The Dover Harbour Board are threatening to close one of the best sea angling venues on the South Coast.
Admiralty Pier in Dover has been a mecca for sea anglers for over 100 years. Since 1903, the Dover Sea Angling Association have held events on the pier. When the pier was damaged in the 1987 hurricane, the DSAA invested over £180,000 repairing the pier and took on its management. Now Dover Harbour Board are threatening to close Admiralty Pier to angling, for good.
The Angling Trust is working with the Dover Sea Anglers Association to stop this happening, and is calling on sea anglers to get behind the campaign by signing the “Reopen Admiralty Pier Petition”, and writing to the Dover Harbour Board to show their opposition.
Richard Yates, Chairman of the Dover Sea Angling Association, said: “When the Harbour Board told us of their intention, we couldn’t believe it. This has been an important angling spot since 1903. Thanks to the hard work and passion of members of the DSAA we have created the best sea angling spot on the south coast. It is enjoyed by the people of Dover and by anglers who travel from all over the country to fish here. It brings valuable business to our town. We welcome over 4,000 angler a year to this spot.
“With access to the Prince of Wales Pier closed to angling we were able to support disabled anglers by creating facilities for them on Admiralty Pier. This gives access to many anglers who would have nowhere else to go. To lose Admiralty Pier will be a blow to all anglers, but it will be a kick in the teeth to disabled anglers.”
Stuart Singleton-White, Head of Campaigns at the Angling Trust, said: “The Harbour Board have made up some excuse that they have to close the pier because of a government consultation on the Protect Duty. This is no more than that, an excuse. The reality is this is a cynical move to kick anglers off the pier. We will be supporting Dover Sea Angling Association and taking this fight to the Harbour Board and to parliament.”
Both the DSAA and the Angling Trust are seeking a meeting with the Harbour Board to discuss their plans. We will be contacting the Dover MP, Natalie Elphicke, to seek her support is opposing this move.
