‘We must work together to stop fishing ban,’ say councillors amid uproar

Residents and anglers in a Doncaster village must work together to save a popular lake from a fishing ban, the area’s city councillors have said.

Talks that the City of Doncaster Council could be banning fishing at the boating lake in Askern have been cause for concern for keen fishers in the area.

Doncaster Council did not respond when asked for comment and to confirm whether a ban is, or is not, in place at the lake.

However, the area’s ward councillors have insisted there is no ban in place at the current time, but anti-social behaviour and harm to the local wildlife must stop to prevent one being implemented.

Councillor Vicky Lawson said the issues at Askern Lake are “mainly caused by unsupervised, bored children and some adults with nothing constructive to do” who “end up fishing irresponsibly causing harm to wildlife on the lake.”

Her Reform UK colleague, Coun Gerald Squire, said: “It’s been going on for months. Wildlife has been injured with fishing lines and a number of geese taken away by bird sanctuaries.

“Nobody’s wanting it stopped but it can’t carry on as it is… we’re caught between a rock and a hard place.”

It comes as local businessman and Askern town councillor, John Rowley, has spearheaded a campaign to prevent the ban.

Mr Rowley, who runs the nearby Askern Angling Supplies, said: “The mental health benefits to fishing are incredible. It’s just done people so much good.”

He said a ban would be a “knee-jerk reaction” to the wildlife concerns and stated he and other volunteers had proposed a local fishing club.

“We’ve got to protect the wildlife, that’s a huge thing,” the business owner said.

“There’s a dozen or so local people who want to help police the place and make it safe, keep control,” he added.

This club would issue tickets for anglers to fish at specific locations around the lake, allowing Mr Rowley and his team to monitor who is leaving behind litter, fishing lines and irresponsibly harming wildlife.

Coun Lawson has stated council employees who monitor the lake, known as water bailiffs, had left post due to abuse from “a minority of unruly children” and hopes to soon meet the local MP, Ed Miliband, to discuss the issue.

She said: “My suggestion is to educate and assist children, including any adults, in the art of angling with volunteers who would be willing and able to help with the supervision.

Coun Lawson added that there had been a new volunteer to work as the water bailiff around the lake who is receiving training, calling the development “good news” for the village.