Angling Trust - North East Freshwater Forum

The Inaugural Meeting of the ATr North East Freshwater Forum was held last week, Thursday 23rd June, at the EA Offices, Tyneside House, Newcastle.

The meeting was addressed by Mark Lloyd who gave an update of the Angling Trust, its achievements to-date and what it was looking to achieve.
(I had hoped that Mike Heylin would make the trip but he found frolicking around in the mud of Glastonbury more appealing )

Although a good mix of coarse and game, specialist angling and fisheries interests were represented, there was a notable absence of people from the southern area of the region.

Mark set out a time-table for the future of the Forum (i.e. for members to propose officials, go away and return in 3 months and then elect) but members present thought that in view that it had taken almost three years for anything to happen re: the ATr in the Region, 'acting' officials of the NE Freshwater Forum were elected that night.

The following people were proposed and accepted by ATr members on the night.

Chair: Anne Adlington, Angel Of The North Fisheries
Secretary: John Hepworth, Durham City A.C.
Treasurer: Brendan Heslop, Cramlington & Wansbeck A.C.

It is hoped that the monies held by the now defunct River Wear Fisheries Improvement Ass can be transferred to the new Forum, its constitution did say that in the event of closure any funds should be transferred to another body with similar aims.

As highlighted above and at the meeting, NE anglers have waited a long time, not only for the ATr Forum, but for any organisation that can properly represent all angling interests and anglers at a national level.

With the EA, although its local fisheries staff have always helped when able to, it has failed miserably to take on board the interests of the vast majority of anglers of the region. For many years, decades even, the RFAC's/RFERAC's have failed to even recognise us.

I'll keep all interested ATr (and future) members updated on FM and hope to have a NE Freshwater Forum web site set up very soon. The web site will include information on the local CAAG's and ADB activities.

As acting sectary I hope to be able to write to all ATr members/ATr member clubs not on e-mail with an update and date/time and venue of the next meeting of the ATr NE Freshwater Forum, which provisionally will be held the W/C 12th September, EA Offices, Tyneside House, Newcastle.

A Forum web site was also on the agenda of the recently held North West F/W Forum, as was establishing a list on those members not on-line.

Looks like we are ahead already, we have a lot of years to catch up on, please support your ATr North East Freshwater Forum.

John Hepworth
Acting Secretary
Angling Trusts North East Freshwater Forum

John,

Are these Forums going to cover the Old River Board Areas ?

And what are the Freshwater Forums about, is Specialist Fishing covered by these Forums.

Or is it going to be, big Clubs and Match Fishing that are controlling the Forums ?

Bob

Hi Bob,

At the start of the NE meeting I asked what area the NE Forum would cover and was told by Mark that it would be roughly that of the Northumbria area of the NE & Yorkshire EA Region (i.e. south of the Tweed catchment down to and including the Tees, which I believe is too large) Historically the Tees has always flip-flopped between Yorkshire and Northumbria; at the moment it is part of the southern area of the NE, as is the Wear catchment.

If you have a look on the regional events section of the ATr web site there is a model Constitution as used by the East Freshwater Forum; I'm currently in the process of adapting it for the NE Forum.

Re match fishing; apart from the few charity matches on the Tyne and the EA sponsored Tyne/Wear & Tees river championships,(the EA actually PAY anglers to fish to the tune of £2.5k/match!!!!) other than commercial events there is very little going on up here. The Tees clubs have more match events but they seemed not to be interested.

I know that 'specialist angling' has been an issue with some Forums?, I note from theminutes of the recent NW Forum meeting 'specialist angling' was put back 'till the next meeting, but we have the PAC Liaison Officer on board up here, and of course the CSG Secretary The local PAC's are also quite active up here.

I'm hopeful that S.A. is back on the agenda with the ATr. Will Smith is busy putting together a SA web section and Mark Lloyd told me last week that he has also written something to be included.

Well accept and encourage any ATr members to become involved, even BS members

When old Fred French passed away recently I thought it was time to draw a line.

Fred, along with a couple more who we have sadly lost in recent times, devoted a good part of his life into bringing about one single representative organisation for anglers and angling, it's just a shame he played so little a part over the last two years. Even so, he managed to send out mammoth amounts useful information (along with other stuff ) in his e-mails. I now receive hardly any e-mails

Thanks John,

I have to admit to sitting in meeting with you and wondering what it's all about ?

The number of groups and organisations that get involved is quite mind boggling.

And the times I here letters ( ABC-BBC-etc etc.) refered to in meetings rather than names, drives me mad, if I had asked what they all meant it would take all day ?

It comes down to internal politics, which I'm sure is needed, but for most anglers it's a complete bore ?

Still hopefully those meeting we attended are now bearing fruit ?

Good luck in the future.

Bob

Surely everyone knows what CSG stands for, Bob. Not too sure than can be said about the BS though

john m h said:

Surely everyone knows what CSG stands for, Bob. Not too sure than can be said about the BS though

Click to expand...

Carp Society Groupies !!



What exactly is a BS ?

Bob