Post by Hoppy on Apr 5, 2006 19:40:14 GMT -1
Thanks to Gethyn for allowing me to use this article.
Yesterday saw (Gethyn Thomas) me attending a workshop in the university at Aberystwyth, this was arranged by the Environment Agency Wales for the proposed Western Wales River Basin District. This district is from Cardiff in the South to just East of Rhyl in the North, it takes account of over 50 celebrated rivers.
The Welsh Dee is not included, it comes under the Dee District, also the Usk and Wye catchments are in the Severn District and these two districts will not come under the Welsh Assembly Governments Directive.
It was a frightening experience as throughout the day there was no mention of fisheries/angling, be it river or sea, it is proposed that there will be 15 members on a liaison panel which will be deciding future direction of our river basins until 2015, on the Draft proposed composition information leaflet there were 8 of these places already decided before this workshop, these will be from, Environment Agency Wales, Local Authorities, Countryside Council for Wales, Water Companies, Environmental NGO's, Farming, Business and Industry, Forestry Commission.
Even if, and it is a big if, we can identify someone able to represent the whole of fishing and angling, Freshwater and Sea, throughout this region, and if him or her is fortunate to get a place out of the remaining seven seats on this panel, it would be a mammoth task to get support for Fishing and angling etc. taking into account the present pressure that angling is enjoying from other water users.
We will have to wait and see how this river basin planning scheme develops, there are 11 proposed areas throughout England and Wales, it seems that there will be consultation and new planning etc every six years,eg. 2009, 2015 etc.
The Environment Agency Wales will be driving and implementing the Water Framework Directive for the Welsh Assembly and as they are also charged with managing and improving our rivers, we will need to keep a close watch on the proposals and challenge any that would seem detrimental to Fishing and Angling. This is where I believe our best opportunity to have any influence on these directives will be.
Yesterday saw (Gethyn Thomas) me attending a workshop in the university at Aberystwyth, this was arranged by the Environment Agency Wales for the proposed Western Wales River Basin District. This district is from Cardiff in the South to just East of Rhyl in the North, it takes account of over 50 celebrated rivers.
The Welsh Dee is not included, it comes under the Dee District, also the Usk and Wye catchments are in the Severn District and these two districts will not come under the Welsh Assembly Governments Directive.
It was a frightening experience as throughout the day there was no mention of fisheries/angling, be it river or sea, it is proposed that there will be 15 members on a liaison panel which will be deciding future direction of our river basins until 2015, on the Draft proposed composition information leaflet there were 8 of these places already decided before this workshop, these will be from, Environment Agency Wales, Local Authorities, Countryside Council for Wales, Water Companies, Environmental NGO's, Farming, Business and Industry, Forestry Commission.
Even if, and it is a big if, we can identify someone able to represent the whole of fishing and angling, Freshwater and Sea, throughout this region, and if him or her is fortunate to get a place out of the remaining seven seats on this panel, it would be a mammoth task to get support for Fishing and angling etc. taking into account the present pressure that angling is enjoying from other water users.
We will have to wait and see how this river basin planning scheme develops, there are 11 proposed areas throughout England and Wales, it seems that there will be consultation and new planning etc every six years,eg. 2009, 2015 etc.
The Environment Agency Wales will be driving and implementing the Water Framework Directive for the Welsh Assembly and as they are also charged with managing and improving our rivers, we will need to keep a close watch on the proposals and challenge any that would seem detrimental to Fishing and Angling. This is where I believe our best opportunity to have any influence on these directives will be.
