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In 2011, the Angling Trust mounted four campaigns against UK hydropower:
'Hydropower - An Angling Trust Guide to Objecting' - exactly what it says, imploring anglers and others to object to every hydropower planning permission and environmental licensing application. A continuous campaign on the Angling Trust website
'Fight the Hydropower Threat' - March 2011
'Environment Agency 'complacent' about hydropower regulation' - a specific attack on the Settle community hydro scheme - November 2011
'Angling Trust Position Paper: Run of River Hydropower' - a paper which coincided with the final stages of the review of the Environment Agency's Hydropower Good Practice Guidance. The Environment Agency, British Hydropower Association and Angling Trust had been working throughout the year to review guidance for the regulation of hydro projects, based on best evidence available. The 'Position Paper' is emotive, one-sided and inaccurate. It does not reflect the high degree of environmental regulation which is involved in hydro development.
The BHA has compiled a critique to correct the inaccuracies and provide a sensible balance on the AT's paper. This is available here.
The public position of the BHA at present is that:
The BHA is disappointed at the Angling Trust's campaigns and 'position paper' on run-of-river hydro.
All include emotive, one-sided and inaccurate statements, which do not refkect the highdegree of environmental regulation that is involved in hydro development.
The BHA, in conjunction with the angling Trust, is reviewing and developing hydropower good practice guidance within the Environment Agency's Hdropower Working Group (EAHWG) and this has been going well. We do not want to see it derailed by the Angling Trust's campaigns.
The BHA is committed to promoting well-designed and environmentally sustainable hydro projects and is very aware of real angling concerns.