LOCAL anglers are fishing for better facilities as the next phase of Morecambe's sea defence work takes shape.

Sea anglers claim the resort's extensive sea defences have all but wrecked their favourite pastime and that more rock armour along Sandylands promenade will ruin the sport in the district.

Last week the council put forward their design suggestions for the next phase of coastal works but the fishermen claim their concerns have been ignored.

Lyall Anderson, Chairman of the RLI Sea Angling Club, said: "Angling is the largest participation sport in the UK but angling facilities have been lost by the revamped stone jetty. We already have restrictions put on angling at the Harbour and to have even more would almost kill the sport in Morecambe. There are lots of tackle and bait shops in the area which will be affected, plus B&B's which get business when there are competitions."

Although the Sandylands plan includes facilities for disabled anglers, Mr Anderson claimed they were not practical.

"In my experience these facilities are insufficient even for able bodied anglers let alone disabled anglers," he said. "I myself have great difficulty casting and retrieving over the rock armour and I would not class myself as an amateur having fished for 30 years."

The anglers were also concerned about further silting up of the bay which would wreck the feeding habitat for a number of species, especially bass.

Environment Chief, Geoff Knight, explained the council's position: "Unfortunately the provision of extra angling facilities has been difficult to justify to MAFF, who pay for the scheme, on cost terms. Also, angling has conflicted with the reconstructed beach environment required by English Nature. I sympathise with the anglers but there are likely to be improved opportunities from beaches provided by the works."

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