I'll return briefly this morning to a theme I touched on a few days ago.  I awoke this morning as usual to the Today programme and as I slowly surfaced I caught the beginning of an item about the decline of freshwater fish stocks in the UK.  It seems that NAFAC are becoming increasingly worried that we are on the brink of a catastrophic collapse in coarse fish stocks in our lakes, rivers and canals.  There are a number of factors involved all of which can also impact game fisheries.  The drought last summer followed by this summer's floods have severely disrupted spawning of many fresh water fish.  OK, so salmonids spawn in winter but the problem with salmonids is a bit further up the chain with the impact falling on fry which are vulnerable to water depletion and flooding.  The real killer though is the effect that eastern European migrants are having on carp, chub and perch stocks and the inability of our rather arcane fishery by-laws to deal with what is a new phenomenon, the piscatorial hunter-gatherer. 

There are moves afoot to include in the Marine Wildlife Bill that will come before Parliament next year a section that will rationalise the myriad of local by-laws to tighten up protection for private and public fisheries and water courses.  Martin Salter who chairs the Parliament angling group is co-ordinating angling interests and we should ensure that whatever clauses are drafted to protect fresh water fish stocks pay due regard to the protection of wild salmonid stocks.

We are fairly lucky here at Horton as the location and geography of upper Ribblesdale provides a degree of protection from organised poaching, but we shouldn't be complacent.  As it becomes increasingly difficult to gather fish close to urban centres there will be a temptation to move further afield to pursue what has become a lucrative business for some migrants and our trout stocks are vulnerable.  Keep a look out for discarded nets or other evidence of poaching as you fish the river and either tell me or report what you see or find to the EA on 0800 807060.

Ian