Important Naca Fisheries update

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NACA Fisheries.

For some time now the NACA Executive Committee has been reviewing the associations future directions. Having reviewed our fisheries policy, it has been agreed that from now on NACA will only run fisheries that it is actively managing as conservation projects or developing as fisheries, or alternatively those that might otherwise not be available for angling without our involvement. Following this criteria we will regularly review the fisheries under our control.

Over the years we have acquired a number of fisheries for a variety of reasons that were inline with NACA objectives at the time, however were keeping these on no longer serves its original purpose, we have decided to relinquish any fishery under our control which is outside of this rationale.

While these waters undoubtedly provided some fishing for our members, ultimately running the fishing on them has distracted and diluted the main aims of the Association. Unfortunately neither the Lammas Reach stretch of the Bure or the Limbourne Common stretch of the Waveney have any particular benefit from being run as NACA fisheries. At Lammas the riparian owner has not been sympathetic to the idea of habitat restoration, and we have been unable to manage EA river engineering works to our satisfaction. Also the future of angling on these fisheries has never been under threat without NACA involvement, therefore we have reluctantly decided not to renew the leases of either fishery for this coming season. For the time being Chris Basford will personally continue to provide permits for Limbourne and members are advised to contact Chris on 01379 586657 if they wish to continue their membership.

The emphasis of this policy rethink is in allowing the association to pursue its objectives more effectively and hopefully do a smaller number of things more effectively, rather than spread our efforts too thinly. While some members will be disappointed that we are willing to drop any fishery from our portfolio, it should be remembered that NACA is not a fishing club but has a clear set of conservation objectives set out in its constitution, non of which includes running fisheries for the sole purpose of providing fishing for our members. Following the objectives stated above however, the good news is that we have decided to create a new habitat restoration project on the Sparham Hall Fishery on the Wensum at Lyng. The objective of this project will be to attempt to restore this stretch of the river into the first-class roach fishery it used to be. This will require a double-edged approach to fishery management including restoring and developing a sustainable roach habitat and supporting this with regular introductions of roach stockfish. It is hoped that this can be achieved in a partnership approach involving the Environment Agency and Inland Drainage Board as part of the Wensum Fishery Action Plan.

This year we will also develop fishery management plans for our fisheries at Sparham Pools and Sparham Square Meadow Lake. And, from this spring a season permit will be available which includes access to both fisheries. For more details contact Chris Turnbull on 01603 412388.

Ringland Lakes

In 1996 NACA and RMC Angling entered into agreement to maintain this complex of old established gravel pits. For the last nine years we have undertaken a considerable programme of work particularly on the smaller lakes on the complex. The actions taken included lime treatment, barley straw application and large scale tree removal to increase oxygen levels and there is no doubt that the lakes benefited immensely from our efforts.

Having now decided to rationalise its fishery commitments however, NACA have relinquish its involvement at Ringland and RMC Angling have entered into a partnership with Barford Lakes to further increase the attraction of this fishery. A considerable programme of stocking and site work is to be undertaken during Spring 2005 with the lakes reopening from 1st June 2005. Day Tickets will be issued from Barford Lakes (01603 759624) and Hart Stores And Post Office (01603 742383). Further information may be obtained from RMC Angling (01932 583630) or Russell Francis (01603 870885).

NACA would like to take this opportunity to thank Russell and his team for all their hard work over the last nine years on another NACA project successfully undertaken, without them such work would not have been possible.
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