Sport & Leisure Fisheries Ltd.
High Farm
Kemberton
Shifnal
Shropshire
TF11 9LL

Tel: 01952 585002
Fax: 01952 585540
Mobile: 07860 564966
E-Mail: info@slf.uk.net

For more information contact
David Rance

Section 30 Stocking Consents from the Environment Agency

Is there anything left in life that doesn't require paperwork to be completed first?

Before fish are introduced into any inland waterway (with a few exceptions such as garden ponds and other registered fish farms) the Environment Agency insists that a 'Section 30 Stocking Consent' is obtained from them prior to any introduction. This consent was originally conceived to provide a paper trail in the event of a major disease outbreak, which was fair enough, but these days has been gold plated, like so much government bureaucracy, to become a substantial questionnaire. It requires completing and forwarding to the EA at least two weeks before delivery of your fish to give them time to process it. When you order fish in a hurry this is the rate limiting step.

The Good News is that we will apply for and obtain this consent on your behalf unless specifically asked not to do so. A copy of the consent is available with the paperwork that accompanies your delivery of fish.

When you call to place your order we will ask you a number of questions about the water to enable us to complete the application form on your behalf as follows:-

• Name of the Pond
• Nearest Town
• Ordnance Survey Grid Reference (or if it is located very close to a residential property, the post code). The Grid Ref should look something like SJ 234 567. The EA get most confused when there are more than one lake on site.
• Rough size in acres or hectares
• Type of water i.e. is it fully enclosed lake with no overflow; an 'on line' lake that has water overflowing out of it, even for part of the year; a canal; a river; or a still water on a flood plain.
• Does the water have a conservation designation such as Site of Special Scientific Interest? (If it does, the application can take the EA up to a month to process).

Once I have this information I have enough to complete the application. The only good news about this business is that it is now extremely unusual for them to refuse a consent.

When we deliver your fish, we will bring a copy of this consent for your own records.