Environment Agency: Usk Catch & Release Campaign

July 8th, 2011

Environment Agency Catch & Release CampaignThe Environment Agency are currently researching the advanatages of Catch & Release and are hard at work promoting their Usk Catch & Release Campaign for both sea trout and salmon. In order to keep our members as up to date as possible, the below has information has been forwarded to us.

Have a few thoughts on this subject? Why not discuss it in the MTAA Forum?

From the Environment Agency:

Sea trout and salmon have been returning to spawn in our rivers for thousands of years. These fish face many challenges throughout their extraordinary life cycle. Its our job to look after them and the environment they live in and make it a better place, not just for ourselves but for future generations.

Sea trout and salmon fisheries are an important part of the local economy. We should all value the sea trout and salmon in our rivers, and we must do more to help the conservation of these fish that represent an important part of our wildlife in Wales.

Having considered the latest evidence, and applied the Environment Agency National decision structure, we have concluded that the river Usk Salmon stock is in serious danger. Further reduction towards zero exploitation is urgently needed.

Releasing fish voluntarily helps to increase the numbers of salmon that survive to spawn and reduces the likelihood of us introducing new legislation. For example on the Wye the stock has fallen to such an extent that we are formally advertising our proposal for 100% catch and Release for rod caught salmon and sea trout.

We are temporary guardians of this wonderful heritage with the same responsibilities as our predecessors to do all we can to ensure we halt the continuing decline of Usk Salmon. In this spirit I hope you will give your wholehearted support to this recommendation and ensure you ask others to do the same.

What do you need to do?

  1. Read the attached documents
  2. Relay this message to those who might be interested
  3. Please release every salmon you catch!

Environment Agency Wales will continue to :-

  1. Improve environmental conditions and increase the availability of good quality habitat
  2. Promote better land management practices
  3. Work with our partners to remove or mitigate barriers to fish migration
  4. Reduce the exploitation of at risk stocks
  5. Agree voluntary constraints or use mandatory controls on fishing to ensure stocks are sustained whilst fishing opportunity is optimised
  6. Ensure that illegal exploitation is minimised and to secure effective penalties for offenders

[The Environment Agency] will be in touch soon with details of [their] Usk Catch & Release Campaign and your chance to discuss this via drop in surgeries on the river.

Downloads

(Adobe Reader requried for the above attachments- click here to download)

Comments are closed.