This may well be a call to Arms

I found out today that Manchester City Council is looking to form a partnership with the RSPB to manage Cholton Water Park in south Manchester.

Some background on CWP and angling on it
CWP and its lake in particular is about 10 acres of mature sand and gravel workings its fish population until most recent years was of a really good mixed species quality. And therefore likely to throw up some surprises of big fish to those who worked out its secrets.
Of late, and for several reasons it’s become dominated by big fish.

1. Constant and sustained predation by cormorants over the last 10 years or so of taking out prime breeding stock of roach, perch, small bream and to a lesser extent tench.

2. Lack of an active fishery management plan by Manchester City Council and the Mersey Valley Warden Service. In sort the CP left it to its own devices. But took the money for fishing it, without invest it back into the fish stocks or management of the fisheries asset.
Whilst leaving the stocks to their own device under normal circumstance may have sufficed, but because of 1, the circumstances were far from normal and active intervention was needed.

The lake since its creation into a Country Park circa 1970s has always had angling on it and many generations of Manchester Anglers and beyond have fished it over its being. However, over the last 10 + years I have noticed what I call an “Action of Stealth” going on, which has curtailed angling. The planting of withies narrowing pegs and casting places as they matured. The imposition of what they called wildlife areas and the ubiquitous no fishing in this area. Roping off areas for Health and Safety. All in all a drip, drip, drip erosion on angling on this lake. Now don’t get me wrong here, all life has a place on the waters we fish and when necessary angling may have to make room in certain areas for it to thrive. But what irks me is when I see Actions of Stealth happening, to at, some point in the future stopping angling altogether.

RSPB and it Partnership with MCC
The RSPB doesn’t have a good track record in maintaining Angling and the right to fish on waters it’s involved with. And my sincere fear is that they will put pressure on MCC to stop angling on the lake completely using ever dirty trick in the book and some that aren’t. Some will remember the sale of Burton Mere on the Wirral and their first actions, which was to stop angling on the lakes and have the fish stocks removed. This can’t happen on CWP lake, and we have to lay down the marker so it doesn’t happen. How I’ll come to at the end of this piece.

Now what many don’t realise I suspect, is that Parks are at the bottom of the Local Authorities food chain in these austere time of cut and more cuts. (And take it form me with over 20 years of experience of being involved at community Friends Group level.) So much so, that all Councils are looking at ways of cutting costs in their management and if that means getting into partnerships with NGOs then that’s what they will do. So what is happening in Manchester is more than like to be looked at and implemented by other Councils nationally. Manchester City Council has a boast that “ where Manchester CC leads, other follow!” True or not on its party, and it starts b and ends in x, Your council will be looking at such ways of working of that I have no doubts particularly if it has a lake of high wildlife value.

So how do we put the marker down regarding CWP and the continuance of angling into the long-term? Well politicos are susceptible to pressure from citizens and one of the best ways to build such pressure is to voice you concerns to the right politico. In this case the right person is
Rosa Battle,
Executive Member of the Council for Community and Cultural Services

E-mail cllr.r.battle@manchester.gov.uk
Please keep the e-mail clean from profanities as we will be trying to win her over onto our side.

This is a copy of an e-mail I have just sent to Cllr Battle
It should give those that have concerns about this some ideas for their e-mails
Dear Cllr Battle
It has come to my attention that CCS leisure/parks is moving towards a joint management agreement with the RSPB regarding Cholton Water Park.

As angler, citzen, resident and Council tax payer in the city, I have some serious concerns regarding the fishing on the lake within the park and the RSPB. Who frankly don't have a good track record where angling is concerned. In some area nationally the are overtly anti-angling and have stopped angling on waters they have gained control of.

I therefore seek and expect assurances from you that the historic right of fishing on the lake in all its forms (day and night fishing, predator fishing and no bait restrictions placed on it, etc) as it currently stands will continue not only in the short-term but into the long-term under the partnership agreement and beyond, as have been the case since the lake was created.

Also that anglers of the city are fully "involved" (not just consulted and told what going to happen) in any plans that are forthcoming in regards to the lake and the River Mersey within the boundaries of the park.

On the wider point of public access, I also seek and expect assurances that unlike many reserves the RSPB run charging for access will not in any form be introduced, Ie car parking charges. Bird Hides permits and such like. Least you need reminding it is the citzens of this city that have paid up to this point for the development of CWP.

Yours Phil *******
Angler, Naturalist and city resident all my life.

Firstly you need to understand that the RSPB is a very aggressive business organisation that is trying, quite successfully, to develop into THE UK National Wildlife Organisation, with its interest in birds becoming just a sideline.
.......

The process of 'absorption' used by organisations such as RSPB and the National Trust is well defined and has a proven track record of effectiveness.

Initially 'all user groups' will be assured of their 'continued involvement' in the facility though no effort will be made to establish a user group, instead a 'local members (RSPB) group' will be set-up, if one does not already exist.

The Council will be constantly reminded that 'a process of change will be required' to make the facility financially self supporting ie; 'you couldn't do it so keep out of our business', and never forget the RSPB is a business first and foremost.

Assurances will be given to protect the free car parking on the facility (note the word ON).
Following the change in management land will be obtained close to the facility which will be used to construct the 'new' car park where parking charges will be immediately implemented, and the old car parking areas will be closed and replanted with natural vegetation, trees etc.

If possible the entire site will be fenced or an exclusion ditch dug and flooded inorder to 'prevent undue disturbance of nesting birds' .....less human access = more natural habitat = more nesting birds which require protecting, however the real reason for the fence/ditch is to confine visitors to one managed access point, and its well known anglers don't like to walk to far.

Lastly comes the construction of a centre and shop staffed by volunteers from, you've guessed it, the 'local group' of RSPB members and the flying visits of the fully badged-up Warden complete with obligatory beard and binoculars.

The only angling that will be permitted, if any, will be from a very limited bank, carefully policed by a volunteer and chosen, not because of its superb fishing but the exact opposite.
.......

Your best defence is attack, elected politicians first.

Your best course of action, form a local residents group and take it over 'for the use of ALL local people'......with the slogan 'PEOPLE BEFORE BIRDS'.


Hope this helps.

Mick great post and my thoughts precisely. Points I expressed to the Chair of the Friends of Cholton Water Park at the meeting where he announced it and was extolling the virtues of this partnership.

Are Cholton Water Park and Chorlton Water Park one and the same? I ask because when I done a bit of searching, I got limited results for Cholton.

Do you have much local support from anglers?