Ouse Angling Preservation Society

RULE CHANGES

Over the last couple of seasons some confusion has developed over who is and isn’t allowed to fish the Mill Pool and surrounding streams during the Sea Trout fishing season. In order to make this situation clear, the following new rule will be added by the Society…
“From 01 May to 31 October each year, the Mill Pool and surrounding streams (the area bounded by the circuit of roads from the main Barcombe Mills road to the south, to the old toll road to the north) are reserved SOLELY for Sea Trout anglers who are in possession of the Society’s Sea Trout permit PLUS Pool permit(s) for the day they are fishing.

Any anglers found fishing in this area without the Society’s Pool permit(s) during this period will have their current season’s annual permit withdrawn immediately and be given a lifetime ban from purchasing further permits from the Society.”
Last season a question was asked about who could purchase guest permits. The guest permit rule has been amended to read as follows…
“A maximum of two guest permits per day are available to any Adult or Senior Annual permit holders and must be purchased in advance from either the Head Bailiff or Permit Secretary – prices for 2010-2011 are £7.50 for adult guests and £3.75 for Under 19s. The guest(s) must be accompanied at all times by the permit holder.”
The Society needs to restrict the number of anglers who can fish from the field to the south of Barcombe reservoir and the fields bounded by the Andrew’s stream to the south and east. Although it is highly unlikely that these numbers will be reached, the following rules will be added…
“The field to the south of Barcombe reservoir (bordering the main river from the reservoir south to where is joins the Andrew’s Cut, together with the north bank of the Andrew’s Cut): A maximum of 12 anglers to be fishing at any one time.

The fields bounded to the north by the Andrew’s Cut from Andrew’s weir, west to the first gate and to the south and east by Andrew’s Stream: A maximum of 6 anglers to be fishing at any one time.

If either of these maximums have been reached before you arrive, do not fish these areas until numbers allow.”

NON-NATIVE SPECIES

Following news during the 2009/2010 season of the capture of Wels catfish from the river at Hamsey the Society has been in contact with the Environment Agency (EA) concerning the legal position of returning catfish to the river following capture.

Although the capture of catfish is not yet covered by the EA’s national fishery byelaws it is likely to be included in 2010 following consultation being undertaken at the moment (click here to view the consultation). It is, however, illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to return a catfish to a river. Anglers are required to either kill any non-native species they catch or, preferably, contact the EA who will collect and remove them for relocation.

Telephone numbers for the EA are either 0800 80 70 60 (Emergency Hotline) or 01903 703886 (during office hours only for the local EA Fisheries, Recreation and Biodiversity Team).

The following is a list of fish and other non-native species, taken from schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, that anglers might come into contact with and which should not be returned to the river if captured - those known to be, or have been, present in the Sussex Ouse are shown as bold and underlined. Click on the name for further information...

Bass, Large-mouthed Black (Micropterus salmoides).
Bass, Rock (Ambloplites rupestris).
Bitterling (Rhodeus sericeus).
Pumpkinseed - also known as Sun-fish or Pond-perch (Lepomis gibbosus).
Wels - also known as European catfish (Silurus glanis).
Zander (Stizostedion lucioperca).
Crayfish, Signal (Pacifastacus leniusculus) - Added to schedule 9 in 1992.
Terrapin, European Pond (Emys orbicularis) - See note below...

The European Pond Terrapin should not be confused with the North American Red Eared Terrapin which HAS been seen in the Sussex Ouse. Although the Red Eared Terrapin is an 'undesirable' species in the river, it is not on the list of non-native species contained within the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The Society’s rule requiring all coarse fish to be returned to the river dead OR alive does not, of course, apply to non-native species and will be amended to this effect.

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