MTAA August 28th, 2010
With the current high water levels throughout the Usk catchment we are seeing an increase in salmon bookings for our Usk fisheries, however, we are also seeing an increase in the number of people that are not obeying the rules regarding the booking-in procedure. Most shockingly, we are seeing more and more incidents where members are not carrying their licences.
The situation, everyone, is this:
You are expected to book in in order to fish on any of the MTAA Usk fisheries as it is in your own interest. If we were to allow open access visiting anglers would turn up and not be able to fish.
Regarding the issue of members not carrying their licenses, this is a rule of the Association. There have been two instances in the last week where members have asked other members to see their licenses, only to be met with such words as ‘why are you picking on me?’ or ‘I have left it in the car’.
1) You are required (as per Association rules) to carry your license at all times whilst fishing on ANY Association water and 2) you should be glad someone is interested in protecting your fishing. By all means ask for their license also, but produce yours with a smile. If someone does not recognise you it is perfectly understandable that you may be asked to produce your license more than once. This is, surely, no issue but a matter of water/fishery protection.
Final word, you have been warned. If you are caught fishing without booking in you may be banned for a period to be determined by the Committee. If you are caught fishing without your MTAA license you will be asked to leave the water and further action may be taken.
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MTAA August 3rd, 2010
The Campaign for the Protection of Welsh Fisheries (CPWF) is an organisation made up of volunteer anglers who are working in partnership with the Environment Agency Wales to secure better protection of our fisheries. To do this they need your help. Please report any poaching or other illegal fisheries incidence by calling the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 80 70 60, please then confirm your call by reporting the incident on the Campaign web site at www.cpwf.co.uk. You can also use the Campaign reporting system to let the Environment Agency know of any illegal fisheries activity you have good ground to know or suspect is going on. All reports are confidential and go to the Environment Agency direct AND to the Campaign, who will use the information reported to build up the case for better fisheries protection.
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MTAA July 31st, 2010
Members are aware and we are grateful for all reports on the subject that the Morlais Brook has recently been causing the members and Committee concern.
We are experiencing continual flows of dirty water and the smell of sewerage; this has been reported to the Environment Agency at least seven times in the last two weeks and we have been waiting for feedback, but we have now had a call from the Agency with the following.
On two occasions Welsh Water, the company responsible through its agents for looking after the sewerage system, were called out and found two overflowing sewerage overflows causing a problem. These were dealt with and all the other overflows checked and found to be clear. This does not mean that we will not have more discharges in future, so please keep your eyes and noses open.
The coloured water is more of a problem and after analysis the following results have come to light. The water, although dirty, does not contain any toxic substances and is not a danger to fish and river life even at the low flows we are experiencing at the moment. The way the Agency and others define this is by the ‘parts per million’ of suspended solids; in the case of the brook, this was only 60 parts per million.
To explain, the Welsh Water treatment works at Pontsticill had a discharge consent at one time for the backwash of 30 parts per million. We remember one bad discharge of 200 parts per million and no fish deaths. We are not condoning the discharge but only letting concerned members know the facts.
The discharge was not low in dissolved oxygen and the ammonia content was well within the normal limits found in any river water.
After all this the Agency are concerned and would like to know where the discharge is coming from. We understand that they think it may be coming from somewhere on the Goatmill Road and they are concentrating on looking in this area as the next step.
Any further information or concerns will be gratefully appreciated and will be passed on to the Environment Agency.
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MTAA July 21st, 2010
The Association has recently experienced an instance of unauthorised boating activity on one our waters and, because of which, we would like to ask all members to report any sightings of canoes, kayaks, etc on any of our waters.
If you do see any such activity taking place on any of our waters, a couple of simple and friendly questions will help us investigate the issue further. In order to investigate any of these activities successfully, the Association will require the below information:
- Date
- Time
- River Name
- Location
- Canoe/Kayaker Name (if possible)
- Car Registration (if possible)
- Photos would be ideal
The Association would like to emphasise that your personal safety is paramount. Should there be an instance where you are challenged threateningly when querying for the above details, you must walk away and contact the Association immediately.
If you have any queries or questions please do not hesitate to contact the Association via any of the contact numbers on our Committee Contacts page or, alternatively, via the Contact Us page.
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MTAA July 7th, 2010
Following the Sustainability Committee’s Access to Inland Water Inquiry results, Canoe Wales have submitted the following correspondence to the National Assembly for Wales.
Recommended reading for anyone wishing to keep up to speed.
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MTAA June 23rd, 2010
The Wild Trout Trust are, once again, running their fantastic annual raffle and the prizes of which just keep getting better and better.
The most important aspect of this raffle is, of course, that all monies raised will go back towards the betterment of trout habitat and river improvement projects throughout the UK. For those of you who’ve fished the upper Taff (specifically the Taf Fechan), you may have noticed the signs proudly displaying the WTT logo as the WTT helped towards the funding of our river restoration and wild trout fishery project back in 2001 (click here to read more about the project).
Tickets cost just £1 each and every purchase/donation will make a supreme difference. All you need to do to enter is download the Ticket Application form from below, print off, complete and post back to the enclosed address. Prizes for this auction are also listed below but, and I’m sure you will agree, are looking rather special indeed.
- 1st Prize kindly donated by The Peacock at Rowsley and Haddon Fisheries, worth £575
2 Day Tickets on the River Wye & 1 night’s dinner, B&B for 2 (double or twin) at The Peacock at Rowsley in high season or 4 Day Tickets & 1 night’s Dinner, B&B in low season. (www.thepeacockatrowlsey.com, www.haddonestate.co.uk)
- 2nd Prize kindly donated by Sage, worth £499
A Sage 7ft 10in, 3-piece TXL rod. Perfect for small streams and designed with wild native trout in mind. (www.sageflyfish.com)
- 3rd Prize kindly donated by Orvis, worth £399
An Orvis Hydros 9ft, 5-weight, 4-piece mid flex action rod. Perfect for trout fishing on rivers. (www.orvis.co.uk)
- 4th Prize kindly donated by the Wild Trout Trust, worth £300
Wild Trout Trust Life Membership. (www.wildtrout.org)
- 5th Prize kindly donated by Waitrose, worth £160
6 Bottles of The Macallan 12 Year Old 1997 (Signatory) malt whiskey. (www.waitrose.com)
For more information regarding the hard work of the Wild Trout Trust or, in the unlikely event you are not already a member, please consider joining the Wild Trout Trust at www.wildtrout.org.
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MTAA June 21st, 2010
The Association is currently looking into the possibility of purchasing a new water for it’s members and, at present, the information is available to MTAA members only.
To read further, please click here (login will be required).
MTAA June 17th, 2010
A date for your calendars as Keep Wales Tidy in conjunction with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council will be performing a river cleanup on the River Taff on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September 2010. Further details such as meeting locations, times, etc , are yet to be confirmed but all volunteers are welcome and it would be hugely beneficial to the Taff catchment as a whole if we can get as much interest in this event as possible.
If you’re able to attend, even it is just for a few hours, it will have a massive impact. Let’s make a difference!
Further details will follow as and when they are made available, but if anyone is interested please feel free to email the Association via the Contact Us page.
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MTAA June 17th, 2010
The Association is very happy and proud to announce the implementation of its brand new chat facility, MTAA Chat! This new application will allow (at the moment) up to 10 members to chat with each other in real-time and to share fishing reports, discuss upcoming events, fishing techniques, ideas, etc.
The MTAA Chat facility is exclusive to members only and website registration will be required (if you are a member but have not yet registered, please click here). MTAA Chat can be found by browsing to the ‘Forum & Chat’ tab located towards the top of the website and by clicking the MTAA Chat logo.
If you have any problems using MTAA Chat, please feel free to contact our IT Officer, Gareth Lewis, via the Contact Us page.
Please note: all discussions are archived and recorded for security purposes. Anyone found to be misusing this system will be contacted by a member of the MTAA Committee.
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