Angling concerns (From Droitwich Advertiser)

Angling concerns

9:48am Wednesday 1st July 2009

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I am bewildered to find that the fishing rights relating to the Herrotts and Droitwich Vines Park Basin facilities, which are publicly owned, are now controlled by private enterprise – namely the Droitwich Angling Centre Please note that the Herrotts fishing facility and surrounding vegetation was efficiently managed by the Barley Mow Angling Club (of which I am a member) for 40 plus years. There were regular surveys regarding the welfare of the fish stocks. Restocking was financed by the club and carried out with the approval and in conjunction with the Environment Agency.

The existing fishing platforms were proposed and designed by the Barley Mow and the Environment Agency. Also the Barley Mow Club made substantial contributions to the cost and managed the installation and distribution of the platforms with staging for disabled anglers.

Local youngsters were encouraged to take advantage of the free fishing offered through the club, with members always willing to give advice and encouragement. The council has conveniently forgotten the long association and history of cooperation by the fishing club’s committee and members.

The prime objective for Droitwich Angling Centre to control the fishing rights in the Herrotts and Vines Park and Basin are obviously based on commercial principles.

Simply activate a retail fishing tackle business and then have the local council sanction a publicly owned fishing facility into your control, thus offering substantial reward by accumulating permit monies for very little effort.

The Herrotts Lake and Droitwich Basin is a long established unique resource enjoyed by local residents for as long as can be remembered – it doesn’t justify commercialisation.

During holiday periods, children and young people, who have very little recreation facilities within the borough, are now deprived from free fishing and are being evicted from the water because they were unable to pay the imposed levy. This, in my opinion, is totally unjustified and completely unnecessary. The youngsters should be encouraged to take pride in the existing waterway and make use of the natural resources of the town.

Please note my strongest objections to the continuation of this policy. As a long established club member, together with my colleagues, our money, time and enterprise was used to maintain and improve the Herrotts facilities. What right has the council to ignore our efforts and deprive us of our long established utilisation?

Twenty years ago there was a similar situation concerning the fishing rights along the River Severn adjacent to the Pitchcroft Racecourse in Worcester.

This was resolved by allocating control to the non-profit making Worcester and District angling society.

Anthony Hamilton via email

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