The Broadland Catchment contains many nationally and internationally significant areas of wildlife habitat and a number of angling hotspots. There are initiatives specialising in these areas that are dedicated to addressing wildlife related catchment issues.
Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership
Set up in 1996, the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership brings together over twenty local authorities, statutory agencies and voluntary groups to implement the Norfolk Biodiversity Action Plan. The Partnership operates through a Steering Group which meets three times a year. In addition, eight specialist working groups (topic groups) have been established, dealing with: coastal biodiversity; communities and nature; waterbodies and wetlands; Broads biodiversity; biodiversity and planning; farmland biodiversity; heathlands and woodlands. The Partnership also arranges an Annual Biodiversity Forum to encourage debate and discussion about key biodiversity issues.
Angling
Along with boating, walking and birdwatching the Broadland Rivers Catchment is a hugely popular area for angling. Angling for course fish is particularly popular on tidal rivers, with renowned barbel fishing on the River Wensum. The Environment Agency, The Broads Angling Strategy Group (BASG) and other local angling organisations seek to improve angling access including facilities for anglers with disabilities. Together they have produced the Angle on the Broads publication. The Environment Agency installs temporary barriers to protect fish populations in boatyards at times of tidal surge and saline incursion. The BASG aims to ensure that angling within this unique waterland can be enjoyed responsibly, providing guidance and information suitable for anglers of all levels and has won an award for its help with the monitoring of salinity.
Your Fisheries
Your Fisheries is an initiative developed by The Rivers Trust, Environment Agency and Angling Trust. It provides a common web-based planning system (and information repository) that brings together evidence and knowledge from a range of different sources. Your Fisheries is a tool to aid fishery management decisions at catchment scale embedded within the Catchment based Approach.
To find out more about the project, please contact tom@theriverstrust.org
