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New Chairman 

At the recent AGM of Specialist Anglers Alliance, David Bird was elected as chairman.  He replaces Keith Barker, who had steered the Alliance successfully through its inaugural year, bringing together the various specialist threads and interests to make a cohesive united group.  

David has broad experience, and knowledge, of angling, fisheries and angling politics, having been both President of the NFA and Director, Conservation and Environment of the Angling Trade Association with extensive contacts throughout the angling world.  David has been a member of NASA and SACG for many years and has been taking an increasing part in the activities of SAA since its inception.  He said, after his election, “I am more than pleased to take a higher profile with the Alliance as I feel it is really going places and doing an effective job for the sport.” 

Keith Barker will continue to be active within the SAA and continue his specialist input to the committee. 

SAA Backs Rivers Close Season 

SAA members also put their full weight behind the continued retention of the rivers close season.

At the AGM a wide ranging debate and vote proved unanimous in supporting the retention of the close season to protect spawning stocks and the aquatic environment.

This policy endorses the SACG and NASA previous stance.  The SACG was one of the prime campaigners to keep the close season the last time this issue was publicly debated.   As members of NAA the group will continue to defend the rivers close season at the highest level within the Environment Agency and Government. 

New Appointment

Lee Fletcher, newly appointed Rivers Group Officer for SAA and General Secretary of RSSG, said, “RSSG fully welcomes the stance taken by SAA in continuing to defend our river systems from the encroachments of commercial pressure to open these delicate habitats up to concentrated fishing effort throughout the year."  

He continued, “SAA questions the wisdom of the Environment Agency in spending licence payers money researching the impact of the removal of the rivers close season, apparently based on a media survey to which fewer than three hundred anglers responded.  The vast majority of river anglers continue to support the close season on rivers.  Only those who would exploit our sport seem keen for change.”