An RFCA position on access to waterways, LNRS and protecting the Ribble fishery
Recent debate around opening up rivers to wider recreational access – including canoeing, paddleboarding and wild swimming – has gathered pace. This has been reinforced by the Government’s revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP 2025) and renewed media attention through BBC Countryfile.
The Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association (RFCA) exists to represent the voice of angling and fisheries interests. It is therefore important that clubs and anglers understand what is being proposed, where the risks lie, and where existing policy can actually support the protection of our rivers and fish stocks.
Jamie Cook on Countryfile – a clear and balanced message
Responsible access to waterways is earned through contribution, cooperation, and respect for nature – not demanded as a free-for-all, regardless of consequences.
- Contribute financially through the rod licence, with funds reinvested directly into fisheries and river restoration
- Operate within locally negotiated access agreements with landowners, farmers and councils
- Respect close seasons to protect spawning fish, nesting birds and sensitive habitats
- Provide thousands of hours of voluntary effort, data and stewardship
This is earned access, grounded in responsibility.
Jamie also made clear that locally negotiated access works, whereas blanket, unrestricted access risks:
- Undermining existing environmental and wildlife protections
- Damaging spawning gravels and juvenile habitats
- Weakening the precautionary principle
- Creating unnecessary conflict between river users
The Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 – opportunity and risk
The Government’s revised Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, led by Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, sets out its long-term environmental priorities.
What anglers should note
The EIP introduces a stronger emphasis on:
- “Access to nature”
- Health and wellbeing
- Making rivers, lakes and seas cleaner for people to enjoy
However, there is a risk if “enjoyment” of rivers is interpreted as justification for unrestricted recreational access, rather than access shaped by ecological limits.
Crucially:
- The EIP does not create new legal rights to access rivers
- But it does set policy direction, which could influence future consultations and legislation
This is why Jamie Cook’s intervention is so important – it reinforces that access must follow responsibility and contribution, not precede it.
LNRS – a vital safeguard if used properly
In our last blogpost we referenced the Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), overseen by Natural England and as they will be relevant with the EIP its worth just coming back to them.
LNRS do not grant access rights. Their purpose is to:
- Identify priority habitats and species
- Map areas where nature recovery is most needed
- Guide planning, biodiversity net gain and environmental investment
For fisheries and angling, I feel that LNRS can be a powerful protective tool.
Where LNRS supports angling and fisheries
Used correctly, LNRS can:
- Identify sensitive river reaches, including spawning and nursery areas
- Support seasonal protections, reflecting fish life cycles
- Prioritise water quality, flow and habitat connectivity
- Reinforce the need for precautionary management, not blanket access
LNRS explicitly recognises that:
- Not all environments can sustain the same level of human pressure
- Nature recovery must come before multi-use ambitions
This aligns strongly with the angling position: nature first, access second.
Why RFCA engagement matters
The risk is not a single policy or document – it is policy drift.
Language around:
- “Connecting people with rivers”</li
- “Multi-functional landscapes”</li
- “Wellbeing benefits”
can, if left unchallenged, be used to support access narratives that do not fully account for fisheries, habitats or seasonal sensitivity.
- RFCA acts as the Ribble’s fisheries voice
- Clubs and anglers are kept informed
- Fisheries interests are clearly articulated in LNRS and related consultations
- Monitor national policy developments
- Engage with LNRS processes
- Work with partners where interests align
- Keep clubs and anglers updated as matters evolve
In summary
- Anglers already operate under responsible, locally negotiated access
- The EIP 2025 increases focus on access and enjoyment – but does not override environmental protection
- LNRS can and should be used to protect fisheries and habitats
- Jamie Cook’s Countryfile message provides a clear, balanced reference point for anglers
This is not about opposing other river users – it is about ensuring that access is managed, proportionate and rooted in ecological reality.
We encourage clubs and anglers to stay engaged – and we will keep you informed.
