ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975
Water Resources Act 1991
Environment Act 1995
Notice is hereby given that the Environment Agency intends to apply to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for confirmation of byelaws made under the Water Resources Act 1991 and to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Scottish Ministers for the byelaw made under the Scotland Act 1998 (Border Rivers) Order 1999.
The byelaws for England and the Border Esk will:-
- Maintain the existing measures aimed at protecting spring salmon for a further ten years.
- Close all drift net fisheries from 2018. • Require the release of all salmon caught in the River Lune Haaf Net Fishery and the Anglian Coastal and Southern Coastal Fisheries from 2018.
- Close the seine and draft net fisheries on the Rivers Exe, Tamar, Tavy, Lynher, Camel, Taw and Torridge from 2019.
- Shorten the fishing season and require the release of all salmon caught in the seine and draft net fisheries on the Rivers Teign, Dart, Fowey and Poole Harbour from 2019.
- Shorten the fishing season, amend fishing areas and require the release of all salmon caught in the North East Coast T and J Net Fishery from 2019.
- Require the release of all salmon caught from the lave net fisheries of the Rivers Kent and Leven from 2019.
- Require any salmon caught by rod and line from the Rivers Lune, Ribble, Tees, Crake, Dorset Stour, Yealm, Cumbrian Derwent, Plym, Wyre and Calder to be returned for the full salmon fishing season from 2018.
- Require the return of all salmon caught by rod and line from rivers that have salmon populations that do not have minimum safe spawning levels set for them to be returned for the full salmon fishing season from 2018.
- Prohibition of some fishing hooks and trebles when fishing for salmon and sea trout in England and the Border Esk from 2019.
The byelaws protecting our salmon are considered necessary as stocks are still in decline and we do not believe that their exploitation can be justified at the present time. Bringing forward the closure of the North East drift net fishery will bring the UK Government in line with international treaties that require all mixed stock coastal salmon fisheries to close.
The byelaws requiring the return of all salmon caught on our most vulnerable rivers are considered necessary as stocks are so fragile that every salmon able to spawn will further improve numbers of salmon that could grow on to maturity. The restriction of certain fishing equipment will improve the survival of salmon caught and subsequently released back into the river.
Copies of the byelaws have been deposited at the offices of the Environment Agency at the addresses shown below and will be open to inspection free of charge from Monday to Friday during normal office hours from the date of publication of this notice until Friday 6 April 2018.
During the same period a copy of the byelaws and their supporting case can be seen here. The byelaws can also be obtained by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506 or by email to S5PA@ea.gov.uk.
Objections must be received no later than 8 April 2018
Any person who wishes to object to the proposed duties must send a statement of their objection in writing to Migratory & Freshwater Fisheries (Salmon Byelaws), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Area 8A/B, Millbank c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR or by email to: Freshwater.fish@defra.gsi.gov.uk to be received no later than 9 April 2018.
A copy of the statement of objection must also be sent to The Fisheries Officer (Salmon byelaws), Environment and Business, Horizon House, Deanery Rd, Bristol BS1 5AH. Or by email to: S5PA@ea.gov.uk
Peter Kellett, Director of Legal Services.
Environment Agency offices where byelaws can be viewed:
- North East: Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7AR
- Anglian: Iceni House, Cobham Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9JD
- Thames: Kings Meadow House, Kings Meadow Road, Reading, RG1 8DQ
- Southern: Romsey Office, Canal Walk, Romsey, Hampshire, S051 8DU
- South West: Manley House, Kestrel Way, Exeter, EX2 7LQ
- Midlands: Riversmeet House, Newton Industrial Estate, Northway Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8JG
- North West: Ghyll Mount, Gillan Way, Penrith 40 Business Park, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9BP
