Angling

New laws will give coarse fish greater protection

New fisheries legislation will give coarse fish greater protection without preventing predator anglers from using limited numbers of natural baits.

More than 800 responses were received to an Environment Agency consultation over replacing the current regional by-laws with national regulations.

Officials said the change was needed in response to concerns at the number of fish being removed from Britain's rivers for food. Half of those taking part in the consultation said there should be an exemption allowing limited numbers of fish to be taken for use as bait.

Some also said they wished to continue taking pike, perch or grayling for the table.

In its summary published yesterday, the EA said it would ban the removal of fish from rivers but allow limited numbers to be taken for bait and some species to be taken for the table.

Graham Slater, secretary of the Pike Anglers Club of Great Britain, said: "It is heartening to see that the EA took notice of the replies that they invited regarding the consultation and acted accordingly. We regard the outcome as satisfactory for predator anglers in England and Wales."

Many predator anglers would accept the odd jack being removed for the table as a price worth paying for retaining the right to use natural baits.

But the detail is key to ensuring any fishing for food is sustainable, with loopholes in current legislation allowing large fish of all species to be taken.

Any pike over 10lb is almost certainly female, with larger specimens the breeding stock for the future as well as the fish which attract anglers to the banks.

Last night, the EA said it was still considering numbers and size limits of pike and other species which could be taken for the table and fish which could be taken for bait.

Claims fish are being netted wholesale for the bait trade have never amounted to anything more than hear say.

But there is clear proof fish are being taken from many rivers and drains for food, with gill nets and night lines regularly being found by anglers and the one prosecution so far being a group of Russians netting the Wissey in the close season for food, not to supply some shady secret bait plant.

Still waters were not included in the original consultation.

But so many of the respondents said fish in lakes needed as much protection as those in rivers it will also become an offence to remove fish from them without the owner's permission.