A SHORTAGE of wild salmon in the River Wye is leading the Environment Agency to seek greater control over the number of licences issued for fishing in the Severn estuary.

The Agency opened a consultation this week to try and establish the most appropriate option to control the number of lave and draft net fishermen operating in the Severn.

In a statement they say the vision is to maintain a heritage fishery using traditional fishing methods.

They want local authorities and any interested members of the public to take part in the consultation.

Charles Crundwell, senior technical specialist for the Agency, said: "We want to achieve a sustainable net fishery for salmon in the Severn estuary which allows the development of healthy fish stocks in the rivers contributing to the fishery, while maintaining the historic value. We have to achieve this within current legislative drives, government advice and with consideration to socio-economic factors."

Peter Kavanagh, vice-chairman of the Severn Estuary (Nets and Fixed Engines) Fishermen's Association, said the consultation followed the recent decision to close the North East Coast salmon nets as part of a government strategy to restrict mixed stock fisheries – fisheries such as the Severn estuary where salmon were destined for more than one river system.

The consultation applied only to lave netters and draft net fishermen.

He said fishermen had already agreed to a reduction of four months in the length of the fishing season and were playing their part is conservation by working on a number of schemes such as the projected Blakeney fishpass.

The Severn fisheries, he said, were very old and historically important and there was an obligation on the government to keep them going.

"There is no shortage of fish in the Severn where salmon numbers are actually said to be improving. However the Wye is said to be failing to meet its compliance level hence the action to try and impose greater controls on us."

Association secretary John Powell said there was anger that the mixed stock fishing issue had been introduced without any consultation.

"It smacks very much of the flawed Forestry Bill. We want Gloucestershire MPs, local councillors and anyone interested in the history of the area to write to the Agency supporting our cause," he said.

Further details are available at https://

consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/.