Collaboration with others
The Association engages with a wide range of governmental and non-governmental organisations in pursuit of its objectives. The two main government agencies are the Environment Agency and Natural England. Along with them, we participate in the Test and Itchen Catchment Partnership, a group of organisations who share the common goal of working together to improve the management and health of the Test and Itchen river catchment.
The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body reporting to the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Amongst other responsibilities, the EA has a duty to maintain and improve the quality of surface water bodies and groundwater. It is also a regulator of angling, selling more than one million rod licences per annum. The Association engages with the EA on a broad range of issues including discharge regulations, abstraction licences, water quality monitoring, river restoration, flood prevention and the control of poaching. The EA’s local office is in Romsey.
Natural England (NE) is a non-departmental public body reporting to the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It is responsible for ensuring that England’s natural environment, including its flora, fauna and freshwater, is protected and improved. Of particular interest to the Association is NE’s role in designating and protecting Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), including those covering much of the Test and Itchen valleys. NE’s local office is in Eastleigh.
National and local organisations that we work closely with:
STC is a national charity campaigning for the protection and conservation of wild fish. They are an active and effective partner. The Association works closely with them on a range of local chalkstream water quality and water quantity initiatives, including invertebrate and other forms of water quality monitoring and sustainable abstraction.
The Wessex Rivers Trust (WRT) is a local environmental charity involved in the protection of rivers in the Wessex region. They are part of the national network of River Trusts. The Association has worked closely with WRT on the production of Invertebrate Fingerprinting Studies for the Test, Itchen and Meon, using river fly monitoring to identify threats to chalkstream water quality. WRT also works together with the Associations members to enhance their fisheries through habitat enhancement and river restoration projects.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT) is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts in the UK. It manages over 50 local wildlife sites and works with landowners, including many of our members, to protect and conserve chalkstream habitats.
The Countryside Charity (CPRE) Hampshire, campaigns to promote, enhance and protect the countryside for everyone’s benefit, wherever they live. The Association has benefited from CPRE Hampshire’s planning expertise in challenging major developments that threaten the Hampshire chalkstreams.
WTT is a conservation charity working across Britain and Ireland to improve habitats for wild trout. Their Conservation Officers offer practical advice and deliver habitat improvement projects. The Association and our members have worked closely with WTT on river restoration projects.
Fish Legal uses the law to protect fishery interests. The Association and many of our members have sought their help and advice on a variety of issues, including abstraction.
The Angling Trust represents all game, coarse and sea anglers in England and Wales, campaigning on environmental and angling issues. They fight pollution, over-abstraction, poaching, unlawful navigation and a host of other threats to angling.
Founded in 1836, the Piscatorial Society fly fishes around 20 miles of chalkstream water, and runs a programme of meetings, workshops and social events for its members. Deeply committed to the conservation of chalkstream ecology, the Society has a full-time professional fisheries team that combines evidence-based strategies with the latest techniques in habitat management. The Association works closely with the Piscatorial Society on a range of river management issues.
Join the Test & Itchen Association
If you would like to support our vital work conserving and protecting the Test and Itchen rivers, then please help us by joining our association.