Guiding principles and good practice

Use of National Trust waters by canoeists is not a major activity. Overall in the UK canoeists are not well provided for. The activity has few damaging impacts and, provided potential impacts are controlled by permit, licence or agreement, it could take place on more rivers.

Guiding principles

1. The National Trust welcomes canoeists on suitable waters and should seek to identify new opportunities for canoeing.

2. The National Trust should limit canoeing on areas it wishes to retain as 'remote' to foster a sense of wilderness and to allow such areas to become wildlife refuges and conservation areas.

3. Where fishing rights are in hand there should not be an automatic presumption in favour of fishing as opposed to canoeing.

Good practice
Promote the British Canoeing Union's (BCU's) 'Earning a Welcome' and the Angling and Canoeing Statement of Intent produced by the Sports Council.

Liaise with the local access officers of the BCU/Welsh Canoeing Association (WCA)/Canoeing Association of Northern Ireland (CANI) or clubs to promote controlled canoeing where possible, particularly if new waters are being made available. Lake District, North West.

Encourage affiliation to a canoeing club or membership of the BCU/WCA/CANI.

Encourage liaison and/or agreements between anglers and canoeists. River Tyne, Northumbria: agreement to balance the needs of anglers and canoeists during busy periods between October and February.

The modification of natural channels specifically for canoeing should not be permitted.

New vehicular access to the water's edge to facilitate canoe launching should be resisted unless it also serves other purposes.

Designate launching and landing places.

Avoid areas used for swimming and diving.

Avoid fish spawning areas (salmon and trout October - March); at spawning times (check local situation).

Avoid important breeding bird and wintering wildfowl areas

Consider the use of time/space zoning or controlling numbers or group size where sites are sensitive or heavily visited. Crummock Water & Wastwater, North West

Monitoring suggestions
Record numbers using particular water bodies by keeping records of permits and licences and by 'spot counts' at specified locations on certain days of the year (eg high use, average use and low use days).

Trends
Increasing steadily. Membership of BCU (England): 1996 - 20,000. Target for 2000 - 21,000. 100,000 canoe owners in UK (1993). One million canoe at least once a year. Activity holidays, family touring, plastic canoes and use of artificial courses all increasing. Plastic canoes mean that use of previously un-canoeable water is now possible.

Possible impacts

• Slight erosion locally, especially at launching points.
• Some disturbance to wildlife.
• Conflicts between anglers and canoeists.

Contacts and liaison

British Canoe Union (BCU)
Adbolton Lane,
West Bridgford,
Nottingham
NG2 5AS

Tel: 0115 9821100
Fax: 0115 9821797
Contact: National Development Officer or local access officers

Nine regional committees in England. The BCU is canoeing's national organisation. It aims to provide a service to its members in the following: education, information, training and improved access to canoeable waters, thereby increasing the enjoyment, safety and skills of canoeists.

It is also responsible for national and international competition and the administration of grants. The Union has a countrywide network of river and coastal access officers. BCU members have the benefit of a BCU Waterways Licence valid over 3200 km (2000 miles) of British Waterways' rivers and canals and 1000 km (625 miles) of other waters.

Canoe Association of Northern Ireland (CANI)
c/o Sports Council of Northern Ireland,
House of Sport,
Upper Malone Road,
Belfast
BT9 5LA

Tel: 028 9038

Welsh Canoeing Association (WCA)
Canol Tryweryn,
Frongoch,
Bala,
Gwynedd
LL23 7NU

Tel: 01678 521199
Fax: 01678 521158

Local canoeing clubs

Environment Agency - currently working on a policy for canoe access agreements

References

British Canoe Union - 'Canoe Focus' magazine.

Regional club newsletters.

British Canoe Union (1991). Access and Environmental Policies. British Canoe Union, Nottingham.

British Canoe Union (1991). Guidelines for River Clean-ups. British Canoe Union, Nottingham.

Sports Council (undated). Angling and Canoeing Statement of Intent. Statement published by Canoe Access and Development Committee convened by the National Anglers' Council. The Sports Council, London.

British Canoe Union (undated). Earning a Welcome. BCU, Nottingham.