THE EA has launched an investigation following a surge in disabled consessionary licence sales which could be costing them over £200,000.
The belief is that the puzzling upturn in sales is not down to more disabled anglers fishing, but is down to more people conning the system by claiming they are disabled when they are no such thing.
The concern was first raised within the EA’s independent advisory committee, reports Angling Times this week. No actual figures are quoted in the story.
The EA’s head office fishery officer, Guy Mawle, says it’s too early to jump the gun and adds that it could be down to confusion over the counter as much as anything else.
However, a spokesman for the British Disabled Angling Association said they had been ‘acutely aware’ of the problem for some time and have already held several meeting with the EA about it.