Governance and Advisory Volunteer; Fisheries & Angling Advisory Group Rat

Securing and conserving the importance of our fisheries and the sport of angling. This is reliant on healthy fisheries and remains a key statutory duty and objective of the Trust. To pursue this objective effectively, the Trust benefits from the support of an expert fisheries angling and advisory group that consists of several skilled and experienced practitioners with high standing within the fisheries & angling world, including the angling trade.

This group was set up in 2011 and replaced the previously existing British Waterways National Fisheries Liaison Committee.

The group meets at regular intervals (typically three times per year) and helps the Trust chart a course through fisheries and angling management issues, especially those that may be innovative or controversial. The group will support Trust managers and give comfort to the trustees of the charity that the direction of travel for fisheries and angling is appropriate, well managed, and reflects the charitable objectives of the Trust.

The remit of the group will be as follows:

• Provide CRT with top quality, expert fisheries and angling advice about specific issues relating to fisheries and angling issues that are brought to the group’s attention.
• Act as an advocate for Trust and its fisheries and angling objectives.
• Lend credibility and legitimacy to Trust decisions affecting fisheries and angling.
• Validate and, where necessary, challenge Trust direction in fisheries and angling management.
• Endorse the reflected progress and narrative in the proposed annual State of the Waterways Fisheries and Angling report.
• Advise the CRT Trustees and National Council regarding specific fisheries and angling related issues including regulatory and legal issues and potential consequences of wider business decisions on the fisheries & angling business area.
• Interact with other Trust advisory groups in matters of wider stakeholder interest.

Members of the Group may be selected through recommendations from the Canal & River Trust Trustees, the Trust’s National Fisheries & Angling Manager and any public advertisement calling for volunteer member. Formal invitations to join the Group will be by letter from the Chief Executive of the Trust. The Group should consist of:

• A Chairman – a senior, experienced fisheries or angling practitioner.
• A Vice Chairman – the elected representative for fisheries & angling on the Trust National Council.
• Members – 8-10 experienced individuals chosen to provide a range of technical expertise in the following areas:

• Freshwater fisheries management
• Freshwater fisheries, conservation and regulation
• Angling participation development & coaching
• Commercial fisheries management
• Angling Club development and administration
• Competition angling
• Angling history and heritage
• The angling trade

Where possible, the Trust will seek to recruit suitable individuals to provide a geographical spread commensurate with Trust areas for operation. It is envisaged that one member will represent or have an interest in fisheries within Wales.

The group will meet at least twice yearly at the Trust’s Hatton office as agreed. Meetings will be chaired by the appointed chairman of the group. The Trust National Fisheries & Angling Manager will attend the group meetings and may be accompanied by other Trust staff, including the Head of Customer Service Support, as required by the contents of the agenda.

Working subgroups may be appointed from time to time. Joint meetings may occasionally be held with the Environment Advisory Group.

The agenda will be jointly prepared by the Chairman and the National Fisheries & Angling Manager, with proposed items for discussion, including discussion papers being submitted to both at least 14 days in advance of the next meeting. The Trust Fisheries & Angling team will provide secretarial support to the group, circulating agenda items in advance to the wider group, accompanied by background papers where required.

Notes of group meetings will be published on the public section of the Trust website once formally approved by the group.

Membership of the group will be voluntary and…