Fishermen and boaters have equal rights on short marked mooring sites

[Tiny]

I read the other day that a lady who works in BWs fisheries department reckons that on any 24, 48, 5 day etc mooring fishermen have the same right to bag a place as boaters. This means if a fishing contest or group of fishermen are using the only moorings in an area boaters have no right to tell them to make room as moorings are for boats.

Edited May 1, 2011 by Tiny

[sueb]

I read the other day that a lady who works in BWs fisheries department reckons that on any 24, 48, 5 day etc mooring fishermen have the same right to bag a place as boaters. This means if a fishing contest or group of fishermen are using the only moorings in an area boaters have no right to tell them to make room as moorings are for boats.

:D :D

Like to see a fishing rod stopping our narrowboat.

Sue

[muddywaters]

I read the other day that a lady who works in BWs fisheries department reckons that on any 24, 48, 5 day etc mooring fishermen have the same right to bag a place as boaters. This means if a fishing contest or group of fishermen are using the only moorings in an area boaters have no right to tell them to make room as moorings are for boats.

Some fishermen think that applies to lock landings as well lol.

The only problem we have ever had with fishermen was one sitting on a lock landing on the S&W.

Tell you what drives me mad though, people with poles leaving it until the very last scond to move their pole, it really does make me nervous for some reason.

But we have always found the vast majority of fishermen and women to be OK

[romarni123]

Some fishermen think that applies to lock landings as well lol.

The only problem we have ever had with fishermen was one sitting on a lock landing on the S&W.

Tell you what drives me mad though, people with poles leaving it until the very last scond to move their pole, it really does make me nervous for some reason.

But we have always found the vast majority of fishermen and women to be OK

With how much they pay for the poles they will soon move them

[OldGoldy]

I read the other day that a lady who works in BWs fisheries department reckons that on any 24, 48, 5 day etc mooring fishermen have the same right to bag a place as boaters. This means if a fishing contest or group of fishermen are using the only moorings in an area boaters have no right to tell them to make room as moorings are for boats.

That lady needs referring to BWs own publication "The Waterways Code" in which it writes (for anglers) :-

 

.....~ Don’t obstruct locks, bridges, designated moorings, water points or turning points

 

.....~ Boat crews need access to the bank within 25 metres of locks or moveable bridges so do not fish there

 

PDF LINK

 

and just for balance (for powered boats) :-

 

.....~Don’t obstruct locks, bridges, water points or turning points

 

.....~Please note local signs concerning fishing matches

 

Print a few and hand out as necessary?

 

It does beg the question though - do the organisers of these contests follow the guidance for anglers? I personally have never encountered a contest which has obstructed moorings. Does it happen?

[Tiny]

With how much they pay for the poles they will soon move them

 

I was told a lovely story by a boater. He approached a fisherman who did not withdraw his pole until the last second. What the fisherman did not seem to get was just the other side of the hedge behind him was a road with a bus stop and a bus stopped. He thrust the pole straight out into the road under the wheels of the bus at the exact second it moved off. There was a loud crunch and he dragged the pole (now with a great chunk missing) forward and it hooked under the front of the boat which smashed off the poles front end. As the boater passed the fisherman was standing yelling and waving a 6' bit of rod splkintered at both ends - all he had left of the odd thousand pounds worth of pole (he seemed to stress this). The boater kept a straight face until he got round the bend.

Edited May 2, 2011 by Tiny

[romarni123]

I was told a lovely story by a boater. He approached a fisherman who did not withdraw his pole until the last second. What the fisherman did not seem to get was just the other side of the hedge behind him was a road with a bus stop and a bus stopped. He thrust the pole straight out into the road under the wheels of the bus at the exact second it moved off. There was a loud crunch and he dragged the pole (now with a great chunk missing) forward and it hooked under the front of the boat which smashed off the poles front end. As the boater passed the fisherman was standing yelling and waving a 6' bit of rod splkintered at both ends - all he had left of the odd thousand pounds worth of pole (he seemed to stress this). The boater kept a straight face until he got round the bend.

[Randwick]

I was told a lovely story by a boater. He approached a fisherman who did not withdraw his pole until the last second. What the fisherman did not seem to get was just the other side of the hedge behind him was a road with a bus stop and a bus stopped. He thrust the pole straight out into the road under the wheels of the bus at the exact second it moved off. There was a loud crunch and he dragged the pole (now with a great chunk missing) forward and it hooked under the front of the boat which smashed off the poles front end. As the boater passed the fisherman was standing yelling and waving a 6' bit of rod splkintered at both ends - all he had left of the odd thousand pounds worth of pole (he seemed to stress this). The boater kept a straight face until he got round the bend.

 

Very similar to my experience a few years ago. North of Stoke, on a trip up to the Caldon, the young lad pulled back his (very expensive) pole instead of lifting it, only to hit the side of a car in the pub car park on the other side of the hedge! I think he was left with only about 8 feet of pole after my bow caught it .....

[Guest]

I read the other day that a lady who works in BWs fisheries department reckons that on any 24, 48, 5 day etc mooring fishermen have the same right to bag a place as boaters. This means if a fishing contest or group of fishermen are using the only moorings in an area boaters have no right to tell them to make room as moorings are for boats.

 

Funny you should mention this - while we were out and moored in Alrewas a couple of weeks ago I got chatting to a guy who was a keen fisherman but who had also just bought a boat.

 

He was talking about being asked to move by a boater while he was fishing but refused. I said you do know that boaters have 'right of way over moorings don't you?? - he was adamant that this was not correct and he could not ask to be moved and stated in his dispute with the boater BW got involved, who came down and sided with him....

 

After this I am no longer sure....

[PFC Spud]

My first experience of this problem happened in Ely on Saturday.

 

Three teens fishing just beside the pump out station taking the only available mooring. Asked them if they would allow us in and move a few yards up stream where the mooring points end. Much foul language and aggression ensued!

 

Nice guy on a narrow boat using the pump out station sided with us, and got a mouthful of abuse for his trouble.

Edited July 4, 2011 by PFC Spud

[Sir Nibble]

They are not there, they are invisible. The boat goes alongside, there is nothing there.

[David Mack]

My first experience of this problem happened in Ely on Saturday.

 

Three teens fishing just beside the pump out station taking the only available mooring. Asked them if they would allow us in and move a few yards up stream where the mooring points end. Much foul language and aggression ensued!

 

Nice guy on a narrow boat using the pump out station sided with us, and got a mouthful of abuse for his trouble.

 

But on a river, such as at Ely, the fishing and mooring rights belong to the adjacent landowner, who can set whatever rules they like about who has priority.

 

David