Anglers have always been at the forefront in seeking to protect the riverine environment and have been regarded as watchdogs, particularly as far as any form of pollution of our waterways is concerned. Officially, this is the responsibility of the Environment Agency with which we work closely. However, limitations imposed on the Agency's Fishery function have led to anglers taking a much more active part in seeking not just the preservation of our rivers, but also their improvement. Angling clubs and fishery owners within the Ribble Fisheries Association have several schemes in progress which they are supporting financially, as well as giving their time and effort on a voluntary basis. This applies at club level and on a much broader scale. The following pages are designed to give you details of the ongoing work.

THE RIBBLE CATCHMENT CONSERVATION TRUST
You will recall that the big floods in 2000 and 2001 undid much of the work that had been done. Working closely with the E.A. the Trust has continued to undertake several habitat improvement initiatives on the smaller becks that feed the main rivers. There has been work to remove obstructions, plant bank-side cover, and provide gravel beds for spawning. The impact of the work has been impressive with previously barren streams now holding small fish able to feed off the insects falling from the protected bankside vegetation. Again, it will only be possible to assess the success or failure of these habitat improvements over the longer term. The Trust also continues to help farmers with improvements to stock control, drinking points and access. One noticeable effect of the foot and mouth outbreak was the improvement in streamside habitat. This was particularly noticed where a farm was actually struck by the disease so that the complete withdrawal of animals and restricted access to the land left the land and bankside vegetation untouched for a whole year. It is no co-incidence that there are now more fry in these feeder streams than there have been for many years. With the exception of tree planting in the in the Loud valley all Leader 2 work in the Hodder tributaries is complete. Currently work is in progress on phase 2, Skirden and Holden Becks and it is expected to be completed by Christmas. In addition the Trust has agreed to fund work to Barn Gill and Rough Syke on the Hodder and this work should be completed during the winter. It is hoped that the work to Long Preston and Staincliffe Becks, and the upper part of the Ribble will start very soon. This will be funded by The Yorkshire Millennium Trust and the E.A. Without the help of individual Trust members it would have been impossible to complete these projects. The direct involvement of individual members also serves to gear up the Trust’s funds as this labour is recognised as the equivalent of a £5 per hour contribution by the various funding agencies who grant aid the Trust’s work.

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
Over the coming years there will be extra efforts to clean up the Calder as they attempt to maximise the spawning potential of the river for migratory fish. After all the Calder is one of the major tributaries of the Ribble system. Over the years it has got cleaner and now there are proposals to make the river even more accessible for migratory fish. Yet again this year there has been a major re-structuring of the E.A. There have been further cuts to the bailiff staff and a different method of working has been introduced. The enforcement is now down to teams of people rather than a specific bailiff with a particular area. These teams have increased areas of responsibility so anglers feel that they could be less effective in dealing with poachers. Even the staff in the E.A. offices have been reduced so there are real fears that fisheries could lose the very people it needs most; those with direct fisheries experience and interest. Already it has become evident that the office staff are over-worked as it is increasingly difficult to get a straight answer to a straight question. It is, therefore, even more imperative that we report all suspicious circumstances promptly to the E.A. – we must become their eyes and ears. The shift in emphasis in the E.A’s role towards other recreational matters and wider environmental issues means that angling is now only one of the activities for which they are responsible; all be it, an important one. An indication of the multi-disciplinary approach is the weir work on the Calder and the provision of canoeing facilities. We can see clearly that decisions about angling and our rivers can be influenced by people with no knowledge of the likely impact of their decisions. There can be an almost total disregard for the angling fraternity who are directly affected by their decisions. For this reason we need to establish and maintain a powerful voice at all levels of decision making. The development of Fisheries Action Plans brings this even more to the fore. Government and E.A. consultation exercises come out on a regular basis but there is limited evidence that comments submitted are ever listened to or incorporated into final decisions. Some of the suggestions are not welcome and our views must be expressed loudly and clearly. Furthermore, we must be aware of other consultations that are being undertaken that do not directly affect our sport but could have a significant impact upon it in the longer term. One such example was the consultation on Strategic Waste Treatment - Landfill - If we do not ensure that this is right the long-term impact on fisheries could be disastrous. Also of concern is the E.A. attitude to abstraction and their need to present a corporate view. This is not always possible as the different departments have different priorities. It is the corporate view that does nobody any favours and produces very poor decisions, as a trade off is often the outcome. Two such situations were the E.A. response to United Utilities proposals for abstraction and the County Council proposals for the Ribble Way Bridge at Calder Foot. In contrast, it is pleasing to be able to report that the E.A. has been active in prosecuting a number of polluters within the Ribble catchment. This is yet another area where anglers, especially those who also walk the rivers, can make a direct contribution to ensuring that the river stays clean. The number (0800 80 70 60) can be used to report pollution in addition to the pollution report line in the phone book.

CONSERVATION MEASURES
As a club, we have a bag limit and members are encouraged to return a larger proportion of the fish caught, especially hen fish and those caught in October. The E.A. having introduced restrictive bye-laws to protect spring fish are continuing to implore anglers to “do their bit”. Water quality is improving. Conservation groups are working to improve the habitat and in stocking programmes. It would appear that anglers are doing their bit and more, particularly within their limited field of influence. Even the netsmen have been persuaded, to at least, be seen to be making an effort. However, there has been a lack of recognition at Government level to bring an end to estuarine netting , coastal netting and the destructive impact of fish eating birds that now frequent our lakes and river systems. Even more urgent is the need for international action to curb the high seas netting of all species; in particular the species that go to make up the food chain of the smolts/salmon as they journey across the ocean. In addition, where is the publicity to support these measures so as to raise the awareness of the general public? Why is poaching not considered a much more serious offence? Is sufficient pressure being brought to bear on the international community? All are sound questions that deserve an answer.

FISHERIES ACTION PLANS
The concept of Fisheries Action Plans (FAPs) arose through the Review of Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries. The Review recommended that FAPs be developed for all catchments. Government and the Agency, subject to a successful outcome of the pilot project supported this. The purpose of FAPs is twofold; firstly to provide greater local stakeholder involvement in the management and development of freshwater fisheries and secondly to ensure Agency accountability in delivering its fisheries duties at the local level. A FAP is a local plan developed in partnership between the E.A. and local angling and fisheries groups with input from conservation and other interested groups. While Fisheries Action Plans are based on river catchments they cover canal and still waters too. The Plans cover a wide range of issues from fish habitat, through to angling promotion, and land management. Each FAP is different and reflects the concerns and local priorities of anglers and fisheries interests. Fishery Action Groups are set up through agreement between the E.A. and representatives of relevant organisations such as the local angling consultative group. Primarily members should represent angling and fisheries interests, but conservation, landowner and recreational interests should also be included. Such groups should consist of 12 to 15 members. With such limited numbers it is easy to see how fisheries could be sidelined and how non-fisheries groups could influence angling matters. For this reason all our members must ensure that they have avenues to get their views across – Ribble Fisheries, local Trusts etc. The FAP Group compiles a list of key issues that reflect the concerns of local angling and fisheries stakeholders. Targets to resolve each of these issues are then agreed by the group. The next step is for the group to set out the actions that are needed to achieve each of the targets. These actions will be spread over a number of years and the group will review progress at least annually. Responsibility for delivering each of the actions is ascribed to the Agency or other stakeholder as appropriate. Funding for actions may be provided by the Agency but groups are expected to seek funds from a wide range of sources. Fishery Action Plans provide a clear route for local angling and fisheries interests to have a say in the way that their local fisheries are managed and developed. While many of the resulting actions are the responsibility of the Agency, some fall within the remit of other stakeholders. Fishery Action Plans should provide a mechanism for managing local fisheries in a holistic way, integrating the fisheries work of the Agency with that of angling groups, fishery owners, conservation bodies, local authorities etc. From this you will be able to see that while there is scope for real involvement and progress there is also scope for other organisations with a different agenda to make life for others increasingly difficult. If clubs are to remain viable we need flexibility to address issues that ensure our club works for our members.