ACA WIN AGAIN + ANGLING UNITY NEWS !!!

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barbusbruce

ACA WIN AGAIN + ANGLING UNITY NEWS !!!

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Posts: 3348

11-Jul-2008 19:14

"Brace"

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Angling Unity Update

July 11th, 2008

The Angling Unity discussions continue and are now focusing on the detailed planning necessary for a successful merger. As soon as more details, covering subjects such as membership benefits and subscription rates, are further developed we will share them with the membership of each participant organisation. As part of this process it has become clear that the recent attainment of charitable status by the Salmon and Trout Association makes it legally very difficult for them to merge into an angling representative body at this time due to the laws concerning charities. We will in time explore how the unified organisation and Salmon & Trout can work closely together in the future through some form of memorandum of understanding. The remaining organisations are still following a timetable to establish a new, unified organisation to represent all forms of angling by January 2009.

Polluter Pays Damages to Northern Ireland Fishing Club

July 11th, 2008

Friday 11th July, 2008

Polluter Pays Damages to Northern Ireland Fishing Club

The insurers of a construction company have agreed to pay £1,159 in damages to the The Threemile Water Conservation and Angling Association, following a pollution incident at Newtonabbey in County Antrim. In January 2006, O'Hare & McGovern Construction Ltd allowed oil from a tank to escape into the Threemile River while working on a nearby school. This caused a substantial kill of aquatic invertebrates, which provide a crucial food source for the trout that inhabit the river.

The angling association, which leases the nearby fishing rights on the river, asked the Anglers' Conservation Association (ACA) to bring the claim after seeing their catch returns drop significantly following the pollution. The fishing club had worked hard for some years to improve the river habitat, receiving grants from the Peace Initiative and the Department of Culture. In 2003, they won the prestigious Wild Trout Trust award for their environmental efforts, the first time the award has been given to an Irish river project.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) investigated the incident at the time and sent a warning letter to the company, charging them just £29.92 for their costs of installing a boom to contain the oil. For a long period the NIEA would not confirm the identity of the Defendant until the ACA threatened to complain to the Information Commissioner. In May 2007, a year after the ACA's initial request, the NIEA finally confirmed the polluter's identity and provided the long awaited case-file.

Mark Lloyd, Executive Director of the ACA said: "We're delighted to have secured this settlement for our member club, our third successful case in Northern Ireland, particularly as the NIEA failed to prosecute the polluter for the damage caused to the ecology of this special river. We hope that in future the authorities will take all pollutions seriously, whether or not fish are killed. The NIEA need to start using their powers to investigate properly and to prosecute where appropriate. They certainly shouldn't be impeding our civil actions against polluters by denying access to environmental information."

John Webster, chairman of the Threemile Water Conservation and Angling Association said: "We feel justice has been done through the ACA but remain disappointed with the Department of the Environment's response." He added: "I have been fishing for 60 years and would advise any angling group to join the ACA. It will fight for clean water and against pollution."

-ENDS-

Photographs of the pollution are available if required.

For further information contact Seth Johnson-Marshall, Marketing & Campaigns Manager of the ACA, on 01568 620 447/07780 996 488 or seth@a-c-a.org

Notes For Editors

1) The ACA was founded in 1948 with the purpose of using the law to fight to protect the aquatic environment and fisheries. Since then, the ACA has won in excess of two thousand cases and recovered many millions of pounds in damages, which is returned to the members represented to plough back into angling and the protection of the aquatic environment. Only three cases have ever been lost. Clubs or riparian owners wishing to join the ACA should phone 01568 620 447 during office hours or download a subscription form from the website: www.a-c-a.org

2) The Threemile Water Conservation and Angling Association have around 40 full members and 10 juniors. They have leased the fishing rights on the Threemile River for the past 8 years.

3) On the 1st July 2008 Northern Ireland's Environment and Heritage Service changed its name to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The name change has cost an estimated £30,000 for changes to signage, uniforms, vehicle livery and their website.

the ripper says !!!
remember dont do today what you can do tomorow !!!!!!!
I CAN PLEASE SOME OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME
BUT NOT ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME!!

SUPER LEAGUE CHAMPS 2007

www.anglingunity.co.uk

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perchwell

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Posts: 4635

11-Jul-2008 20:05

Human Plummet

Well done ACA but what a farce this NIEA are......it shows were there priorities are.....just a lousy £30 to cover boom charges....big joke but i think they(the polluters)got off light with just a poxy £1159 fine but at least some justice was done no thanks to the NIEA!

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barbusbruce

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Posts: 3348

12-Jul-2008 10:41

"Brace"

stan it is a paltry fine ,but as you say at least they were fined ,which hopefully will serve as some warning as to not to let it happen again !!!!!

the ripper says !!!
remember dont do today what you can do tomorow !!!!!!!
I CAN PLEASE SOME OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME
BUT NOT ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME!!

SUPER LEAGUE CHAMPS 2007

www.anglingunity.co.uk

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