Carp Angling Conservation Forum

Carp Angling Conservation Forum

The newly formed Carp Angling Conservation Forum met for the first time on Sunday the 9th June at the Lechlade Trout Farm adjacent to the Carp Society?s Horseshoe Lake. The forum has been formed by the Carp Society to primarily consider the issues and debate surrounding the illegal importation and illegal movement of fish into England & Wales. Future agenda?s will serve to highlight other activities deemed to be a threat to carp angling and ultimately involve those who are able to positively influence the outcome in favour of the fish and the angler.

Those organisations currently participating are The Carp Society, English Carp Heritage Organisation, Specialist Angling Alliance, Institute of Fisheries Management, British Carp Study Group, Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association, Environment Agency and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.

Considerable areas of agreement were reached and further announcements will follow as the momentum to protect carp angling gathers pace. The key point from the forum is a united opposition to all illegal importation, illegal movement and illegal stocking of carp and other species into England & Wales. A commitment was made to meet the following objectives:

1. United in opposition to all illegal imports, illegal movements and illegal stocking of carp and other fish species into England & Wales.
2. Recommend exclusively the stocking of health certified fish under all circumstances.
3. Provide best practice advice to fishery owners and anglers to mitigate the risks associated with introducing fish into new and already populated waters.
4. Encourage the implementation and effective use of existing legislation towards enforcing fish movement and stocking policy to deter mal-practice now and in the future.
5. Promote the adoption of existing codes of conduct through, education, business, professional organisations, angling bodies and the angling public.
6. Share information between the participating organisations and involve like-minded organisations based abroad.
7. Encourage any information concerning illegal imports to be passed to CEFAS (01305 206681) or, in the case of illegal fish movements within England & Wales, the EA Emergency Hotline (0800 80 70 60).

Any organisation wishing to actively take part in future forums are invited to contact the forum chairman:

Bill Ward
Chairman
The Carp Society

Tel: 01793 528361
Fax: 01793 528376
billw@carpsociety.com

Bill, I understand the term illegal imports and illegal movements to mean looking at after the safety of the fish whilst in transit etc, is this correct?
But could you please explain to me what illegal stocking means?

Thanks

For a change, I'm not being funny here, just an honest question? anyone know the answer? just curious?

He's obviously just using the forum to post information and looking for a pat on the back and not enter into a discussion.

That's not like the Carp Society is it?

Stuart,

The often used terms illegal imports, illegal movements and illegal stockings have been used to define the activities taking place which threaten carp and other species in waters both here and abroad. Illegal movements between fish farms and illegal stockings from fish farms into publicly or privately owned waters is also a fair meaning of the terms used.

In reply to Carp Angler, a pat on the back is deserved by all the individuals representing the organisations that together agreed the objectives set. The future of Carp angling is presently in the hands of a tiny minority of caring anglers. That future could be bleak if they cannot rely on support and commitment so often spoken about but which very rarely materialises in a practical and constructive sense.

Kindest regards

Bill Ward

So what support are you looking for then Bill?
Are you suggesting I'm not constructive because I'm not a member of the CS?

After seeing the organisational and financial shambles that left the CS on it's knees, I wouldn't recommend anyone to part with any money at all that is liable to find it's way into their coffers.


So, lets look at what groundbreaking new rulings you've managed to achieve at this meeting......

1. United in opposition to all illegal imports, illegal movements and illegal stocking of carp and other fish species into England & Wales.

A) The upholding of the current law.


2. Recommend exclusively the stocking of health certified fish under all circumstances.

A) The upholding of the current law.


3. Provide best practice advice to fishery owners and anglers to mitigate the risks associated with introducing fish into new and already populated waters.

A) Recommend people to uphold the current law.


4. Encourage the implementation and effective use of existing legislation towards enforcing fish movement and stocking policy to deter mal-practice now and in the future.

A) Encourage people to uphold the current law.

5. Promote the adoption of existing codes of conduct through, education, business, professional organisations, angling bodies and the angling public.

A) Educate people to uphold the current law.


6. Share information between the participating organisations and involve like-minded organisations based abroad.

A) Tell everyone else to uphold the current law.


7. Encourage any information concerning illegal imports to be passed to CEFAS (01305 206681) or, in the case of illegal fish movements within England & Wales, the EA Emergency Hotline (0800 80 70 60).

A) Phone the authorities if people do not uphold the current law.


A job well done then.
The future of carp angling is in the hands of a tiny minority of people who just seem to want to go over old ground.
If re-iterating current legislation makes you caring, then I fall way short.

If acheiving nothing else (which I don't think is true), this group is at least trying to bring things to the public eye. Now sure ECHO have helped there but increased exposure can only be a good thing. Lets also not forget that this was the output from their very first meeting so I would suggest giving it a chance rather than knocking one of the groups who happened to be sitting around the table.

Rob.

I wish the Carp Society well in their quests. Just wanted an understanding of what the above meant. So thanks for that - Stuart