DEFRA’s Catchment Based ApproachThe Catchment Based Approach is a new initiative launched by DEFRA, aimed at bringing all stakeholders together to develop plans for our waterways. These plans will work towards improving all aspects of the river environment – from water quality and pollution control, through to habitat creation and flood risk management. They also present a great opportunity for different stakeholders to come together to discuss any other issues on our rivers, especially access and managing the often conflicting uses and activities people want to engage in.
British Canoeing will be working with as many of these new partnerships as possible, to help demonstrate how paddlers can contribute to protecting our rivers, but also to engage on access issues. We have recently engaged with the new partnerships for the River Derwent and River Dove in The East Midlands, in addition to the partnerships we are already part of (see the links below). We’ll keep you informed of any specific outcomes from these. This isn’t just a chance for us to get involved though – the partnerships are open to all those who feel they have a stake in their waterways – from clubs and voluntary organisations through to individuals engaged in recreation. So we’d encourage all paddlers who are interested to get involved.
If you would like to find out more about how you can get involved in the partnerships on the rivers important to you, please let us know.
[email protected]. Let us know if you are already taking part in any partnerships too, so we can share information and good practice with others in the paddling community. We’ll keep you up to date with our progress in engaging these new partnerships.
The partnerships we are involved in currently – • The Living Lune Project
• Ribble Life
• Your Tees
Thames 21 – Thames River Watch Project Launched
Thames 21 works on a wide range of environment and community focused projects on waterways across London. The Thames River Watch Project has recently been launched and aims to raise awareness of the environmental issues that the river faces and enable people to provide pro-active support and involvement in improving the health of the tidal Thames.
To find out more about the work of Thames 21 across London and how to be involved in the River Watch project visit
http://www.thames21.org.uk/project/thames-river-watch/
Safety warning notices for high flowsThe high flows being experienced on many waterways are significantlyfaster and creating more turbulence than normal. Canoe England stronglyadvises canoeists to recognise the potential dangers from theseextraordinary conditions where:
- sluices and weirs are at full capacity
- underwater obstructions can be unseen,
- many landing stages and towpaths are over topped and inaccessible
- there is the build-up of debris on structures.
- the normal courses of rivers and canals are in many case difficult to determine
- there may be fallen and over hanging trees
- clearance under bridges (air draft) are significantly reduced
It is the responsibility of individuals to ensure that their canoeing activities are risk assessed and undertaken safely.
Many river and canal Navigation Authorities have issued safety warningnotices for high flows and information is posted on their web sites. Forfurther information concerning river levels go to
/news/safety-warning-notices-for-high-flows
From the Canal & River Trust – in connection with the Kennett and Avon Waterway
Due to high flows and flooding along the canal from Kintbury to Reading, the Canal and River Trust advised on 24th December that the canal is unsuitable for navigation until further notice.
From Kintbury down to the end of the canal in Reading the water can be particularly hazardous for boats, including canoes and kayaks, during current conditions. Sluices and weirs, like the one at Dreweatt’s Lock where we have already recorded canoe incidents during the last week, are running at full capacity and will draw boats (including large narrow boats) onto them. Sluices and weirs have the potential to disguise underwater obstructions, and can create irregular underwater turbulence that is not present in normal conditions. Feeder streams, like the Pear Tree Brook and the River Kennet, create significant turbulence where they enter the canal.
Additionally, much of the canal infrastructure is currently submerged and therefore impossible to use; for examples County Lock (Reading), Widmead Lock (Newbury), and Fobney Lock (Reading). Many landing stages and extensive lengths of towpath are currently being overtopped. Finally, extremely high flow rates are hazardous; the flow rate in Newbury is currently exceptional and canoes have had difficulty negotiating Ham Bridge, Newbury, where portage is not presently an option.
(February 2014)
Welsh Government – review of existing legislation for access and outdoor recreation
The Welsh Government is expected to launch by February 2014 a Green Paper and consultation to review existing legislation and guidance relating to access and outdoor recreation. The Welsh administration believes there is a better way to provide more opportunities for outdoor recreation and a need to simplify the current regulatory framework. The aim is to secure better access to the outdoors and provide clarity and certainty over where people can go and what they can do there.
The focus will be on the principles to:
• increase access to the outdoors, both in urban and rural areas
• improve the extensive public path network
• increasing the amount of land available for allotments and community gardening
Canoe England, and the BCU fully supports the aims of the Welsh Government to improve access to the natural environment. Access laws which are simple and easy to understand will increase recreational opportunities for canoeists, walkers, climbers, swimmers, mountain bikers, horse riders, anglers and the public in general alike.
Notice for the availability of the Green Paper and consultation process will be posted when available.
Response to AT Press release – Canoe Trespass Must be Tackled Say Angling and Countryside Groups
The British Canoe Union (BCU) is disappointed to read the press release of 20th November from the Angling Trust (AT).
The BCU are seeking meaningful ways to assist Government in securing access and working on areas of partnership. It would be hoped that the Angling Trust would do the same.
The BCU has repeatedly asked for constructive dialogue with the Angling Trust in order to eliminate any misunderstandings such as the AT’s press release’s contention that they believe that canoeist pose ‘threats’ to both anglers/angling and the natural environment. The BCU have made it clear that in order to reduce any conflict with other users it is necessary to educate all users to behave in a courteous and polite manner. Canoe England (CE) have addressed many of these issues within their leaflet You, Your Canoe and the Environment. This is supported by a number of nature conservation organisations such as Natural England, Rivers Trusts, and the Environment Agency.
Both CE & CW act as technical experts in paddle sport and are actively co-operating with the positions and criteria of their respective governments in relation to developing access on a strategic and local level. To state otherwise is rather misleading. The BCU looks forward to a situation where local issues can be managed on a basis that helps to protect the natural environment and respects the rights of other user interests.
The value of inland water as a wonderful natural resource is well recognised and receives many millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money annually. An assertion that any one form of recreation should have exclusive use as the only legitimate users of unregulated non-tidal waterways flies in the face of social justice.
Welsh Government (WG) will be consulting on plans for the sustainable and responsible use of all Wales’ natural resources. They should be commended in seeking to include all interests and make provision for the health and wealth of Wales by facilitating active participation, as widely evidenced in other nations. To provide opportunities for the public to understand and to value all these resources from an early age is essential and one that the BCU wholeheartedly supports. The statements by AT in relation to the WG green paper review of access are concerning.
For everyone’s sake the BCU sincerely hope that the AT can move on from the position that is highlighted in their press release of the 20th November, taking issue with a review of access that they simplistically polarise as a canoeing v angling issue. To make a statement that reduces the opportunity for positive management of activities in the countryside must, at best, be confusing for members of the public. The BCU believe that this misses the issues being discussed within the green paper which relates to allotments, walking and cycling, in fact all public access to the countryside, and not just canoeing. The green paper may include regulation of participant’s behaviour on the water an issue that one would expect to be dear to the AT.
On the specifics of canoeing, the National Assembly for Wales Sustainability Committee carried out an inquiry and recommended that landowners and anglers bring forward arrangements for public use of inland waters. This recommendation was accepted by Welsh Government and all stakeholders (Canoe Wales included) at the time in 2009. Canoe Wales offered to act as technical experts for paddlesport and have played an active part in the Ministers round table on water related recreation. The clear statements in the recommendations of the inquiry relating to canoeing appear to have been disregarded by AT and the wider use of inland waters by the public have not been advanced.
At a time where the Welsh Government wishes to review these options with the health, wealth and social justice agendas at the forefront of the public interest, the statement from the Angling Trust appears to be angled towards maintaining exclusivity for the few. If this is indeed their true colours then it is hard to reconcile this stance with the concept of social justice and sharing of natural resources.
The BCU reiterates that they are willing, and keen to provide expertise on any issues arising from the shared use of rivers.
Note:
The British Canoe Union is the national governing body for canoeing in Britain represented in England by its Canoe England division and in Wales by Canoe Wales
(November 2013)
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Canoe England recently received an Angling Trust press release titled ‘ Canoe Trespass Must be Tackled Say Angling and Countryside Groups’. A document titled ‘Conflict on the Riverbank’ also accompanied the press release.
We wish to inform you that the Waterways and Environment Team will be commenting on the press release early next week and Conflict on the Riverbank soon afterwards. Both will be added to Facebook when completed.
To Read both documents see here
Canoe Trespass Must be Tackled Say Angling and Countryside Groups’.Conflict on the Riverbank(November 2013)
Free Training with Thames21 August to October sessions
Thames21 offers free training to anyone who is keen to help lead activities in and around their local waterways enabling you to improve your stretch of river, canal or pond.
Click
here to read more and register
(August 2013)
Environment Agency briefing to river users in Devon & Cornwall
The Agency has requested all river users to take bio-security measures as a precaution whilst the cause of fish mortalities in the South West are investigated.
Read more here
(July 2013)
Transfer of Environment Agency Navigations to the Canal & River TrustThe Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries (Richard Benyon) announced in a written statement (3 July 2013) the postponed transfer of Environment Agency Navigations to the Canal & River Trust until Defra’s finances improve to enable CRT’s Trustees to manage the additional liabilities involved.
Click here to see the statement.
For news of Draft East Inshore and South Marine Plan Areas Click here.
More information for Marine Planning Areas is available at:
http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/marineplanning/areas/index.htm
(June 2013)
A new £1.6million project to improve river health and water quality in England has been launched by the Government today.
The new partnership scheme, called the Catchment Based Approach, will encourage local communities and environmental groups to take on more responsibility
for improving the health of their local rivers, as well as the surrounding natural environment and wildlife.
This follows a series of successful regional pilots which took place across the country including the Norfolk Coast, Bristol Avon and Poole. In Bristol,
local authorities worked together to introduce new measures to reduce the need for dredging the River Avon and save taxpayers’ money.
Government press release and further information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/river-health-gets-16-million-boost
(June 2013)