Canoeing

CANOEING ON THE RIVER DART AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.

There is no general legal right to canoe on non-tidal waters without the permission of Riparian Owners, but recreational canoeing between Dartmeet and Totnes Weir is permitted by Riparian Owners between 1st October and 31st March each year, subject to the following:

• Canoeing is not permitted during the main fishing season between 1st April and 30th September to avoid compromising legal fishing rights. Additionally, it has been shown that canoeing down through a pool does disturb the fish.

• This permission is subject to regular review and may be withdrawn at any time.

• Nothing in this permission shall give rise to any legal right to canoe on these waters.

• Canoeists do so at their own risk. They will know that the sport can be dangerous and accidents do happen:- there have been two fatalities on the river since 2009.

• The river flows through sensitive “Special Areas of Conservation” and “Sites of Special Scientific Interest”. Environmental damage and disturbance of wildlife, including in relation to Salmon and Seatrout spawning grounds, must be avoided.

• Canoeists are requested, therefore, only to enter and leave the river at Dartmeet, New Bridge, the River Dart Country Park and below Staverton Bridge (i.e not to get out of their canoes anywhere else.)