You, your and the environment

www.britshcanoeing.org.uk You, your canoe and the environment

England and have a wonderful network of inland and coastal water that are amongst the best in Europe. This leafet provides guidance on good practce for using these waters in a responsible and appropriate manner. Canoeists should be able to enjoy their sport and recreaton in harmony with the natural environment and share the resource with other water-users.

To get the best experience, try to be considerate and respectul; treat others as you would wish to be treated, respect the freshwater and marine environment, follow safety recommendatons and be seen as welcomed visitor.

Observe and Countryside Code. For informaton visit: www.gov.uk/government/publicatons/the- countryside-code

For informaton on where to canoe on inland and coastal waters, including informaton on access arrangements that may be in place, contact the Britsh Canoeing Waterways Advisors, navigaton or port authority. Contact details can be found on the Britsh Canoeing website: www.britshcanoeing.org.uk/guidance-resources/ waterways-environment/access/access- arrangements/ Consideraton for others

Canoeists will meet a variety of land and water Anglers users on their journeys. Common sense, polite • Keep a look out for anglers whilst , behaviour and conversatons can help to anglers can be hard to spot on banks promote a mutual understanding. • Co-operate to avoid lines, nets and swims • If it is unclear where to pass lines or swims, On Land then quietly atract the atenton of the • Stay away from houses and private gardens angler and agree a route to follow • Change discreetly, using public facilites • When an angler is playing a fsh from the where possible bank or wading, stop some way of and • Drive sensibly at all tmes await their acknowledgement to proceed • Car Parking - do not obstruct roads or • Do not linger in pools or swims occupied by entrances to building or farm property an angler • Ensure your kit does not cause an obstructon when unloading • Leave gates positoned and property as you fnd them Invasive non-natve • Avoid damage to fences and walls species – Stop the Spread

On Water Check, Clean and Dry & wet equipment • Follow the general rules of navigaton, any afer use. Always take these bio-security local bye-laws and navigaton notces issued measures to minimise the risk or prevent the by waterway authorites. Arrange for any spread and environmental damage from invasive necessary licenses or other payments such non natve aquatc species and diseases. (Note 4) as harbour dues • Respect and do not obstruct other water Check your equipment and clothing for live users organisms, plant fragments etc - partcularly in • Keep a look out and be aware that larger areas that are damp or hard to inspect. vessels may not see you and are less manoeuvrable. In confned waters keep Clean and wash all equipment, footwear and to the edge of the deep water navigaton clothing thoroughly. If you do come across any channel organisms, leave them at the water body where • Keep the numbers in your party consistent you found them. with safety, the nature of the stretch of river and the impact on your surroundings Dry all equipment and clothing - some species can • When ofering assistance to those in need, live for up to 16 days in moist conditons. Make on or of the water, do not put yourself or sure you don’t transfer water elsewhere. fellow canoeists at risk • Show consideraton to organised bank side NB. Soaking small items at 45deg C for 15 minutes actvites, and give way as required to on- has caused a 99% mortality rate across all species. water events. Take responsibility for your actons

The outdoors is a fantastc place for sport and recreaton, but it is also a natural environment which needs to be treated with respect.

• Be aware of informaton/hazards for your chosen journey and ensure you are confdent in the ability of your party to cope with the conditons expected • Take account of water fows, levels, weather and forecasted conditons • Leave details of your trip with a responsible person and advise a safe arrival • Ensure your equipment is in good conditon. Use and wear it correctly • It is recommended to take advantage of For more informaton Britsh Canoeing’s advice and courses For more informaton about canoeing in England ofered in canoe skills and safety for all levels and Wales go to: of ability www.britshcanoeing.org.uk • Be aware of health, water quality and other www.canoewales.com safety informaton (Note 1) • Permission may be required to cross private For more informaton about canoeing elsewhere land in the UK visit the following websites: • It is your assessment of conditons/factors www.canoescotland.com whether to go on the water www.cani.org.uk Caring for the environment

Your canoe is a traditonal craf used throughout • On rivers, avoid paddling over gravel banks in the world for exploring wilderness areas and quietly low water conditons - they may contain fsh observing wildlife and fora. spawn • On marine waters take care on shingle beaches It causes no erosion, noise or polluton and leaves no - they may be nestng grounds e.g. Terns. Avoid trace of its passing. Canoeing at appropriate water dragging canoes across rocky inter-tdal areas, levels is an environmentally benign actvity (Note2) through sand dunes and their grasses and causes no damage to fsh stocks (Note 3) • Keep a safe distance away from wildlife to By following the simple steps below you can ensure avoid causing disturbance and stress to oters, your presence is not detrimental to the freshwater seal colonies - especially with pups present, and marine environment, it can help to minimise rafs of wildfowl and sea birds as well as and avoid accidentally disturbing wildlife and their their nestng, shelter and feeding areas e.g. habitats. mudfats, marshes and clifs. Remember, basking sharks, dolphins and whales can also • Find out about the area before you go, notng be a danger to you. For more advice and its sensitve places, protected areas, species and informaton refer to You, your canoe and the breeding seasons (Note 6) marine environment (Note 5) • Take your liter home with you, leave no trace of Report polluton, incidents, damage and invasive your visit species to the relevant authorites. • When clearing liter lef by others, handle it with Environment Agency care Call: 0800 80 70 60 (24 hours) • Leave the environment as you fnd it (In Wales please contact Natural Resources Wales on: 0800 80 70 60) • Keep noise to a minimum Canal & River Trust • Do not ‘seal’ launch or drag boats to avoid Urgent event. Call: 0800 47 999 47 wearing away natural banks. Float your canoe Non urgent. Call: 0303 040 4040 (Monday to for launching or landing Friday 0800-1800) or email customer.services@ canalrivertrust.org.uk • Where possible keep to any designated paths or launching points RSPCA for wildlife and animals in distress Telephone Call: 0990 55 59 99 (24 hours) • Constantly assess wildlife. If you see signs of disturbance move away quickly For Coastguard and other emergency services call 999 - rescue, serious injury, illness services call 999 Britsh Canoeing Membership

Natonal Governing Body Membership – Britsh Canoeing (in England) or Canoe Wales (in Wales) ofers a huge range of beneft including: • License to on 4,500km of Britain’s navigatons and canals • Civil liability insurance up to £10 million • Canoe Focus magazine • Discounts on event, equipment, clothing, travel and boat insurance and coaching supplies • Access to informaton, resources, course and compettons

Telephone: 0845 370 9500 or visit: www.britshcanoeing.org.uk Telephone: 01678 521 199 or visit: www.canoewales.com

Notes Canoeing is the generic term used to describe canoe, and habitats, direct predaton and plants blocking waterways. Check paddlesports. Clean Dry and invasive species informaton is detailed at: www. 1. For health and safety, and water quality (Weil’s Disease) nonnatvespecies.org/checkcleandry and www.britshcanoeing.org.uk/guidance-resources/waterways- informaton visit www.britshcanoeing.org.uk/about/health- environment/environmental-good-practce/stop-the-spread. Also, and-safety. Also refer to informaton provided by local agencies, the fsh parasite (Gyrodactylus Salaris) is a threat to UK salmon navigaton and port authorites for polluton incidents such as stocks. Afer returning from abroad and before re-use in the blue green algae blooms. UK, thoroughly dry for 48 hours or disinfect all equipment by 2. Britsh Canoeing has a Memorandum of Understanding with immersing equipment in seawater or a 3% salt water soluton for English Nature (now formed as Natural England) that states a minimum of ten minutes, then rinse in tap water. “English Nature and Britsh Canoeing agree that there is unlikely 5. You, your canoe and the marine environment - Advice to be any signifcant impact on or lastng disturbance to wildlife for sustainable and good environmental practce, see: www. and the water environment from the passing of canoes.” britshcanoeing.org.uk/guidance-resources/waterways- 3. An Environment Agency report enttled “W266 - The efects environment/environmental-good-practce and www. of Canoeing on Fish Stocks and Angling” concluded that there canoescotland.org/faq/sea-kayaking-environmental-guidelines. is no empirical evidence linking canoeing with damage to fsh 6. Protected Area designatons - Special Sites of Scientfc interest spawning grounds or damage to fsh stocks. (SSSi’s), Special Areas of Conservaton (SAC’s) Special Protecton 4. All forms of water recreaton in the UK or abroad could Areas (SPA’s apply to rare and vulnerable species of birds), potentally transfer invasive species between waters on wet Natonal Nature Reserves and Marine Nature Reserves (to be or damp equipment to result in seriously damaging our natve known as Marine Conservaton Zones). Visit species and ecosystems - by spreading disease, competng for www.natural-england.org.uk for further informaton.

www.britshcanoeing.org.uk