Central Area Fisheries Advisory Committee 30th March, 1983 Item Type monograph Publisher North West Water Authority Download date 27/09/2021 03:19:18 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/27119 North West Water Dawson House, Great Sankey Warrington WA5 3LW Telephone Penketh 4321 RF2/B13 22nd March, 1983 To: Members of the Central Area Fisheries Advisory Committee: (Messrs. J. M. Croft, (Chairman); W. Bailey; R. Barratt; R. A. Challenor; J. H. Fell; R. Harper; A. L. Harris; R. D. Houghton; J. Johnson; G. Jones; J. P. Lord; H. B. Whittam; G. Wilson; Dr. R. B. Broughton; Professor W. E. Kershaw; and the Chairman of the Authority (G. Mann); the Vice Chairman of the Authority (A. Richardson); and the Chairman of the Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee (T. A. F. Barnes) (ex officio)). Dear Member, Please attend a meeting of the CENTRAL AREA FISHERIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE to be held at 2.30 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, 30TH MARCH, 1983, at the SOUTH CUMBRIA AREA OFFICE of the RIVERS DIVISION, BEATHWAITE, LEVENS, KENDAL, for consideration of the following business. Yours faithfully, W. H. CRACKLE, Secretary and Solicitor AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence. 2. Minutes of the meeting held on 13th October, 1982, (previously circulated and approved by the. Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee on 8th November, 1982. Enclosed herewith are the minutes of the Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee for 8th November, 1982, and for 31st January, 1983). 3. Fishing Licence Duties 1984. 4. Fyke nets and otters. 5. Whirling disease. 6. Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 - Fishery Byelaws. 7. Furness and South Cumbria Fisheries Association - Decline of Salmon and Sea Trout catches. 8. Spawning tributaries - Rivers Ribble, Hodder and Wyre. 9. Langcliffe Hatchery. 10. Report by the Area Fisheries Officers on Fisheries Activities. 11. Draft Calendar of Meetings, 1983-84. 12. Any other business. R F l/A l MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE REGIONAL FISHERIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE 8TH NOVEMBER 1982 P r e s e n t: T. A. F. Barnes (Chairman) J. S. Bailey R. D. Houghton W. S. Bell J . Jo h n so n A. G. R. Brown I . J o n e s H. Caunce G. E. Lowe E. P. Ecroyd J. E. Redhead J . H. F e l l A. Richardson Major J. G. W. Skipwith 17. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence from the meeting were received from Messrs. F. Bunting, G. Campbell, J. M. Croft, J. E. Gouldbourn, G. Mann and Wm. McKenna. 18. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING RESOLVED: That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 30th June 1982, be approved as a correct record and signed by the C hairm an. 19. MINUTES OF AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEES (A) Northern Area The Chairman of the Northern Area Advisory Committee submitted the minutes of the meeting held on llth October 1982. In relation, to minute no. 3 (d^ath of Mr. G.N.F. Wingate) the Chairman of the Northern Area Committee proposed that Dr. J.I. Abernethy of 5 Sunscales Avenue, Cockermouth, Cumbria, the Secretary of the South and West Cumberland Fisheries Association, be appointed to fill the vacancy on that Committee caused by Mr. Wingates' death. RESOLVED: j (1) That the appointment of Dr:. J.I. Abernethy to the Northern Area Fisheries Advisory committee be approved. (2) That with the exception of minute no.9, the minutes be a p p ro v e d . (3) That the recommendations in minute no.9 (Mink in North Cumbria) be considered under the appropriate agenda item. -2- (B) Central Area In the absence of the Chairman of the Central Area Advisory Committee, Mr. R.D. Houghton submitted the minutes of the meeting held on 13th October 1982. In relation to minute no.9 (Fishing Offences and Prosecutions 1981/82), whilst appreciating the steady development of liaison between Cumbria police and the fisheries staff on poaching prevention, the Committee expressed grave concern at present levels of bailiffing staff in all three areas, northern, central and southern. It was felt that the present establishment was insufficient to deal effectively with the current situation on some northern rivers, notably the Derwent, where poaching was rife. The Area Committee wanted a substantial increase in the bailiffing staff for the 1983 fishing season. RESOLVED: (1) That with the exception of minute no's.7 and 9 the minutes be approved. (2) That the recommendations in minute no. 7 (Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, River Lune) be considered under the appropriate agenda item. (3) That the recommendation in minute no.9 (Fishing Offences and Prosecutions 1981/82) be not approved but that as a matter of urgency and due mainly to the seriousness of the poaching on northern rivers, the officers in consultation with the Chairmen of this and the Area Committees formulate proposals to combat poaching and provision be made in the 1983/84 estimates to cover the costs. (C) Southern Area The Chairman of the Southern Area Advisory Committee submitted the minutes of the meeting held on 20th October 1982. In relation to minute no.12 (Jumbles Reservoir) the - Regional Fisheries Officer explained that there was no permit charge to fish Jumbles Reservoir because when such charges had been levied, costs had exceeded income. This was in contrast to Worthington Lakes where the charge was cost-effective. RESOLVED; That the minutes be approved. -3- 2 0 . MINK IN NORTH CUMBRIA The Committee considered a report, previously submitted to the October meeting of the Northern Area Committee, on the increase in the feral mink population in north Cumbria, and possible control measures. Although MAFF had sanctioned the introduction of mink into the country for the production of pelts, it had some years ago transferred its responsibility for the control of the feral population to landowners. It was unlikely that MAFF would now resume this responsibility; it was presently only prepared to advise on the construction of traps. From the Authority's point of view, there was no question of any redeployment of bailiffs to trap mink as this would substantially .reduce the time spent on tasks which were more properly within the scope of their duties. It was felt that the Authority should enlist the aid of other interested bodies and that a concerted approach should be made to MAFF by all concerned requesting it to resume its former responsibilities for the control and trapping of feral mink and/or its introducing a bounty scheme to encourage trapping. Should this approach fail, the Authority should canvas the views of other interested bodies on the provision of a joint bounty fund which might encourage trapping. The Committee considered the recommendation of the Area Committee and in turn RECOMMENDED: That the Authority through the Regional Fisheries Officer (1) canvas the views of all interested bodies, including water authorities, National Farmers Union, Nature Conservancy Council, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, county landowners associations and local fisheries associations on a joint approach to MAFF for it to resume its responsibilities for the control and trapping of feral mink and/or its introducing a bounty scheme to encourage trapping. (2) canvas the views of the same bodies on their jo in t funding of a bounty fund. 21. SALMON AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES ACT 1975, RIVER LUNE. The Committee considered a report on the temporary fishery byelaws - annual close season and weekly close time - net licence duties, on the River Lune. These matters had been considered by the Central Area Committee on 13th October, 1982 (minute no.7) when that Committee had recommended "(1) That renewal of the temporary River Lune Fishery Byelaws for a further three years to take effect on and after 1st April 1983 be sought from MAFF and the position reviewed again towards the end of that period. -4- (2) That as a matter of urgency, consideration be given to finalising the design and details of the proposed Forge Weir fish trap." The Regional Fisheries Officer informed the Committee that since the Area meeting, an objection to the proposed renewal of the byelaws had been received from a group of seven Lune anglers. The views put forward had not persuaded him that the original proposal and decisions of the Area Committee should be changed. He agreed with the view of the Lune and Wyre Fishery Association that the original three year period was too short a time to assess the effects of the temporary measures, a view echoed by members. RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the Central Area Committee be approved. RECOMMENDED: (1) That the Policy and Resources Committee be recommended to approve the renewal of the temporary River Lune Fishery Byelaws for a further three years to take effect on and after 1st April 1983 and that the position be reviewed again towards the end of that period. (2) That subject to the approval of this recommendation by the Policy and Resources Committee, the Secretary and Solicitor be authorised: (a) to publish a notice of the Authority's intention to make application to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for confirmation of the River Lune Fishery Byelaws in the London Gazette and appropriate local newspapers; (b) Take a ll such further steps as may be necessary for confirmation of the byelaws, including representation at a public inquiry, in the event of objections to the same being received by the M in iste r. 22. ROD AND LINE FISHING LICENCE DUTIES 1983 The Regional Fisheries Officer informed the Committee that MAFF had approved the Authority's proposals for the 1983 rod and line fishing licence duties. Formal notification of approval was, however, still awaited.