Local Consultatives are groups or organisations established primarily to safeguard the interests of angling and fisheries in specific geographical or river catchment areas. The term ‘
consultative’ is generic, with many local groups being known as ‘
rivers or fisheries associations’.
Membership of consultatives is mainly drawn from local angling clubs and associations, but it can include individual anglers, specimen groups, match groups, tackle shops, holders of fishing rights, riparian owners, private and commercial fishery managers, fish dealers, and environmental groups.
In fact, anyone having an interest in fisheries and angling in a specific area is eligible to join the local consultative. The important thing is that the members are local people who collectively know a great deal about their local fisheries and how they are fished, and care about them.
Local consultatives work closely with the Environment Agency, helping it protect fisheries by monitoring the state of local waters, reporting anything wrong and restoring fisheries habitats. Consultatives are independent, but the Agency supports many with meeting facilities, secretarial assistance and regular reports of its work on local fisheries. Consultatives also engage with many other authorities and organisations that can influence on the water environment, such as water companies, wildlife and environmental groups, regional and national park authorities, boating and other water recreational groups, local authorities, British Waterways, English Nature and the RSPB.
