Angling Trust calls on Derbyshire Councillors to overturn ‘ideologically driven’ fishing ban at local beauty spot

The row over the angling ban at Wingerworth Lido – a popular council owned beauty spot near Chesterfield – has escalated following the involvement of the Angling Trust. The local MP Louise Jones is now involved and a briefing has been sent to all councillors making the case for the retention of angling on the Lido. 

A motion has been tabled for debate at a meeting of North East Derbyshire District Council on Monday (22 September) which effectively removes the ban and puts the future management of the water back out to public consultation.

It appears that the moves against angling have been driven by a local Green councillor on the basis of no evidence. The criticisms, made without justification or evidence, were around the following points:

• The leaving of litter
• Conflicts with wildlife
• The use of dye in the water causing problems for the toad population
• Overstocking of carp – “omnivorous and a non-native species”

In an Angling Trust briefing circulated to councillors, the Clay Cross Angling Club’s response to the critics was clearly outlined:

• Angling club volunteers and bailiffs clear up litter from the public, including dog fouling, and without their presence matters will only deteriorate. The club has strict rules against littering.
• The Lido has around 40% of the bank space with no fishing which provides plenty of cover for fish and wildlife and includes a shallow section by part of the dam wall where there could be a risk of birds inadvertently picking up an angler’s bait.
• The use of a vegetable based, light inhibiting blue dye was undertaken with EA approval and within national guidance to address the problem of excessive weed growth and damaging algae blooms.
• Frogs and toads are not impacted by approved blue pond dyes.
• The Lido now has a healthy plant assemblage with prolific lily beds, pond weed and marginal habitat.
• There are only around 60 carp in a 3.5 acre water which is a perfectly sensible stocking density. Carp are a naturalised UK species having been in the country since the 14th Century. The healthy numbers of other fish species indicates that their presence is in balance with the fishery as a whole.

Clay Cross Angling Club chairman Bill Parkin said:

“We have fished in harmony with the local community at Wingerworth Lido for over 25 years and worked hard to improve the water quality for fish and wildlife and to make it somewhere everyone can enjoy. It’s so distressing to be banned from a place our members love and value for no good reason. However, we are extremely grateful for the support we’ve had from the Angling Trust and the parish council which will hopefully persuade the Council to think again.”

The leadership of North East Derbyshire District Council is facing criticism for taking this decision over the heads of the local community, the parish council and indeed most council members. There was no meaningful public consultation or stakeholder engagement, there is now the distinct possibility of a judicial review and matters have escalated into the national media following the launch of a petition to overturn the ban.

The Council claims to want to turn the Lido into a ‘Bio-Diversity Hub’ without any explanation as to why angling is not compatible with this objective. The Angling Trust has highlighted numerous examples of joint working between angling clubs and wildlife groups both nationally and in Derbyshire.

The Angling Trust said:

“Standing in marked contrast to the current situation at Wingerworth is the excellent partnership working in Derby where all the city council’s lakes are successfully managed by the local Earl Harrington Angling Club who have improved the aquatic environment in all the lakes for all wildlife and not just fish.”

On September 5th Angling Trust CEO Jamie Cook wrote to council leaders saying:

“It is surprising that this situation has occurred at Wingerworth without due reason, proper consultation with stakeholders and local residents, nor, it seems the proper engagement of locally elected members. Which is why we are formally calling upon you to look again at this decision and re-consult on the future management arrangements for the Lido without a prior assumption that angling is no longer welcome on this site.”

Local Angling Trust Coach Steve Clamp has been working alongside Angling Trust Policy Chief Martin Salter to fight the ban. Steve said:

“This has all been very sad and very avoidable. In nearby Derby the local angling club effectively manages the fishing on all the council owned lakes and they work in close partnership with a very wide range of other organisations. There’s no reason why this can’t happen at Wingerworth, too. Local anglers have been treated very poorly and this ill-considered decision needs swiftly reversing.”

Martin Salter added:

“The more we’ve dug into this issue, the more we realised that the council processes were flawed, the public consultation virtually non-existent, and the reasons for banning Britain’s most popular outdoor sport taken with zero justification or evidence, save to satisfy those with an ideological hatred of angling. We have made a powerful case for the ban to be set aside and new plans drawn up for the future of Wingerworth Lido involving the whole community, including local anglers who have cared for this special place for generations.”

Briefing document sent to councillors