South West Rivers Association 2011

SWRA is the voice of riparian owners and game angling in the South West. It is the umbrella of the individual river associations in the South West and a powerful lobbying body regularly consulted by the Environment Agency and Government. Its main aim is to see salmon and sea trout stocks and the sport of angling for them return to their former glory. As with many aspects of modern life, angling and our freedom to enjoy it have been threatened by an ever-growing bureaucracy. Our rivers are also subject to pressure from abstraction, pollution and public access. By enabling individual rivers to work together to speak with one voice SWRA continues to influence the political and environmental agenda in a number of key areas, including: Salmon Stock Assessment - we lobby for a more accurate approach, a requisite of good management. Salmon Stocking Policy - we support effective stocking to compensate for the effects of environmental degradation. Our Hatchery Best Practice Group, supported by the Environment Agency and Westcountry Rivers Trust, is ensuring the best possible use of our volunteer hatchery teams.

Canoeing - we continue to support the policy of voluntary access agreements and have helped secure more acceptable ones on some rivers Abstraction - over-abstraction remains a serious threat. In South Devon we are working with the Angling Trust to reduce the unacceptable levels of abstraction. The biggest and newest threat is the rapid growth in hydropower developments. Our Secretary is not only active at a local level but sits on the National Hydropower Stakeholder Group set up to ensure best practice..

Partnership Working - with the inevitable cuts in Environment Agency funding, the management of our rivers and their fisheries will increasingly depend on the work of the charitable and voluntary sector. SWRA is a lead player in developing this approach.

If you would like to know more about the work of South West Rivers Association by joining the mailing list for its Newsletter, or wish to become an individual member, please contact the Secretary, Roger Furniss at: [email protected]