Yesterday from downriver prior to the latest rise;
Wyesham  10lbs Mepps to David Curtis.
Upper Bigswier. Nathan Jubb 8lbs and Steve Dawes 12lbs on f/c

River falling slowly on upper beats -still considerable colour for most.


Some of you may not have seen this..From 2015 but has anything changed under the current access consultation.  Are WUF still supportive of their 'anglers' and will we ever know -can't see much has changed personally.??


WUF are happy to see increased access to rivers under voluntary access agreement and sod the anglers.WUF agree with WAG that not enough water it seems has been open up to canoeists yet  Oh and by the way we are best placed to do it but we would need more Splash funding obviously. It works well on the Wye especially in the spawning areas.  REALLY!    Afon Cymru would do this for you in Wales too WAG but again funding is needed -Oh and i'm in charge of that body too -what a coincidence.??

WUF Response to WG Consultation: “Improving opportunities to access the outdoors for responsible recreation.” 30th September, 2015 (Question 12 only).

 “What approach do you advocate to improve opportunities for responsible access for recreation on inland waters?” The Wye & Usk Foundation agrees wholeheartedly with the Sustainability Committee's recommendation that VAAs are the best way of establishing greater access opportunities to inland water and with WG's policy to promote their use. Details of WUF’s own VAAs may be seen at www.wyeuskfoundation.org/navigation and the gauge system at www.wyeuskfoundation.org/conditions
We also agree with WG's view that such arrangements should be drawn up and put in place by land and riparian owners. The lack of endorsement from canoeing national representative bodies is often used as an excuse for lack of VAAs being established in Wales since the Select Committee’s (SC) report. While such endorsement would be helpful, our view is that it is not essential in VAA establishment. A group made up of local representatives is all that is required to put in place the conditions by which greater public access is allowed, as demonstrated in the case of the upper Wye and Usk. It would be helpful if WG re-stated its position on the universal access debate. Confirmation that no such universal access currently exists (notwithstanding possible future legislation) is the solid ground on which VAAs can be built.
Rivers trusts in Wales are in a perfect position to act as the lead body for identifying and negotiating potential areas where VAAs may be appropriate. They have detailed knowledge of their catchment, know most (if not all) the land and riparian owners, have been set up to protect the natural environment and have respect for the needs of other water users, which is where most of their core funding comes from. However, finance for establishment and maintenance of VAAs is essential in the longer term. Splash funding was spent on a number of projects not solely dedicated to increasing access and it would be necessary to make this available again. In addition, it seems very little has been set aside for the on-going costs of VAAs. Canoeists, the beneficiaries, have never contributed to their upkeep. Maintenance costs should not fall on owners and anglers, who might see this as a barrier to progress. Therefore, the means of defraying both capital and maintenance costs should be defined.
WUF acknowledge WG’s commitment to increasing opportunities for public access to land and water. We also acknowledge that there has been a less than adequate amount of water opened up via VAAs since the SC’s report. However, we still believe that they are preferable to legislation for the following reasons: 1. In most cases they are quick and relatively simple to set up and they can be sensitive to local conditions and requirements. They are flexible, can be adapted at short notice and can run to the satisfaction of all bar the most extreme views on both sides. 2. Legislation will be complex and inflexible, costly to set up and to administer. Each river/reach has a different set of variables that anything but the most complex legislation will disregard. 3. Enforced access could lead to more entrenched views: success depends on the good will and cooperation from both sides. We suggest the re-establishment of a group including Afonydd Cymru (umbrella body of Welsh rivers trusts) to explore further opportunities in Wales for VAAs over the next 12 to 18 months and deliver any potential. Finally, issues of conflict between nature and recreation may well arise with increased access to designated areas. This should be managed by NRW.