EAST LOTHIAN ANGLING ASSOCIATION

RIVER TYNE FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN 2005-2010

In the five year period to 2010, the East Lothian Angling Association aims to:

• Develop the potential of the River Tyne as a high quality fishery
• Maintain and improve the river and bankside habitat to encourage ecological diversity and a thriving population of wild trout
• Secure responsible long-term access to angling in East Lothian for the local community and visitors

To achieve our objectives we will seek to work in partnership with others with an interest in the River Tyne, including the riparian owners and farmers, East Lothian Council, Haddington and Dunpender Community Councils, the Tyne Trust, the Forth Salmon Fisheries Board, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage and the local community.

The Association has identified that work needs to be carried out under three main headings:

• Securing long-term access
• Improving our information about what is happening in the river
• Maintaining and improving habitat

The Association recognises that much of this work will be ongoing and that it is unlikely to be completed within the life of this plan.

Securing long term access

Negotiate long term leases

Explore potential for purchase of fishing rights in selected areas

Develop relations with riparian owners

Seek support for the Action Plan from others with an interest in the Tyne

Education to encourage good practices and responsible behaviour by anglers

Improving information

Produce a detailed river map

Maintain work records

Carry out regular river surveys

Monitor spawning burns

Encourage and develop accurate and useful catch returns

Discuss plans with Forth Salmon Fisheries Board and SEPA

Work with Wild Trout Trust

Maintaining and improving habitat

Improve fish passes

Clear spawning burns of debris and remove silt from redds

Improve in-stream cover for fish by placing rocks

Protect riverbanks from erosion by fencing

Protect river from agricultural chemical spray by the use of buffer zones

Deal with over-shading by bankside tree thinning

Develop stocking policy

Identify funding sources for habitat improvement work

Improve anti-poaching measures

Targets for 2005

By the end of 2005, the ELAA aims to have:

• Written to all riparian owners with information on the Action Plan and opened negotiations on long term leases where necessary
• Identified any areas on the Tyne where purchase of fishing rights might be desirable or possible
• Produced a leaflet for distribution with permits setting out a code of practice for responsible access to fishing
• Carried out a survey of the river and spawning burns
• Produced a detailed river map to help planning of habitat improvement work
• Finished work on the improvements to the fish pass at Knowes Weir
• Identified responsibility for other weirs and encouraged remedial work where necessary
• Cleared Bearford burn of debris
• Improved fish cover at Westfield and Nisbet by placing rocks in-stream, subject to agreement with riparian owners
• Established contact with other stakeholders with a view to setting up a meeting to discuss the action plan
• Investigated potential sources of funding for habitat improvement work
• Assessed whether the current stocking policy is consistent with our wider objectives

In addition to the new targets listed above, the Association will continue to

• Stock the River Tyne in 2005 - on a similar basis to the size and numbers of fish stocked in 2004
• Maintain permit prices at a level consistent with 2004 on the basis that realistic increases in permit prices would not be sufficient to fund habitat improvements. This may need to be re-visited in future years, depending on success in identifying external funding sources
• Print and distribute permits
• Regularly patrol the river checking permits and compliance with the fishery rule
• Clear obstructions in the river course and maintain access paths