to fight these proposals….
Will anglers be banned from new marine zones?
The Angling Trust is claiming that recreational sea anglers in England face the prospect of being locked out of some fishing grounds if Ministers implement the recommendations of the Benyon Review of Highly Protected Marine Areas, which was published this week.
Despite recognising the economic importance of recreational sea angling and highlighting the importance of meaningful stakeholder engagement and partnership working, the Review Panel did not include any angling representatives nor anyone with a detailed knowledge of the sector. Consequently, low impact recreational fishing was treated as equivalent with trawling, dredging and drilling.
Now the Angling Trust will be submitting recommendations to Ministers to address the failings in the published plan.”
With 46 sites identified as candidates for a network of new zones covering up to 10 per cent of English seas, anglers could see themselves no longer able to fish in popular places such as Poole, Langstone and Chichester Harbours in the South; the Dogger Bank, Wash, North Norfolk Coast and Blackwater and Crouch Estuaries in the East; Plymouth, Falmouth and the Severn Estuary in the South-West and Morecambe Bay in the North West.
The UK currently has a range of protections through a network of 355 Marine Protected Areas.
The proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas would go further: “…by taking a ‘whole site approach’ and only permitting certain activities within their boundaries such as vessel transit, scuba diving and kayaking. Activities that could have a damaging effect on habitats or wildlife, including fishing (both commercial and recreational), construction and dredging would be banned.” — with David Dobbie and David Neil.