Petition · past parliament · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Make every waterway public up to the high water mark, including fishing rights.

Closed 31 signatures

What the petition asks

Make all waterways legal for the public to access for recreation, be that canoeing, swimming or fishing and have land ownership extend only to the high water mark. Anyone should have the right to enjoy Britains rivers without paying or having to ask permission from land owners.
I feel that no one should own a river, they should be publicly accessible. Land ownership should extend to the high water mark, allowing fisheries to charge for bank access rather than the right to fish, but the use of a boat or wading up a river should be legal, as people shouldn't be allowed to own a waterway. people should be allowed to swim or boat along any waterway, since the landowner should own the bank, not the river.

Timeline

8 Feb 2021 Petition opened for signatures
8 Aug 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 31
Status Closed
Department Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened 8 Feb 2021
Closed 8 Aug 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.