The following rules and conditions have been drawn up to protect and preserve the fish stocks, wildlife and water bodies of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA). Failure to comply with the rules and conditions will result in disciplinary action.
General Rules and Conditions 2008/2009
1. The Authority is not under any obligation to maintain the quantity or quality of water and does not guarantee any particular quality of angling, swims or car parking areas.
2. Maintenance and Events. The Authority reserves the right to close swims, bankside and water areas to facilitate maintenance, angling and non angling events at any time.
3. THE AUTHORITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, RULES, CONDITIONS OR ANY OTHER ARRANGEMENTS WITH PERMIT HOLDERS AS DEEMED NECESSARY .
4. Anglers can only park within designated areas.
5. Anglers Conduct . Offensive conduct or behaviour will not be tolerated. Intimidation of any kind to other anglers, authority personnel or members of the public will be classed as a gross offence and will result in a ban from all LVRPA controlled fisheries.
6. Anglers must not engage in any activity or angling practice which endangers the fishery quality, health of the fish or surrounding wildlife.
7. An angler can only occupy a single swim at any one time, fish within specified areas and must not interfere with any other swim.
8. Anglers must not commit any act whatsoever which may interfere or cause offence to other persons using the lake area. This includes the use of portable generators, audio or TV equipment.
9. Swim Holding. Rotas or any similar arrangements made to reserve swims or areas are not permitted . N/B pre-baiting is allowed for current season permit holders, however this does not confer any rights to any areas.
10. Permits must be carried at all times and produced at any time on request from Fishery Wardens, Task Force, Park Guard or Authority Staff.
11. NO LITTER - ALL litter and discarded debris is the responsibility of the angler present in the swim or fishing position . REGARDLESS OF ORIGIN ALL LITTER MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE FISHERY.
12. Permit holders shall not add to, remove or alter in any way, the banks, trees and land surrounding the fishery.
13. Dinghies, boats or radio controlled craft are not permitted on LVRPA waters for angling purposes. All boats, lilos or similar inflatable equipment must not be used for transportation across the water body . Possession of any of the aforementioned equipment is a gross offence and a breach of byelaws (Byelaw 19 and 23)
14. All fish to be returned to the water at the very earliest opportunity.
15. Swimming and wading is strictly forbidden.
16. No open fires or barbecues (Byelaw 12).
17. Anglers fishing from platforms provided for disabled people must vacate their swims when asked to do so by a person holding a disabled angler's permit.
18. The LVRPA disabled angler's permit (not concessionary permit) allows the exclusive use of specified swims only. (See permit letter)
19. Disabled anglers may be accompanied by one helper who can also fish. The individual rod use entitlement for the permit holder must not be extended.
20. The LVRPA accepts no responsibility for any injury, illness, loss or damage to persons or property in connection with facilities provided at any venue.
21. Please read and familiarise yourself with the letter which accompanies your permit. If uncertain ring the Fisheries Department before fishing (telephone number on back page of rules).
22. All Environment Agency byelaws apply. The traditional March 15th to June 15th (inclusive) close season is upheld on Waltons Walk, Dobbs Weir and Broxbourne Mill and Navigation.
Specific Angling Rules
23. Permit holders can fish with a maximum of three rods, the maximum distance per swim between all three rods being three metres. Please Note; Glen Faba permits four rods, Slipe Lane two rods only, Brackens Pool two rods only plus no pre-baiting (bags and stringers only).
24. Permit holders must not leave baited or unbaited rods and lines unattended in the water. Anglers found anywhere other than the swim or peg where their rods are positioned, are in breach of this rule if all tackle is not wound in . Unattended rods will result in a gross disciplinary action.
25. Anglers may only fish in one particular swim for a TOTAL of seven days in any fourteen. After any session totalling fourteen days continously the Angler MUST vacate the venue for 48 hours before return.
26. Long stay anglers must not leave their swims for more than two hours in any twenty four and cannot extend the permitted time absent from their swim or rota their swim for periods longer than seven days by installing a token angler during their absence.
27. The use of nuts is strictly prohibited.
28. All anglers must carry suitable landing and unhooking equipment for their chosen quarry.
29. All Carp and Pike anglers must use a padded unhooking mat, minimum size three feet by two feet. This must be present in the swim or fishing position before commencing fishing. Carp and Pike must not be retained in any manner. The possession of sacks, tunnels or similar is prohibited whilst on the fishery. Keepnets may be used for other species but Wardens have the authority to request that large fish be returned if conditions so dictate.
30. A suitable landing net must be used to carry large species from the water. They must be returned as quickly as possible either in the landing net or a suitable sling.
31. With the exception of pike rigs, multihook rigs and end tackle is strictly prohibited.
32. REMOVAL OF FISH . Fish must be returned to the water from which they were caught as early as circumstances allow. Persons attempting to return fish to other LVRPA waters whether adjacent or nearby will incur gross disciplinary action.
33. Any person found attempting to steal fish from LVRPA fisheries will be prosecuted. (Theft Act 1968).
34. There is to be no bait fishing for Pike between 1st April and 30th September. However, lure fishing is allowed throughout the fishing season.
35. Wire traces and Semi-barbed hooks only to be used for Pike fishing.
36. Bite detection equipment for Pike fishing must show some form of drop back bites as well as straightforward runs.
37. All live baits must be caught at the venue fished.
38. LOST TERMINAL TACKLE. Snagged end tackle caught in trees, bushes, islands etc. MUST be reported to Wardens, the Fisheries Department, Park staff will remove tackle when practicable.
39. SLIPE LANE PITS . The Slipe Lane Complex is jointly managed by the LVRPA and the Turnford Angling Consortium (TAC). All permits for this fishery are issued with the TAC rules, conditions and disciplinary code. These rules are specific for Slipe Lane and contain individual rules for the protection of this fishery. All anglers using Slipe Lane are reminded of the jurisdiction of TAC and are expected to read the site rules and carry a TAC permit whenever on site . Failure to comply will result in LVRPA Slipe Lane permit holders being disciplined in accordance with the TAC code along with all other members of the Consortium's clubs.
40. NAZEING MEADS - North Lagoon east bank. Access to the six swims is through the security padlocked gate in St Alban's Pool then via a marked path. Apart from the strip between this path and the lake, all surrounding areas are strictly out of bounds. ( Note rule 4 )
Sailing: Whilst sailing is taking place on any of the lagoons, anglers are asked to either backlead, submerge rod tips or wind in until activity ceases. Any cut-offs will be the responsibility of the angler. ( Note rule5)
Disciplinary Procedure
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BREAK A RULE?
1. The offence is reported to the LVRPA Fisheries Department.
2. The offender is contacted in writing by the Fisheries Department for his/her comments.
3. The fisheries department informs the permit holder of its decision.
Penalties:
First Offence - Warning letter.
Second Offence - Permit is revoked.
Gross Offence - In cases of violation of Fishery rules or breaches of Environment Agency or Lee Valley Regional Park Authority byelaws, the Fishery Warden or a member of staff of the Authority will request that the offender surrenders their permit. The permit and offence report will be forwarded to the Fisheries Department who will take the appropriate action. Wardens shall pay particular attention to litter, unattended rods, the illegal use of sacks and the general rules. Rules no's 5,6,7, 8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 and Specific Rules no's 23,24, 25, 26, 32 & 33 all individually merit a Gross Offence and automatic withdrawal of the permit for a period of time to be determined by the Authority. In extreme situations/circumstances this may constitute a lifetime ban. Byelaw infringements may necessitate prosecution and subsequent court proceedings.