Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
I don't know if many of you were aware, but the EA early this year were proposing a new set of charges for eel, lamprey, and crayfish traps. They conducted a consultation (although it was kept fairly quiet and I only found out because our local EA Fisheries officer let it out at a meeting) and the results are now in.
I am glad to say that the EA have listened to us in part at least.
Most anglers would want the trapping of eels to cease whereas the EA wanted to increase the charge per trap. Anglers are now forbidden from removing eels from rivers and lakes as they are now considered a 'endangered' specie with less than 1% of glass eels coming up the rivers that came in the 1950s. Trapping accounted for most eel removals before even when anglers were allowed to take one or two home.
But the biggest complaint was charging for trapping the alien nuisance - signal crayfish (and other like the Turkish Blue). It was being proposed to charge £45 for UPTO 10 traps whereas many anglers who trap merely for the immediate table/meal only set two or three at most and at the same time are attempting to control a pest.
For once, the EA has listened and removed completely the proposed charge for trapping crayfish (although you will still need to apply for licences/tags fro the traps you use). A full list of new charges for 2012 can be seen here.
One up for common sense!
I am glad to say that the EA have listened to us in part at least.
Most anglers would want the trapping of eels to cease whereas the EA wanted to increase the charge per trap. Anglers are now forbidden from removing eels from rivers and lakes as they are now considered a 'endangered' specie with less than 1% of glass eels coming up the rivers that came in the 1950s. Trapping accounted for most eel removals before even when anglers were allowed to take one or two home.
But the biggest complaint was charging for trapping the alien nuisance - signal crayfish (and other like the Turkish Blue). It was being proposed to charge £45 for UPTO 10 traps whereas many anglers who trap merely for the immediate table/meal only set two or three at most and at the same time are attempting to control a pest.
For once, the EA has listened and removed completely the proposed charge for trapping crayfish (although you will still need to apply for licences/tags fro the traps you use). A full list of new charges for 2012 can be seen here.
One up for common sense!
