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Chichester Harbour Wildfowlers' Association

 

  

 

A short history of CHWA

Chichester Harbour Wildfowlers' Association was formed after Pagham Wildfowlers, having begun to shoot in the harbour, realised that one club covering both areas was too large to manage on a volunteer basis. Consequently, in 1956 at the Bull's Head public house in Fishbourne, West Sussex, it was decided that a separate club should exist to cater for those wanting to wildfowl in Chichester Harbour, and so CHWA was born. Many clubs such as this one appeared during the mid to late1950s in direct response to the Protection of Birds Act 1954 and the realisation of a growing need to protect the interests of sportsmen who wished to continue practicing the art of wildfowling. Once established, the association immediately affiliated itself to the Wildfowlers Association of Great Britain & Ireland (WAGBI) which, at the time, was becoming the pre-eminent sporting body within the UK. This link continued when WAGBI formally widened its focus and became the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), which remains today the principal representative of all forms of shooting within the UK.

Chichester Harbour is a large estuarine basin made up principally of intertidal mudflats, and wildfowling has been recorded in the area for at least 350 years. In 1831 it was recorded that a number of people fished and shot for a living in the harbour. By 1892, there were fifteen punts being used within the harbour area by professional wildfowlers. These days, whilst there may no longer be professional wildfowlers and punts have almost disappeared from the scene, Chichester Harbour, through this wildfowlers' association, still retains a healthy number of shooters wanting to pursue the sport, a number that currently stands around the 120 mark. Each has undertaken at least one season of accompanied wildfowling in the harbour and has passed a basic proficiency and etiquette test. If you're interested in what it's like to be a new member, click this link to see a typical 'probationer's diary'. Diary       

From the start, wildfowling clubs have recognised the need to conserve the habitats of their quarry. CHWA has a long history of wetlands management, having completed some 30 projects in and around Chichester harbour over the years, and having been recognised with international conservation awards on two occasions. The association works closely with the Chichester Harbour Conservancy group and the Friends of Chichester Harbour to ensure that the environment within the harbour is maintained and enhanced in the most appropriate ways. This is particularly significant as most of the association's shooting or managed areas fall within the Chichester Harbour SSSI and are also designated as SPA*, a Ramsar** site and cSAC***. In addition, during the 1980s, the association investigated the concept of a wildfowling Joint Harbours Council along with the clubs immediately surrounding the harbour in an attempt to address management and conservation across the whole of the Solent coastline.

The association holds shooting leases over most of Chichester harbour, whilst also owning an area of shooting marsh to the east of Hayling Island. Furthermore, in partnership with Kent Wildfowlers Association, CHWA also owns and manages a piece of wetland on the Kent/Sussex border, where both clubs are able to shoot. All through the year the association has, and continues to, assist local landowners in crop protection and vermin control. 

The club is managed by an executive committee elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. This team is responsible for the day to day running of the club as well as for ensuring that the association continues, as it has since 1956,  to be an important part of the life and future of Chichester Harbour.        

 

* Special Protection Area - a designation recognising an area's classification for rare and vulnerable birds. Follow this link to see more. SPA

** The Ramsar convention  is an intergovernmental treaty that aims to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future. Click this link to understand more. RAMSAR

*** Candidate Special Area of Conservation. SAC status is awarded by the European Commission. Click the following link to learn more. SAC

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