Anglers’ anger at being barred from canal basin

ANGLERS have been left furious after being told they will no longer be able to fish in the Exeter Canal basin.

Paul Marks, who is membership secretary and a trustee for Exeter & District Angling Association, claims they have been told by the canal manager that they can no longer fish there as it is a working canal.

They have appealed to Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw for help, who says he is ‘very concerned’ to hear of the development.

But Exeter City Council, which is responsible for the area, claims that it is a ‘safety issue’ and that the association had actually agreed to no longer use it in return for extended fishing rights along the canal banks.

“It has caused a lot of ructions,” said Mr Marks. “We have records of people using that for the last 50 years but it goes way back – the people of Exeter have always fished there.

“I live there, I walk there and I fish there. It has angered a lot of people that you can walk there, you can canoe there but you can’t fish there now.

“They said it was because it is a working canal basin but it always has been, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

Mr Marks said ‘dozens’ of anglers fished in the basin, although it was mostly over winter.

He said that, during the colder months, fish across the country tend to head towards canal basins, making them productive fishing spots.

Mr Bradshaw, who has been the MP for Exeter since 1997, said he was troubled by the news, particularly as people were finally allowed to go out to fish after the coronavirus lockdown rules were eased.

“I am very concerned to hear about this, particularly at a time when anglers are supposed to be able to go out and resume fishing after two months in lockdown ,” he said.

“I have asked the city council for an explanation.”

But an Exeter City Council spokesperson said the angling association had agreed to a deal where they would not be able to fish in the basin.

“As part of the new licence agreement between the City Council and the Angling club a deal was stuck allowing the club extended canal bank rights in return for not being able to fish in the canal basin,” said the spokesperson.

“This is a safety issue and the Council has to consider the safety of all users such as kayakers, canoeists, rowers and everyone accessing businesses around the basin including the Haven Banks Outdoor Education Centre. Casting fishing lines into this confined area represents a safety risk.

“This was all made clear when the club signed the revised lease – which released additional canal bank rights – but we are more than happy to talk to the club about the potential of a number of pre-arranged fishing days in the basin out of season when it is not so busy.”

But Mr Marks disagreed, saying the only conflict of any nature he was aware of had been decades ago.

“The only conflicts I ever heard about were more than 20 years ago – people were throwing bait in and some of it went onto the boats. The club told them not to do it and they stopped,” he explained.

“With our membership, we pay rental for the canal from the Welcome Cafe downwards, but we have always had the ‘kind permission of the city council’ to use the basin as well.

“I have records of people using it in 1970 but it goes way further back than that. Now the council is saying we can’t.

“People just want to go there, dangle a worm and then go home.”