European Charter on Angling and Biodiversity Presentation by the consultant: Dr. Scott M. Brainerd (NINA, ESUSG) 9 April 2010, Strasbourg, FRANCE

What is a Charter? A charter considers governmental responsibilities (=citizen rights), not only citizen responsibilities.A charter considers governmental responsibilities (=citizen rights), not only citizen responsibilities.

The Approach Input and guidance from the Working Group (WG) - a transparent and participatory process. Application of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) principles and guidelines. Integration of the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) Code of Practice for Recreational Fisheries. Integration of relevant EU and international policy regarding angling, biodiversity and eco-tourism. Synthesis into Charter Principles and Guidelines similar to the European Charter on Hunting and Biodiversity

”3 pillars of sustainability” Ecological: Use that sustains biodiversity.Ecological: Use that sustains biodiversity. Societal: Use that sustains public acceptability.Societal: Use that sustains public acceptability. Economic: Use that motivates local communities to conserve.Economic: Use that motivates local communities to conserve.

This Charter addresses angling as a consumptive and recreational form of utilisation and/or management of species of freshwater fish in Europe, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern, 1979). Scope

Purpose The Charter provides a non-binding set of guidelines for anglers, angling tour operators, regulators and managers that address common principles and good practices for sustainable angling and angling tourism in Europe.

Purpose Charter guidelines are based upon our commitments to CBD as advised by the: –Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines (AAPG) for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity –Malawi Principles for the Ecosystem Approach (MPEA).

Angling Charter Goals The Charter promotes non-binding principles and guidelines that can help to: –ensure that angling and angling tourism in Europe are practiced in a sustainable manner, – avoid negative impacts on biodiversity while contributing positively to the conservation of species and habitats and the needs of society.

Angling Charter Objectives Sustainable angling Provides non-binding Principles & Guidelines within the context of biodiversity conservation and rural development; Encourages angler involvement in monitoring, management, and research efforts directed towards stewardship and the conservation of fish and their habitats; Promotes cooperation between anglers and other stakeholders in the conservation and management of biodiversity.

Angling Charter Objectives Angling tourism Seeks to contribute to the sustainability of angling tourism; Promotes forms of angling tourism that provide local communities with socio-economic incentives to conserve and manage fish and their habitats, and biodiversity in general; Makes recommendations for angling tour operators and anglers that engage their services.

Angling Charter Objectives Standards for European anglers (in line with EIFAC Code of Practice): Promotes measures which increase angler proficiency and safety: Encourages angler education, awareness and information measures; Promotes best angling practices.

Charter principles and guidelines 12 overarching principles –50 guidelines for ”governors” (regulators and managers). –49 guidelines for ”users” (anglers and angling tour operators).

Socio-cultural principles Addis Ababa/ Malawi principles FocusAngling Charter Principle Supportive & linked governance at all levels with harmonized regulations that promote societal benefits from conservation and avoid perverse effects. General 1. Favour multi-level governance that maximises benefit for conservation. Regulatory 2. Ensure that regulations are understandable and respected.

Ecological principles Addis Ababa/ Malawi principles FocusAngling Charter Principle Avoidance of adverse impacts within or between ecosystems, and of short- termism, especially when faced with inevitable change. Transparent and adaptive management along a use- protection continuum, based on interdisciplinary science, monitoring and timely feedbacks. Demographic 3. Ensure that harvest is ecologically sustainable Genetics 4. Maintain wild populations of indigenous species with adaptive gene pools Ecosystem services 5. Maintain environments that support healthy and robust populations of harvestable species.

Economic sustainability Addis Ababa/ Malawi principles FocusAngling Charter Principle Encouragement of economic/cultural incentives with sharing of benefits (and costs) especially at local level, while avoiding waste. Economic incentives 6. Encourage use to provide economic incentives for conservation Waste avoidance 7. Ensure that harvest is properly utilised and wastage avoided.

Socio-cultural, Ecological & Economic sustainability Addis Ababa/ Malawi principles FocusAngling Charter Principle Decentralisation of management to an appropriate bio-economic scale, especially to empower, assess and access knowledge of local users. Local management 8. Empower local stakeholders and hold them accountable.

Socio-cultural principles Addis Ababa/ Malawi principles FocusAngling Charter Principle Education, awareness and inclusion of managers, resource users and society at large. Conduct and proficiency of harvesters 9. Encourage competence and responsibility among users of wild resources Fish welfare10. Minimise avoidable suffering. Horizontal trust 11. Encourage cooperation between all stakeholders in management of harvested species, associated species and their habitats. Social acceptance 12. Encourage acceptance by society of sustainable, comsumptive use as a conservation tool.

What does the Charter do? It gives formal recognition by the BC of the importance of angling as a tool in biodiversity conservation. It places angling (and angling tourism) within the context of the CBD sustainability principles (ecological, economical and sociocultural). It emphasises the need for angler involvement and cooperation in biodiversity monitoring, research and management. It integrates issues of conduct and proficiency within the context of social sustainability. In this context, fish well-being and angler skill are given high priority.

Thank you!