ABERAERON TOWN ANGLING CLUB

THE RIVER AERON’S ONLY ANGLING CLUB

News 2017

Natural Resources Wales bylaws

Natural Resources Wales plans to introduce bylaw changes in 2017 delayed

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had, in December 2015, put forward a pre consultation questionnaire raising the issues facing Welsh salmon and sea trout rivers citing the declining stocks and indicating that a range of measures were being considered for 2017 onwards to halt the decline. The Club responded with its views which were against any measures that would result a decline in membership as this would take anglers off the banks of the river; the anglers being the eyes and ears of the river and the only meaningful alarm for pollution and other environmental damage. The Club is fully of the view that addressing pollution, habitat destruction and water quality are far more effective measures to address declining stocks than catch and release, increased size limits and a reduced season. The NRW proposals were further elaborated in a meeting held November 16 which the Club committee attended but to date nothing has been put forward in writing by NRW. Citing the lack of time to fully consult and obtain reasoned argument, the Club has lobbied against the NRW proposals which were vague, based on flawed data and late. In an announcement 13 February 2017 the NRW confirmed that there will be no changes to National Bylaws in 2017 but it will continue with its consultation with a view to implementing change in 2018. In the meantime NRW has urged clubs to implement voluntary measures to address declining stocks. To that end, at the Club’s AGM on 10 Feb 2017, the following were agreed for implementation as revised Club rules for the 2017 season:

• The daily Club limit of 4 migratory fish (salmon or sewin) with any takeable fish returned counting to the 4 fish limit will be revised to state that only 2 migratory fish (salmon or sewin) may be taken per day with a further 2 fish allowed to be caught and returned safely to the water. This restricts the daily takeable allowance to a maximum of 2 migratory fish per day. This is significantly tighter than NRW’s own daily limit of 2 salmon and 4 sewin per day. Note that the NRW limit of 5 salmon per week remains in place.
• The Club will introduce an annual maximum take of 15 sewin per angler. At the present time anglers are expected to observe this code voluntarily but the Club is examining the possibility of employing fish tags to control and enforce this limit.

Notes

• The NRW bylaw requiring all salmon caught before 16 June to be carefully and quickly returned to the water alive remains in place.
• It is NRW’s view that all salmon caught in Wales this season should be returned to the water and released. The Club supports this position and may implement a rule prohibiting the taking of salmon this season - this will be debated soon so please revisit for an update on this proposal before June 16th.
• Anglers are urged to return as many sewin (and salmon) as possible as any returned fish stands more chance of reproducing than one taken for the table. However, the Club recognises the choice of anglers to take fish to eat. In doing so, please take fish which have been hooked deep or are bleeding - do not return these to the water and fish on for larger fish. Please also consider whether a large female sewin could be returned in favour of a smaller sewin for the table as these brood stock are particularly valuable to the spawning success of the river. Please execute common sense.
• Worm angling is largely inconsistent with catch and release. However, if using this method beyond your taken limit of 2 fish, please use debarbed or barbless hooks, strike early and use a disgorger to remove hooks carefully.
• Debarbing hooks on lure trebbles can significantly ease release of fish - removing one of the hooks on each trebble can also ease release further improving chance of survival.
• Only knotless mesh landing nets may be used
• Handle fish carefully, keeping them in the water if possible whilst unhooking.
• Full details on good catch and release practice can be found here
• Anglers may fish for brown trout beyond the limits stated above but this is only permitted with the clear intention of selecting for small brown trout with a fly. The use of worm and spinner for such fish beyond the 4 fish daily limit is not permitted.
  
  

The Club will continue to engage with the NRW in 2017 and will defend the right of anglers to fish and take fish sustainably whilst driving at the real causes it believes to be at the root of the decline - pollution, habitat destruction and water quality.