Monday 30th January 2012 For immediate release. |
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To view this email in your web browser click HERE. The Angling Trust's Mark Owen represented the European Anglers' Alliance at a seminar at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday 24 January to discuss the management of invasive alien species. On behalf of UK and European anglers, he urged the European Union to develop policies to control the spread of invasive species such as signal crayfish, floating pennywort and zebra mussels. European hunters, anglers, landowners and conservationists met to share best practice and identify action plans to tackle invasive species as part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020. The meeting was chaired by MEP Robert Sturdy, and included speakers from the European Anglers' Alliance (EAA), the European Squirrel Initiative (ESI), the Australian Embassy, the European Landowners Organisation (ELO) and FACE. The European Commission's Valentina Bastino and several MEPs also attended. Invasive Alien Species, can out compete and devastate fisheries and other wildlife, and have been recognised as one of the major threats to global biodiversity and their control is addressed in both the Global Aichi Targets and the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy. As part of this commitment the EU is currently exploring options for EU policies to deal with the issue of Invasive Alien Species. It is important that anglers have the opportunity to make their views heard at this early stage in the process. Robert Sturdy MEP said: "Invasive Alien Species are not only clear and present dangers to European biodiversity, their effects are felt by our rural communities and it is thought that they cost the EU billions of Euros every year. It is very important that we recognise the scale of the threat and deal with it accordingly." Mark Owen of the Angling Trust, representing the European Anglers' Alliance at this meeting said: "Invasive Alien Species are one of the biggest threats to angling we currently face. Angling is a sport that is enjoyed by 25 million anglers throughout Europe and generates 25 billion Euros a year for the economy. We desperately need politicians to take this threat seriously and act accordingly in partnership with anglers." --ENDS-- NOTES TO EDITORS: The European Anglers' Alliance is a pan-European organisation with more than 3 million affiliated members in its 14 EAA member organisations, of which the Angling Trust is one. EAA is the only European angling organisation of its kind, defending recreational anglers' interests at the European level and beyond. Established in 1994, the EAA's Mission is to safeguard the fish stocks and fisheries of Europe and to protect the interests of all those who fish with rod and line for recreational purposes. See www.eaa-europe.org The Angling Trust is the representative body for all game, coarse and sea anglers in England. Its legal arm Fish Legal operates throughout the UK taking legal action against polluters and others who damage fisheries. www.anglingtrust.net The Angling Trust has compiled a guide to the identification, control and where possible eradication of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS). More information on INNS can be found on our website HERE. FACE (Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU) represents and promotes the interests of over 7 million European hunters in accordance with sustainable use of wildlife. It is an international non-profit making NGO whose Members are the national hunters' associations within 38 states of the Council of Europe, including the EU27, as well as 4 Associate Members. See www.face.eu ELO (European Landowners Organiszation) is a unique federation of 67 national associations across the EU27 which represents the interests of landowners, rural managers and entrepreneurs at the European level. ELO defends and promotes a dynamic, prosperous and sustainable countryside based on high environmental standards, economic viability and social fabric. See www.elo.org CONTACT: Mark Owen: mark.owen@anglingtrust.net Tel: 0845 77 00 616 (Option 1) Help support the Angling Trust and our work fighting for anglers, fish and fishing by clicking HERE to forward this email to a friend or colleague.   To view this email in your web browser click HERE. |
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