I was going to write a few words about safety on the shoreline following the recent tragedies in Cornwall but when I saw Henry Gilbey’s post on the same subject I asked him if I could copy to my site. Sharing my concerns Henry duly obliged. The sea is unforgiving and many of us have had near misses and as I get older I see the dangers more and more.
Henry Gilbey- writes on safety at sea.
Following on from the tragic deaths of two anglers the other day from a part of Cornwall I know very well and have fished plenty, well for some reason it’s really banged home to me that too many of us who fish choose to ignore the simple things we could be doing to give ourselves the best possible chance of surviving if and when something goes wrong. I have found a good contact at the RNLI and had an interesting chat with him about all this, and also why anglers like you and me are so resistant to wearing lifejackets out on the rocks for example. Also had a good talk with a lifejacket company about some of their products that would be most suitable for the sort of shore fishing I do etc. I never thought I would say this, but I am going to buy one of those compact and unobtrusive, auto inflate life jackets. Not sure which one yet, need to choose between a couple of makes and models, but I am looking at around £100-150 – think about what we spend on rods, reels, lures and waders for example. More to come about what I hope might be some food for thought. They found a body in Constantine Bay this morning, most likely the second angler who went in last week……………..
This article appeared in Exmoor Magazine earlier this year but I think worth re-airing it here on North Devon Angling News.
WHAT SWIMS BENEATH
Stand high on the cliffs that border the waters of the Bristol Channel and gaze out over the perpetually moving waters. As an angler you will perhaps ponder upon what swims beneath the waves.
Lundy Island marks the entrance of the Bristol Channel and beyond Lundy the vast Atlantic Ocean. It is thought provoking to look back on the evidence of the past and at what previous generations hauled from the depths. This paints a picture of a sea of plenty and highlights what we have lost through years of overfishing and poor management of our waters.
A few years ago I purchased the book ‘Lynton and Lynmouth’ Glimpses of the past. Within its pages is a fascinating peek into a bygone age of angling.
“In 1908 a party of anglers at Lynmouth boarded the boat Kingfisher skippered by Cecil Bevan and returned to port later that day with a haul of 675lb comprising of 35 conger, two skate, four cod and a Pollock.” A huge haul but what stands out is the capture of the two skate. Whilst many varieties of ray are referred to as skate; true skate have not been landed from North Devon waters for many years. Further reading revealed that Cecil Bevan’s angling expeditions off Lynmouth resulted in skate to 196lb.
These huge barn door sized fish were apparently prolific in the waters of North Devon and must have proved a real challenge to anglers as they used their huge wings to kite in the strong tides that surge back and forth everyday. Remember also that the tackle they used was far less efficient than todays hi tech tackle that has both finesse and strength. There is no reason huge fish cannot reside within our waters today the habitat is still perfect it’s just that commercial fishing pressure wiped them out. There are still areas around the UK where skate are caught and returned by sport fishers to preserve the species.
Porbeagle shark still roam the seas off North Devon they are no longer abundant but can be caught. Back in the 1970’s the Appledore Shark Angling Club fished the waters of Bideford Bay and off Hartland Point. One old photo given to me by Dave Rogers shows a catch of shark made off Ilfracombe. Eighteen-porbeagle shark lined up with the triumphant anglers. Such a sight would be totally unacceptable today but in those days nobody considered it possible to impact upon fish stocks.
In addition to the well-documented porbeagle shark mentioned above I have also discovered pictures of shark caught off Combe Martin in the herring nets. These images discovered on the Combe Martin History Forums Facebook page are reproduced with kind permission of members of the group and show a porbeagle reputed to weigh around 500lb and eight foot long. William Watkins, Roy Watkins and G Mason caught the fish in herring nets off Heddon’s Mouth in 1951. It is unclear whether all the images on the forum are the same shark but it is clear that huge porbeagle hunted the herring shoals during the autumn months beyond the summer season normally associated with this fish.
Another shark that frequents the North Devon coast is the tope. On November 6th 2006 Kevin Legge hooked and landed a specimen of 66lb that set a new British Record. In an uncanny chain of event’s Kevin was to beat his own record four years later on the same date in November with a fish of 66lb 8oz.
There are of course even bigger beasts swimming beneath the surface with whale sightings not uncommon. In July 2011 a fin whale was washed up on Lynmouth foreshore. Scientists carried out extensive research on the huge mammal before it was removed in a costly waste disposal exercise.
The waters off Exmoor and the North Devon coast have indeed been the home of leviathans over the years. Perhaps as climate change takes hold other species will move into these waters. Large shoals of tuna have frequently been sighted off the Cornish coastline. Who knows what sometimes swims within our coastal waters? The mysteries of the sea have intrigued generations and will I hope continue to so. There are no barriers as such within the seas and oceans other than that of climate.
Anyone who lived in Combe Martin during the sixties and early seventies will remember the Fruit and tackle tackle shop owned by the late Johnny Somerville. I found this old picture of a large conger caught sometime during the seventies!
Agapi Fruit and Fishing is a unique venue nestled in a tranquil valley near Torrington that offers a fine family fishing experience. The owner Sandra Hood invited Pauline, James and I to sample the fishing and write a short review on the complex.
We followed an intriguing country lane at the end of which we came upon a pleasing lake stretching before us reflecting a blue sky and wispy white clouds.
Glancing into the water I immediately saw dimples on the water as small rudd broke the surface. At the far end of the lake a few carp could be seen cruising slowly, fish of up to around 4lb that would give a pleasing tussle on light tackle.
Sandra greeted us warmly and told us about the fishery and its facilities that include a spacious ready made up bell tent and a two birth caravan where guests can stay over at a modest cost.
James and I were eager to get fishing as late August evenings pass by all too quickly and it was already past 6.00pm. I had brought along a bait box full of Jolly Green Giant sweetcorn and half a loaf of white sliced bread. No need for modern fancy baits here just simple basics.
James started off float fishing with a single grain of corn and was soon swinging in small golden rudd the float disappearing with pleasing regularity within seconds of it sitting upright in the still water.
I was already focusing on the chance of a carp and tied a size 10 barbless hook to the end of my 3lb line that was loaded on my old Avon Royal Centre Pin. I tossed a few crusts out onto the water and expected the carp to devour them but shoals of rudd were on the bait within seconds. I wondered along the bank rod in hand to a shady corner where several carp were visible. I pinched a generous piece of flake onto the hook and swung it out in front of a cruising carp. The bait disappeared and the line slowly tightened. I felt a pleasing resistance as I set the hook, the carp made a dash for the weedy margin beneath the tree branch’s and after a tense struggle came adrift.
Sandra arrived shortly after with a tasty plateful of ham sandwiches, homemade chutney and a flask of hot water with tea, coffee and cakes.
Pauline chatted at length with Sandra whilst James and I became immersed in the tense and frustrating game of stalking carp. James found a group of carp on the far bank and was soon calling for me to rush over with the net. I got there to find the carp battling beneath the rod tip partially tangling in trailing grass and brambles. My attempt to net the carp resulted in the fish shedding the hook.
I had one further chance in the shady corner as I watched a carp suck in my bread flake just few inches from the bank. I lifted the rod expecting to feel a solid resistance; I instead felt the deflating thin air. Its been a while since I stalked carp and but after this exciting session it will not be long before I am creeping the banks again. I had forgotten just how addictive, and exciting this close up fishing is!
Sandra’s vision is to offer a unique fishing experience the emphasis being on fun. This is not at present a specimen fishing lake though I am sure the carp will soon pack on weight and in two or there years there will be carp present topping ten pounds. The fishing on offer is perfect for a fun family day out in beautiful surroundings. A cosy summerhouse offers shelter with a wooden platform that gives access to the centre of the lake.
Float fishing with sweetcorn bread or maggot will bring constant action ensuring newcomers to the sport get plenty of bites and beautiful golden scaled rudd.
We caught several rudd up to 8oz and there are undoubtedly a few bigger ones. The carp are plentiful and at present range from a couple of pounds up to perhaps 5lb.
The lake is available for exclusive use with adults paying just £5 for a day ticket and children fishing for free. Only one booking per day is taken with groups of up to six around the maximum for the venue. The lake has a very pleasing atmosphere and intimacy that is lost at many crowded commercial fisheries. To get away from it all and escape into the countryside with a bit of fishing I can highly recommend the venue.
In addition to the fishing Sandra is pleased to provide tasty food including Devon Cream teas and cooked breakfasts. In addition to fishing there is also the opportunity to pick your own Fruit in season.
River Reads are a specialist angling book shop operating out of Torrington well worth a visit as they carry a vast range of angling books on all disciplines. Here is their latest Newsletter penned by owner Keith Armishaw.
Well, it’s been a while since we wrote the last newsletter, but as the weather is too windy for sea fishing and the local rivers are running like soup and fly only, it seemed the ideal time to sit down and pen a few things that have been happening of late.
I have been continuing to add photographs of books to the site as I think it will aid decision making to be able to see exactly what the book you are after looks like and in what condition it is in. I have just completed the fly tying, fly casting and tackle catalogues having done the fly fishing, coarse fishing (carp, pike etc as well) earlier in the year. I hope you find it of use, and if you have any other ideas that would help, please feel free to e mail us.
Whilst we are on the subject of books, Dominic Garnett who writes a weekly column for Angling Times called in for a chat. He is probably best known for his Fly Fishing for Coarse Fish book, but also promotes the fishing in Devon and Somerset. He dropped off some of his other books – Crooked Lines and Tangles with Pike – which he signed whilst we talked fishing, had a cuppa, and recorded him talking for the Angling Heritage archive which you can now hear on line. We had an interesting time which just flew by.
We have also recently acquired quite a lot of our “Vintage Tackle”. Whilst several cane Hardy rods and reels have been added, we have also now got a great selection of nearly new – in many cases unused – high quality modern tackle too including carbon rods from Sage, Orvis, Sharp, Hardy, Greys etc so if you aren’t an old timer stuck in the mud like me, now is the time to buy your fantastic new tackle at great prices. Also acquired with the rods are reels from Orvis, Bruce & Walker, Hardy, ABU, Snowbee and many more.
If you are looking for any new or antique items, now is the time to peruse the antique tackle section.
Finally, I’m looking forward to our shark fishing sessions in Looe next month followed by what we hope will be an annual trip to British Columbia to fish the Frazer, then on to Vancouver Island after salmon. I went with Hugh Miles last year and we loved every moment so have booked the same again this year. If you fancy an overseas trip with the comfort of home where you can stay in spa hotels for your family, this is THE place to go. You can keep up with all my escapades in the “Diary” section of the website, or get a brief overview on our Facebook page.
Autumn is nearly here and I think this is the best time of year to fish, so get out there and good luck.
I once rather naively thought that fish farms were a good thing in that rearing salmon would reduce the demand for wild fish and eradicate the threat of poaching and commercial harvesting. Many years later I see fish farms as a menace and a very real threat to wild salmon stocks and other fish. The much publicized concerns regarding sea lice infestations and potential genetic issues with farmed fish mingling with wild stocks are just a couple of issues.
The Angling Trust have just publicized a campaign to halt the use of West Country Wrasse to control sea lice infestations in Scottish salmon farms.
Whilst I have not got any degree of scientific expertise I have grave concerns regarding other aspects of fish farming. I have recollections of statistics revealing that 5 kilos of fish meal is used to produce 1 kilo of salmon. Fish meal is basically ground down fish such as sandeel and mackerel both vital links in the aquatic food chain.
Whilst in Norway recently we caught cod and halibut with their stomachs full of pellets. These fish had undoubtedly been feeding from the spillings of food from the growing number of salmon farms. Many of the cod, coalfish and halibut also had large numbers of sea-lice on them. I do not know if this is normal or if numbers of sea lice have multiplied in recent seasons? At times there appeared to be an oily slick on the water was this pollution from the salmon farms? It is alarming if as I suspect this pristine arctic environment is being tarnished by commercial farming of salmon.
These issues are of course complex as we need to eat and we have probably all eaten farmed salmon and have not given any thought to the costs to the environment.
Summer evening on a trout lake in early July lush green vegetation surrounding the mirror calm surface. Swallows swooping over the water with trout cruising clearly visible in crystal clear water.
I was enjoying an evening at Blakewell with their resident instructor Jeff Pearce. Jeff was as always kitted out with the latest top quality tackle from Snowbee a Spectre 5 weight rod matched to a 2 to 5 weight thistledown fly line that has recently won a prestigious European Fly Fishing Trade Award.
Image by Jeff Pearce
I had elected to contrast Jeff’s top of the range modern tackle by bringing along a 7ft Scottie Split Cane rod that I purchased from a work colleague last year. I later discovered that the rod had once been owned by Richard Mann a regular at Blakewell who sadly passed away last year. Whilst I am not a devout advocate of vintage tackle I do have a fondness for angling history and split cane rods have a certain feel that is somehow more in sync with nature than the steely modern perfection of carbon fibre.
Image by Jeff Pearce
We had decided to restrict ourselves to dry fly only on this warm and sultry evening planning to savour the visual delights of this method. It is surprising that so many anglers miss out on the best trout fishing summer has on offer by concentrating their efforts during the daytime hours often fishing office hours between 9.0am and 5.00pm when they could arrive at 5.00pm and fish until dusk when the fish undoubtedly become more active.
After a days work that had entailed a meeting in Plymouth I was relieved to eventually arrive at the lake at close to 6.30pm where I found Jeff chatting to a couple of visiting anglers.
Trout were clearly visible, some cruising and others were suspended lethargically almost motionless in the water
I tied a small grey duster to my 4lb point and worked the fly line until I had found the range of the target trout. Jeff was soon into action tempting a fish on a small caenis imitation. After a pleasing tussle a beautiful spotted brown trout of a couple of pounds was being admired.
It was obvious that the actively cruising trout were the fish to target as they were we guessed on the lookout for food. After a few refusals I dropped my fly into the path a cruising fish and watched as it nonchalantly swam up to the fly and slurped in my offering. The satisfying tightening of the line and well-bent rod followed this delightful moment of deception. This was the first decent sized trout I had hooked on the old Scottie as previous outings with the rod had been on the river where I had relished catching 4oz wild browns. This 2lb plus rainbow was a more severe test for the rod though I lent into the fish with total confidence enjoying every moment as the old cane absorbed every lunge.
As we fished on Jeff enjoyed success with a small sedge pattern twitching it a few times and then pausing. This often provoked a rise from the trout and a well bent rod. I followed suit tying on a sedge pattern myself and casting to active trout. This was fascinating fishing watching each fish’s reaction to the fly. There is surely no more enjoyable way to catch trout than with the dry fly?
Image by Jeff Pearce
As the sun slowly sank the trout became more active as the air-cooled and more flies hatched around the lake. There was no hurry to catch fish as we enjoyed the ambience of the summer lake. Chatting about fishing here and there and hatching plans for fly-fishing excursions in both saltwater and fresh. Jeff is a dedicated fly angler and relishes catching on this method above all others.
As the sun sank we took the opportunity to capture images of reflections in the water as the summer day ebbed away. A pair of kingfishers flashed across the water a pleasing glimpse of blue and orange. A heron wheeled above the trees emitting a primeval cry and resembling a pterodactyl that once flew millions of years ago. Such summer evenings are to be savored as the evenings once again begin to shorten as summers glorious peak of perfection passes.
North Devon Angling News has been up and running for just over twelve months and I hope that it has been of benefit to the local angling community. My intention has always been to entertain and inform. The site would not work without regular news stories from anglers in North Devon and with huge support from my sponsors who have placed adverts with me. I try to give good value and welcome any new supporters who would like to come on-board.
I was going to put up a few highlights from the past year but on reflection this would be difficult as there are so many and I would undoubtedly over look so many so perhaps I should just encourage you to take a look back over your particular area of interest. And don’t forget to send your latest news and images. If you want to comment you can always do so via the Facebook or twitter feed or even using the telephone.
Swallows swooped to and fro above as Pauline and I sat savouring tasty paella on the patio. We were guests of Anthony and Amanda the latest owners of Little Warham Fishery nestled deep in the Torridge Valley near Beaford. It was Midsummer Eve and birdsong resonated all around with pigeons cooing peacefully in the trees. We had met with the new custodians of Little Warham back in the autumn at the Torridge Fishery Associations annual Dinner at the Half Moon Inn at Sheepwash. Summer seemed a long way off then with the leaves turning brown and the evenings growing longer. Anthony and Amanda had told us enthusiastically of their plans for the coming year and invited us to join them at some point for a look around the fishery.
Those eight months had certainly flown past, as life seems to these days. The old Farmhouse has a timeless air about it and glimpses of its history linger. Anthony showed us the larder in which the salmon were stored after being collected from the river by horse and cart. An ancient dark wood smoker stood beneath a fine copper beech tree. The house is thought to date back to around 1790 and was for many years a fishing lodge undoubtedly visited by many salmon anglers in far off days when I guess it was predominantly the gentry who would cast their lines.
We talked of fish, of fishing and life before setting off to the river down a delightful path that lead to fields of wheat and oats that stretched before us to the river that was hidden from view by a row of trees that were in their resplendent peak of lush green. Summer flowers lined the hedgerows. The yellow flowers of spring having now given way to pink fox gloves and dog roses of summer. The scents of summer drifted in the air.
We came to a path leading down a steep slope towards the river that could be glimpsed through the trees. As we reached the valleys base the damp musty smell of the river filled the nostrils. The famous fishing hut stood here the heart of the fishery and place of peace, contemplation and I am sure the focus point of many enduring friendships.
I was passed the key and carefully opened the door of the hut stepping inside to a hut full of memories. The smell of wood-smoke hung in the air. An old gaff hook hung upon the wall and cheap white plastic chairs contrasted starkly with the historic feel of the hut. Anthony lifted the trap door that concealed the cool recess where salmon were stored until the days end.
On the fireplace sat an old black and white photo within a frame. Winston Churchill stood inspecting a row of military personal, one of which was Group Captain Peter Norton Smith the late husband of Theresa Norton Smith who had resided at Little Warham since the mid 1960’s when they had moved to Devon following a long distinguished military career that culminated when he was appointed CBE.
Captain Peter Norton Smith and his wife were instrumental in helping to rejuvenate the River Torridge that was at that time heavily polluted by farm effluent.
Norton Smith was Chairman of the Torridge Fishery Association a post later held be his wife. A hair wing salmon fly was created in his honour and the Norton Smiths were also the subject of a poem, “Torridge Salmon” by Ted Hughes.
Carved into the roof of the hut is the outline of a huge salmon weighing 32lb one of six magnificent salmon landed on April 10th 1932. The six fish totalled 106lb and were landed between 10.00 am and 1.00pm. A fact that reminds me of a conversation I once had with Charles Inniss who told me that the best time to catch a salmon is when you have just caught one.
After lingering for a while within the atmospheric fishing hut it was time to wander downstream to view the river and some of its 17 named pools divided between four beats. Guests fishing the river traditionally swap beats half way through the day after breaking for lunch in the fishing hut. The river was at low summer level and showing its bones. Despite this I knew there would be salmon and sea trout hidden within the deeper pots and expected to see a splash and a glimpse of silver at any moment.
This enchanting stretch of river meanders with a mixture of slower pools, glides and rapids. The far bank descends steeply to the river and is densely populated with pine trees. The right bank we walked upon is populated with sycamore, withy, ash and majestic oak trees. Anthony informed me that the oaks were planted beside the river so that they could be felled and timber floated downstream to the boat builders at Appledore.
Amanda talked of walking the riverbank during the spring and of the snowdrops, wild daffodils, primrose, bluebells and wood sorrel that had preceded our visit.
One of the joys of walking a river is reading the water and guessing where the rivers fish will be stationed. The occasional trout rose as flies drifted down, we saw a mayfly drifting slowly in the surface film and wondered how long it would be before it was devoured by a hungry trout.
As we strolled we caught site of the flash of electric blue as kingfishers darted above the water. The whole valley had a timeless ambience undoubtedly enhanced by a lack of intrusion from road or rail. The Torridge unlike the Taw has long stretches of river that are far from such transport links ensuring it remains silent except for sounds of nature and occasional rumbling thrum of a farm tractor.
Our walk was interrupted at one point by the discovery of a sheep that had become trapped upon its back beside the river. Anthony quickly scurried down the steep bank and helped the poor creature to its feet. It staggered drunkenly for a few yards and then trotted out into meadow free to continue its simple life.
The fishery retains its character no manicured banks here just a few well-placed lengths of rope to aid access to the pools. Anglers have wondered its banks for many decades and little has changed accept perhaps the fish populations that are undoubtedly just a shadow of what they were in those halcyon days of old. It is sobering to think of those Victorian anglers loading horse and cart to take their days catch to the salmon larder at the house.
Anthony with his first salmon from Little Warham
I look forward to returning once again to the river when a recent spate has brought in a fresh run of salmon, descendants of those fish angled for many years ago.
I will undoubtedly be able to put the flies I purchased during the visit. For they carry a selection of flies tied by those detained at HMS Prison in Exeter.
After reluctantly leaving the river we were taken into the recently refurbished holiday cottage that will make a wonderful base for both anglers and lovers of deepest rural Devon. The cottage is furnished to a high standard with Amanda’s artistic touches evident throughout. A wood-burner ensures that the cottage will be warm and cozy during autumn and winter when the valley is decorated with a crispy layer of frost, autumn leaves flutter to the ground and the salmons journey culminates as they spawn in the river of their birth.
I have tried to paint a picture of the river valley but when I returned home that night I thumbed through the pages of a book in my collection. “ A Summer on the Test” by J.W. Hills.
“ Indeed valleys are not only objects of natural beauty, but necessities, if you are to keep in tune with your surroundings. And there is another point. It is not only that the valley itself is pleasing, but the running water of the river gives it heart and life as a fire gives life to a room: and therefore you have both the attraction of moving water and also of its surrounding scenery. And further, if you follow the river and not the rail or the road, you will find that in its twists and turns it is always showing you the distant view under another aspect and you get a totally different idea of the country from that gained by one who scours the straight highway only. If also you go right down to the level of the water, as you do if you either fish or go in a boat, you step into a different plane of life. You see much that is hidden from him who only walks the banks – the habits of birds, and their nests, and flowers, which before were unnoticed. You see all this life, not from above, but on an equality, as though you formed part of it. All these attributes are the peculiar advantages of river valleys. And they have the further merit that in no other part of the earth can the changes of the seasons be observed better.”
James Wigglesworth and his angling friends often enjoy trips to Ilfracombe’s Pier where they catch a wide variety of species using both conventional tactics and LRF techniques. Many thanks to James for sending me this informative article.
Whether you’ve fished it or not, Ilfracombe Pier should be a venue on any species hunters radar. Throughout the seasons nearly anything is possible from the North Devon Port. During the summer months it can get particularly busy with families and groups targeting the seasonal mackerel that visit our waters so I prefer to head down at quieter times and adapt a mobile approach where I can fish on the move and target different species in different habitats. My favourite style of fishing is using a very light LRF rod (0.5-7g) with a size 16 hooks trying to tempt all the weird and wonderful mini species that find sanctuary in and around the harbour. Tiny bits of ragworm or Isome fished tight to the wall will produce bites for the majority of the day with gobies, blennies, scorpion fish, wrasse and small pollack finding it too irresistible to ignore. If that’s not really your game and you like to fish static with heavier gear then you’d be silly to ignore the piers potential. I haven’t done too much of this myself but good friend and local species hunter George Stavrakopoulos has and he’s bagged a lot of good fish. He fishes light flapper rigs baited with worm, squid or mackerel. Fishing straight off the end of the lower Pier will find your lead landing on rough, rocky ground which will see you getting plenty of bites from wrasse, pout and the likes. Moving round into the harbour the ground cleans up and just a gentle lob will find you on the sand where there are plenty of dabs, flounders, bass and the odd ray or gurnard.
Float fishing through the warmer months will get you mackerel and garfish which is always great fun on light gear. We’ve seen some pretty strange fish come from the Pier since we’ve been fishing it and also some pretty rare ones. One recent session saw myself catch a topknot and a leopard spotted goby in consecutive casts and I know that George bagged himself a cling fish and a tadpole fish in a single session there last year. Get down there and give it a go…. you never know what might turn up!
Image Courtesy of Heather Lowther (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)
Nick Phillips and I met with Dr Gill Ainsworth Social Scientist from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology CEH Edinburgh to represent Combe Martin Sea Angling Club in an hour long filmed interview that will form part of a film for the below project that gives Marine stakeholders an opportunity to voice their views on the Marine Environment and what matters to them and their communities.
Cultural values, experiences, identities and capabilities relating to marine ecosystem services
Project introduction: This Community Voice Method (CVM) project is being undertaken in collaboration between the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) as part of the Marine Ecosystems Research Programme (MERP). The project goal is to identify potential management measures for the North Devon Marine Pioneer area and views on the future of the marine environment in the Southwest. We aim to do this by gathering people’s views about the benefits, experiences and capabilities they gain from conducting different activities in the marine environment and how these might be affected by a range of possible future scenarios.
How the Community Voice Method works: This project aims to gather stakeholder views about potential marine management options and enable deliberation on those options. The method involves filming interviews in order to produce a documentary film to be shown during a stakeholder workshop later in the year. This will inform the design of marine management in the Southwest, and ensure different community voices are represented more effectively when policy options are being considered, alongside ecological and economic evidence.
The Marine Pioneer: The Marine Pioneer is an area of the Celtic Seas that joins the existing North Devon Biosphere along the coast and extends to approximately 20 nautical miles beyond Lundy. Defra chose the Marine Pioneer in 2016 as part of its 25 Year Environment Strategy to deliver growth in our natural environment and in the social and economic well-being of the North Devon area.
Who is being interviewed? We are approaching people for interview based on their knowledge or involvement in relevant marine industries or sea user groups as well as trying to ensure that we capture as full a range of views and values as possible. We are intentionally selecting people who we know are engaged in, care about, or are impacted by the marine management process, and who represent a range of views on and interests in marine resource use, management and conservation.
Image courtesy of Heather Lowther (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)
The films will be used later as a focus point at workshops where stakeholders have the opportunity to work together to find a way forward to ensure a marine environment that balances the needs for all involved.
Sandra greeted us warmly and told us about the fishery and its facilities that include a spacious ready made up bell tent and a two birth caravan where guests can stay over at a modest cost.
I will undoubtedly be able to put the flies I purchased during the visit. For they carry a selection of flies tied by those detained at HMS Prison in Exeter.
