Wednesday, January 7th 2021
Dear Member,
Under section 5h of the Rules and Regulations of BCAA, the Senior Offices of the Association continue to take action and an update is given below:
Government U-Turn on Fishery Closures during Lockdown 3
The Government has updated its position with regard to fishing this afternoon (7th January 2021). From 0700 Saturday 9th January 2021 BCAA will be re-opening all its waters to locally based season ticket holders and local day ticket anglers. The regulations have made it clear this is limited to your local fishery and anglers should abide by the Government national lockdown restrictions.
Members please note:
Fishing is only permitted from dawn until dusk: No night fishing
- Day ticket availability may be limited if necessary in order to control numbers
- Local has been defined as staying within your village, town or the part of a city where you live. Please follow this guidance and do not travel to BCAA waters if they are not local to where you live.
- Anglers to be within arms reach of their rods at all times.
- Anglers to carry their BCAA ID Card/ Day Ticket and EA Rod Licence with them when fishing.
- No umbrellas, bivvies’ or shelters of any description to be erected at any time on the Main Canal, for clarity the Main Canal is defined as being from the Sea Lock to A39 Road Bridge.
- No Fishing within 15 metres of another angler.
- When fishing the Lower Basin or narrow sections of the canal please avoid placing your rod bag/keepnet bag, etc immediately behind you, place them to the side and maximise space for towpath users to pass.
The Angling Trust has produced guidance which can be accessed on their website https://anglingtrust.net/covid-19/. This guidance must be adhered to at all time, in short:
This is a strictly limited resumption of LOCAL fishing and very different to how we have been allowed to operate since May.
We are in a National Lockdown and this must be respected. The law requires a ‘reasonable excuse’ to leave your home or penalties will apply. The government has recognised that fishing can be seen as exercise, which is expressly permitted under the lockdown rules, although outdoor recreation is not.
Organised sporting gatherings are prohibited so no match fishing.
To remain within the law you should follow the government’s guidance, and only fish locally, once a day, within the district where you live between dawn and dusk.
This relaxation of the ‘no fishing’ regulation was achieved through the successful lobbying of the Angling Trust of which BCAA has ‘club membership’.
Please stay safe, stay local and take care.
Paul Braund
Chairman BCAA