I
Ian Cloke
Guest
The Anglers? Conservation Association (ACA) is calling for all anglers to make some noise about the Blueprint for Water, launched last week with a media launch and a parliamentary reception attended by over 50 MPs, including several ministers.
The launch was covered on the Today programme, and BBC Television news throughout the day. As one of the founding partners of the coalition of 10 national environmental pressure groups, the ACA is keen to see the Blueprint lead to new initiatives and investment to restore and protect our precious rivers, lakes and canals.
The Blueprint sets out a 10 point plan under 3 headings: water quantity, water quality and habitat enhancement. It also includes a detailed implementation plan which has been drawn up by experts from each of the 10 member organisations over the past 8 months. It has been timed to coincide with crucial decisions on the Water Framework Directive and to seize the opportunity of a new Minister at Defra who is currently rewriting the Government?s environmental vision. The coalition will continue to build the campaign and will be monitoring key decisions very closely.
ACA Executive Director Mark Lloyd said: ?every angler who wants to see a better environment for fish to breed, feed and thrive should give their support to the Blueprint for Water right now. Our country?s millions of anglers could have a huge influence on the future of our water environment ? and our sport ? if they spoke up loudly in support of the Blueprint at this crucial moment. This is a once in a generation opportunity to make a real difference to government policy which affects us all every time we go fishing. It also affects everyone who has children and wants them to grow up in a healthy landscape where wild things thrive.?
To help make the campaign a success, anglers should write to their local MP right now, preferably in their own words, expressing support for the Blueprint and highlighting problems with their local waters. A postcard will do. If anyone wants to find out how to contact their local MP they should go to www.blueprintforwater.org.uk and click on ?What you can do to help?. If you don?t have time to write your own letter, you can download a standard text from the site.
Most of the media coverage and Ministers? attention focused particularly on the fact that angling organisations had unusually teamed up with other environmental organisations to launch this campaign. Now it needs anglers to make it really fly.
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The launch was covered on the Today programme, and BBC Television news throughout the day. As one of the founding partners of the coalition of 10 national environmental pressure groups, the ACA is keen to see the Blueprint lead to new initiatives and investment to restore and protect our precious rivers, lakes and canals.
The Blueprint sets out a 10 point plan under 3 headings: water quantity, water quality and habitat enhancement. It also includes a detailed implementation plan which has been drawn up by experts from each of the 10 member organisations over the past 8 months. It has been timed to coincide with crucial decisions on the Water Framework Directive and to seize the opportunity of a new Minister at Defra who is currently rewriting the Government?s environmental vision. The coalition will continue to build the campaign and will be monitoring key decisions very closely.
ACA Executive Director Mark Lloyd said: ?every angler who wants to see a better environment for fish to breed, feed and thrive should give their support to the Blueprint for Water right now. Our country?s millions of anglers could have a huge influence on the future of our water environment ? and our sport ? if they spoke up loudly in support of the Blueprint at this crucial moment. This is a once in a generation opportunity to make a real difference to government policy which affects us all every time we go fishing. It also affects everyone who has children and wants them to grow up in a healthy landscape where wild things thrive.?
To help make the campaign a success, anglers should write to their local MP right now, preferably in their own words, expressing support for the Blueprint and highlighting problems with their local waters. A postcard will do. If anyone wants to find out how to contact their local MP they should go to www.blueprintforwater.org.uk and click on ?What you can do to help?. If you don?t have time to write your own letter, you can download a standard text from the site.
Most of the media coverage and Ministers? attention focused particularly on the fact that angling organisations had unusually teamed up with other environmental organisations to launch this campaign. Now it needs anglers to make it really fly.
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