For immediate release:

24 April 2008

Reading West MP, Martin Salter, has urged the government once again to reject the campaign by the British Canoe Union (B.C.U) for statutory river access for non-powered craft. On behalf of the B.C.U, John Grogan MP has tabled House of Commons Early Day Motion 1331 – virtually identical to an EDM he tabled in 2005 - which calls for the right to paddle along every river and stream in England and Wales - a move which would frankly destroy angling on our smaller rivers, streams and brooks and disturb wildlife, nesting birds and spawning grounds.

Last year the then Environment Minister Barry Gardiner reconfirmed the government’s policy stating in a letter to Mr Salter:

Mr Salter said:

"Despite the government repeatedly giving its backing to voluntary access agreements, the B.C.U are once again seeking the right to paddle without consent along streams and brooks, past people’s back-gardens, through private property in pursuit of their sport, without any concern for disruption of other users of the waterside such as anglers and birdwatchers. Anglers have no automatic right to fish in any river or lake and in the vast majority of cases they require the permission of the riparian landowner, pay fishing club fees as well as their annual rod licence."

Paul Knight, Director of the Salmon and Trout Association (S&TA) said:

"The S&TA's policy is to support locally-brokered access agreements, so that all those wishing to use our water ways for recreation may do so in a coordinated manner in which no one sport can unjustly impact another, or jeopardise the social, economic or environmental benefits accruing for the public good.  It should also be remembered that water recreation relies on a healthy and sustainable aquatic environment, and all those using our rivers and lakes for sport should be willing to operate under codes of conduct, and contribute to management and conservation costs, and be bound by regulations aimed at protecting the natural resource from undue human impact."

Martin Salter added:

"I would urge anglers to contact their local MP and press them to sign my pro-angling amendment to EDM 1331. Whilst there is scope for canoeists and anglers to share many of our suitable rivers it is only right and proper that a balance is struck both to protect the environment and prevent one group who pay nothing from spoiling the sport of those who have invested a huge amount of time and money in helping to create excellent fisheries and thriving wildlife habitats."

More information: Martin Salter MP

Paul Knight, Director of the Salmon and Trout Association:

020 7283 5838

I am opposed to EDM 1331 as originally drafted but in support of the amendment put forward on the by Mr Martin Salter MP.

Ministers have repeatedly made it very clear that the Government does not and will not support unfettered access to rivers and canals.

For example, the Environment Minister Jonathan Shaw made a statement in the House of Commons on 6 February 2008: "The Government share canoeists', and other user groups', aspirations for more and better access to inland water and have been working, through our agencies, to deliver this over a number of years. The Government's view is that a statutory right of access to inland waterways is not appropriate. The evidence indicates that the demand for access would more effectively be met by a targeted approach, which involves identifying where access is needed, and then creating access agreements with the landowner and other interested parties."

While the BCU continues to maintain a dogmatic position demanding access to all areas, at all times, free of charge, the reality on the river bank is that local joint access agreements are working and proliferating. New agreements have recently been signed on the Dee, Wye and Usk, and webcams installed to make it clear when canoeing is allowed. Anglers and riparian owners are very keen to work with local canoe clubs to draw up these agreements, but this positive work is being damaged by the BCU’s stance, which is generating misunderstanding and ill feeling.

Unregulated canoe access could be very damaging to local economies reliant on income from angling, which is worth £3bn each year to the UK economy. It would also impact on the riparian rights of angling clubs and landowners and could damage delicate ecosystems which need to be protected at particular times. Each river has a unique flow regime, array of sensitive habitats and faces particular local issues. To legislate nationally for such a local issue would be quite wrong.

Anglers spend hundreds of millions of pounds each year maintaining and improving rivers to protect fish and other wildlife. They pay £21m in rod licences to contribute to the Environment Agency’s work protecting fisheries. Angling clubs and riparian owners have spent billions buying the angling and access rights to rivers.

The BCU’s demand for unregulated, free access, without making any contribution to the maintenance or improvement of the resource is unrealistic. It is an organisation that seems to be increasingly out of touch with its membership and we urge them to focus instead on supporting locally-agreed joint access agreements.

Principal angling organisations are committed to agreeing a negotiated solution to this problem and I would therefore respectfully ask you to support EDM 1331 as amended by Mr Martin Salter MP.

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to read this letter.

Yours sincerely,