Written By: Press Office
On Date: 13/3/2018
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY SALMON AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES ACT 1975 WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991 ENVIRONMENT ACT 1995 SALMON AND SEA TROUT PROTECTION BYELAWS 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 at
https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/fisheries/proposed-national-salmon-byelaws/.
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 byelaws 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 8 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,
Gloucestshire, GL20 8JG
North West: Ghyll Mount,
EA announces proposed new byelaws to protect salmon