Clearing a run in streamer weed

[Russell Shevlane]

I was told yesterday by a bailiff that its against the law to remove weed from a river because it is the property of the Environmental Agency.

(not a bailiff on the river I fish)

I cannot find reference to this anywhere on the web.

Has anyone else heard this before?

Russ

 

[Damian Kimmins]

It's not technically true. It's the property of the riparian owners but permission needs to be sought from the relevant authorities for it's removal. As I understand it, the authorities that needed to be contacted depend upon the reason why it is to be removed, but will either be Natural England or the EA.

 

[Ian Crook]

Russell,

What the bailiff told you is not correct. The EA are responsible for management of the aquatic environment. Club's, etc. should consult with the EA regarding weed cutting and inform them of such events, they may choose to be in attendance, they may not.

I think the point he was trying to make is that individual anglers should not be hacking away at streamer weed as they please, he is correct in that sense.

 

[Dave Darby]

Russ.
I think a certain stretch that we both know needs a bit cut out, and the banks trimmed back a bit.

 

[Colin Bridger]

I think it was Tony Miles and Treffor West who covered this in their book Quest for Barbel. This was in the days when they were pioneering on the Cherwell, if memory serves me right they would cut out small sections of a bed of weed so thet were able to lower a bait in.