Via Hayle Pump http://www.haylepump.org.uk/documents/HAYLEPUMPISSUE110s.pdf

Fishing and Swimming in Hayle

The 1989 Hayle Harbour Act created the 1990 Hayle Harbour Bye-laws, and bye-law 52 on page 10 states “Except in places which shall be clearly designated by the company, or except with the 23 permission of the harbour master, no person shall bathe in the harbour or fish for marine creatures of any type from the harbour premises”

This applies to the harbour as set out in the Act, meaning from the Hayle Recreation ground right through the dock areas across the estuary to Old Quay House and Lelant Saltings, and out to Hayle bar.

This is to give the Harbour Authorities the power to prevent swimming, angling and the digging or gathering of bait from anywhere in the Hayle waterways where it is unsafe or likely to interfere with the safe running of the harbour.

Since the 1950s much of this area has also been a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with its own laws and penalties covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Large sections of both Copperhouse Pool and Hayle Estuary are owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and these agencies plus the Environment Agency, and maybe even English Heritage can lobby the Harbour Authority to utilise their authority to stop swimming and angling in areas where it might conflict with their interests.

The GOOD news is that the Harbour Authority don’t enforce a blanket ban, and have come up with an aerial photo showing where you CAN go fishing and where you can’t in 2013. It is available on their website, (as are the bye-laws.) http://www.hayleharbourauthority.com under “Angling Zones” http://www.hayleharbourauthority.com/Public/Hayle%20Harbour%20Angling%20...

Permitted areas vary each year depending on what is happening in the harbour, for example, this year fishing is banned from “Black Houses”/Carnsew Quay as works will be ongoing to restore the sluice tunnels and the sluice gates to a fully operational state. Once completed, fishing will probably be allowed there again.

(Note that the footpath right of way behind Jewsons is temporarily closed for the same reasons, access to The Weir is around Carnsew Basin),The situation with swimming is not so clear.

There have been swimming events in Copperhouse pool with the permission of the harbour master but this does not mean that swimming is more generally allowed. Health and Safety law and the requirements of  the other agencies in the areas of the Harbour they control may complicate issues, so too would the issue of Lifeguards! The PUMP will seek clarification.

Editor