The Environment Agency attended the stocking and later analysis of the fish showed the presence of the category 2 parasite Ergasilus briani in fish supplied to the club by the commercial supplier concerned, Framlingham Fisheries.
This is the first time in its 58 year history that the ACA has recovered damages for a club for the supply of diseased fish. It follows another first last month which saw the organisation offer a £1,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution or civil claim on a pollution case on the River Ribble. This offer was quickly matched with another £1,000 from the angling clubs concerned.
Mark Lloyd, ACA Director said: “This should send a very loud and clear warning to those rogue commercial fish suppliers out there. If you supply diseased fish, and the recipient is an ACA member, then the ACA solicitors will be coming after you.
“The ACA is already acting for carp fisheries affected by Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) and brown trout fisheries affected by Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS) in farmed rainbow trout. The ACA will do everything it can to fight to make polluters, and anyone else who damages fisheries, pay for the damage they cause to our members’ waters.”
This is the 11th case the ACA has settled in 2006, with damages now totalling over £100,000. It reflects the new approach the organisation has taken to fighting for fisheries and anglers. The ACA can only act for its member angling clubs and fishery owners and can only do so with the support of thousands of individual anglers paying £20 a year. Anyone wishing to join should visit www.a-c-a.org or phone 01568 620447.
·The ACA was founded in 1948 with the purpose of using the law to fight to protect the aquatic environment and fisheries.
·Since that time, the ACA has won in excess of two thousand cases and recovered many millions of pounds in damages, which is returned to the members the ACA represents to plough back into angling and the protection of the aquatic environment.
·Throughout our history, we have lost only three cases at trial. At any one time, we typically have about fifty to sixty cases running and give clubs and anglers legal advice across the entire range of angling matters.
·In 2006 alone, the ACA has settled 11 cases, with damages totalling over £100,000 and has advised over 100 clubs on legal matters.
·Clubs or riparian owners wishing to join the ACA should phone 01568 620447 during office hours or download a subscription form from the web site: www.a-c-a.org
·The ACA’s Annual Report is available on request.
