LEE VALLEY FISHERIES
Rules and Conditions 2024/2025 season
The following rules and conditions have been drawn up to:
- protect and preserve the fish stocks, wildlife and water bodies of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
(LVRPA).
- Ensure anglers and other users have the best experience possible while using the venues.
Failure to comply with the rules, conditions and Authority byelaws will result in disciplinary action.
Fisheries General Rules and Conditions
1. The Authority or Lee Valley Fisheries are not under any obligation to maintain the quantity or quality
of water and does not guarantee any particular quality of angling, swims, platforms, tracks or car
parking areas.
2. Maintenance and Events. The Authority and Lee Valley Fisheries reserves the right to close swims,
bankside and water areas to facilitate maintenance, angling and non-angling events at any time.
3. LEE VALLEY FISHERIES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, RULES,
CONDITIONS OR ANY OTHER ARRANGEMENTS WITH PERMIT HOLDERS AS DEEMED NECESSARY.
4. Anglers can only park within designated areas.
5. Anglers Conduct. Offensive conduct or behaviour will not be tolerated. Intimidation of any kind to
other anglers, Lee Valley Fisheries or Authority personnel or members of the public will be classed as
a gross offence and will result in a ban from all Lee Valley Fisheries controlled venues.
6. Anglers must adhere to the CHECK, CLEAN, DRY! system for their nets, mats and slings and must not
engage in any activity or angling practice which endangers the fishery quality, health of the fish,
surrounding wildlife or other park users/staff including fishing or casting from sluices, fences,
structures and out of bound areas.
7. PERMIT HOLDERS MUST NOT LEAVE BAITED OR UNBAITED RODS AND LINES UNATTENDED IN THE
WATER. ANGLERS FOUND ANYWHERE OTHER THAN THE SWIM OR PEG WHERE THEIR RODS ARE
POSITIONED, ARE IN BREACH OF THIS RULE IF ALL TACKLE IS NOT WOUND IN. UNATTENDED RODS
WILL RESULT IN A GROSS DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
8. Anglers must not commit any act whatsoever which may interfere or cause offence to other persons
using the lake area. This includes the use of portable generators, audio or TV equipment.
9. SWIMMING AND WADING IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. THIS INCLUDES ANGLERS ENTERING THE WATER
FOR PHOTOS AND TO RETURN FISH.
10. Valid permits must be carried at all times and produced at any time on request from Fishery Bailiffs,
Task Force, Park Guard or Lee Valley Fisheries or Authority Staff.
11. NO LITTER - ALL litter and discarded debris is the responsibility of the angler present within the
swim and surrounding area. REGARDLESS OF ORIGIN ALL LITTER MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE
FISHERY.
12. Permit holders shall not add to, remove or alter in any way, the banks, trees and land surrounding
the fishery.
13. Dinghies, boats or radio controlled craft including bait boats and drones are not permitted on Lee
Valley Fisheries waters. All boats, lilos or similar inflatable equipment must not be used for
transportation across the water body. Possession of any of the aforementioned equipment is a gross
offence and a breach of byelaws (Byelaws 33, 34 and 39).
14. Swim Holding. Rotas or any similar arrangements made to reserve swims or areas are not permitted.
N/B pre-baiting is allowed for current season permit holders, however this does not confer any rights
to any areas.
15. No open fires or barbecues (Byelaw 11).
16. Anglers fishing from platforms provided for disabled people must vacate their swims when asked to do
so by a person holding a Disabled Angler’s permit.
17. The Lee Valley Fisheries ‘Anglers with Disabilities’ permit (not concessionary permit) allows the
exclusive use of specified swims only. (See permit information)
18. Disabled anglers may be accompanied by one helper who can also fish. The individual rod use
entitlement for the permit holder must not be extended.
19. The Lee Valley Fisheries or LVRPA accepts no responsibility for any injury, illness, loss or damage to
persons or property in connection with facilities provided at any venue.
20. All Environment Agency byelaws apply. The traditional March 15th to June 15th (inclusive) close season
is upheld on Walton’s Walk and Cornmill Stream.
21. Permit holders can fish with a maximum of three rods, the maximum distance per swim between all
three rods being three metres. Please note; Brackens Pool two rods only plus no pre-baiting (bags and
stringers only). Banjo Lake and Stock Pit are also 2 Rods only.
22. An angler can only occupy a single swim at any one time, must fish within specified areas and must not
interfere with any other swim. Where swims are occupied opposite or close to each other, the mid-
point between them is considered the maximum distance you can fish to.
23. Anglers may only fish in one particular swim for a TOTAL of seven days in any fourteen. After any
session totalling fourteen days continuously the Angler MUST vacate the venue for 48 hours before
return.
24. Long stay anglers must not leave their swims for more than two hours in any twenty four and cannot
extend the permitted time absent from their swim by installing a token angler during their absence.
25. All baits requiring preparation in terms of soaking and boiling (e.g.nuts, particles etc) must be
adequately prepared so as not to endanger fish health or welfare.
26. All anglers must carry suitable landing and unhooking equipment for their chosen quarry.
27. All specimen Anglers must use a proprietary and suitable unhooking mat. This must be present in
the swim before commencing angling. Carp and Pike can ONLY be temporarily held in a proprietary
retention sling for a minimum period to organise photography etc. The possession of sacks, tunnels
or similar is prohibited whilst on the fishery. Keepnets may be used for other species but Bailiffs and
Staff have the authority to request that large fish be immediately returned if conditions so dictate.
28. A suitable landing net or sling must be used to carry large species from the water. All Fish to be returned
to the water at the very earliest opportunity either in the landing net or a suitable sling. Anglers are
asked to carry Carp Care Kits to treat any open wounds or damage on fish before they are returned.
29. With the exception of pike rigs, multihook rigs and end tackle is strictly prohibited.
30. REMOVAL OF FISH. Fish must be returned to the water from which they were caught as early as
circumstances allow. Persons attempting to return fish to other Lee Valley Fisheries or LVRPA waters
whether adjacent or nearby will incur gross disciplinary action.
31. Any person found attempting to steal fish from Lee Valley Fisheries will be prosecuted. (Theft Act
1968).
32. There is to be no live or dead bait fishing for Predators between 1st April and 30th September.
However, lure fishing is allowed throughout the fishing season.
33. Wire traces and Semi-barbed hooks only to be used for Pike fishing.
34. Bite detection equipment for Pike fishing must show some form of drop back bites as well as
straightforward runs.
35. All live baits must be caught at the venue fished.
36. LOST TERMINAL TACKLE. Snagged end tackle caught in trees, bushes, islands etc. MUST be reported
to Bailiffs or Lee Valley Fisheries Staff as soon as possible. Staff will remove tackle when practicable.
37. Abbotts Lake and Nazeing Meads Centre Lagoon:
Sailing: Whilst sailing is taking place on these Fisheries, anglers are requested to either backlead,
submerge rod tips or wind in until activity ceases. Any cut-offs or losses will be the responsibility of
the angler. (Note rule 5)
Disciplinary Procedure
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BREAK A RULE?
1. The offence is reported to Lee Valley Fisheries.
2. You are contacted by Lee Valley Fisheries.
3. The Fisheries Department informs the permit holder of the decision.
4. Subject to the offence committed and circumstances involved a review may be conducted.
Penalties:
First Offence Warning letter.
Second Offence Permit is revoked for a period.
Gross Offence In cases of violation of Lee Valley Fisheries Rules or breaches of Environment
Agency or Lee Valley Regional Park Authority byelaws, the Fishery Warden or a
member of Lee Valley Fisheries staff will request that the offender surrenders their
permit. The permit and offence report will be forwarded to Lee Valley Fisheries
management who will take the appropriate action. Bailiffs shall pay particular
attention to litter, unattended rods, anglers entering the water and activities which
endanger fish and other wildlife or interferes with other Park users. Breaches of
Rules 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 24, 27, 30, 31, 35 all individually merit
a Gross Offence and automatic withdrawal of the permit for a period of time to be
determined by the Lee Valley Fisheries management. In extreme
situations/circumstances this may constitute a lifetime ban. Byelaw infringements
may necessitate prosecution and subsequent court proceedings by LVRPA.
For further information contact:
Lee Valley Fisheries, Unit 1E Lake View Fishery,
Old Hollow, Worth, Crawley RH10 4TA
(Correct at time of printing)
Email: fisheries@aquamaintain.co.uk
Website: www.leevalleyfisheries.co.uk