WHEN ARE ANGLERS GOING TO WAKE UP AND DEMAND WHAT WE PAY FOR

[TF_smeagal]

When are we going to wakeup and start shouting about the decimation of our waters!!!
We pay millions of pounds for fishing licences and although the Somerset Levels are “Way down South” It is a problem spreading like the plague of London!
DO YOU KNOW THAT WASTE FROM FRACKING( (HIGHLY TOXIC ) IS BEING DUMPED WITH EA PERMISSION INTO THE MANCHESTER CANAL 😮 😮 😮
No what a surprise!!!
The Thames and most tributary’s are now toxic have you received warnings?
Fish stocks in our rivers and lakes are at their lowest level for 50 years when did you last see the EA do a fish survey and actually add stock fish?
As some might remember I highlighted a problem with my local canal over two tears aga I am still waiting for a response from the EA!!!!
And the PM has refuse to stop the sacking of 1700 staff and this AM they are making lock keepers redundant!![/b JUST WHAT ARE WE PAYING FOR?TO PUT BONUSES IN BOSSES POCKETS?

[TF_paulnewell]

Go on my son lets get political. We may as well do something when every where is flooded !! Rang EA last year to ask could I eat fish from the warwickshire avon . No reports of recent pollution he said . That not what I am asking says I. Will I glow green in the dark from heavy metal pollution that is perhaps put in under licence . Haven’t got that information sir ? Who are you by the way ?? Says he . Conversation got nowhere . Still same colour . Freedom of information act via my local MP was maybe the best route. ??? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[TF_paulnewell]

On the same theme what is EA doing with our money ? A small brook runs SW out of Redditch into the Avon at Nafford. Twisty little thing some10mls long . Called Bow Brook . They say it’s been dredged too deep so fish fry cannot survive the flow so they will dig Ox Bow lakes to give refuse ! They then say they will stock more fish . Sounds good yea. . :p :p Only then say they will also stock Otters !! 🙁 🙁 A great improvement for everyone they proudly boast in our local paper and on their Webb . To my knowledge the land it runs through is all private farm land with no access no fishing clubs . Only poached for an odd trout !! Seems to me they might be using our money also lottery money to stock fish to feed Cormorants and Otters. ? Maybe they have purchased the fishing rights and haven’t told us yet !!! 🙁 🙁 🙁

[TF_Kagger TNB]

Am I missing something?

The EA don’t stock otters. Unless there is a top secret otter farm hidden away under a mountain somewhere, they don’t have a stockpile of baby otters ready to throw into a stream near you.

I used to work in the chemical industry. Effluent was treated depending on it’s make-up. The vast majority was discharged into the River Yare via the sewage treatment plant at Whittlingham. It had to be non-toxic as it was going through the same treatment process as domestic sewage – being broken down by bugs.
Toxic materials were taken away tanker for incineration or to landfill, depending upon the substance.

The EA impose strict regulation on discharge into the environment, both liquids into water courses, and gases into the atmosphere. Limits are set. Samples have to be taken and stored. Samples are analysed and the results recorded. Regular audits are carried out on premisses by the EA. And most definately, nobody will be ALLOWED to discharge toxic levels of materials into any water course.

Here in east anglia, the fisheries chaps who work for the EA do as good a job as they are allowed to given their limited numbers and resources. Before the opening day match on the Yare (the year before last), they came and gave us a brief presentation on an invasive shrimp that’s been found in the broads system. Handouts were given. What it looks like, the potential impact on the system, and what we as anglers could do to help stop the spread.
They’ve work closely with the local match organiser on flood defense work to ensure that we as anglers had access to pegs etc upon completion.
I know that they’ve recently stocked silvers into the upper wensum.

Probably most of what they do, the vast majority don’t see.

[TF_Kagger TNB]

These might be of interest…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5TaKgYMw-w

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25902272

[TF_steve r]

Very intelligent response Kagger. If more people tried to work with their local EA people instead of constantly knocking them they might actually learn what really happens rather than relying on urban myths !
The only thing you missed was the fact that even if the EA did have an Otter stockpile to hand it would be illegal for them to be introduced into our waterways.

Not too sure about the toxic Thames Smeagal but you can guarantee that the recent floods will have given the water companies an opportunity to dump their unwanted S**t into the river but that’s the fault of government not the EA and as for lock-keepers, since when was our licence money ever used for them ? I would like to know what information you base your lowest stock for 50 years claim on as the results of the annual [that means every year] Thames Fish Surveys are published on their website for all to see along with information on when and where new stocks have been introduced. How do I know this is fact – because I care enough to have volunteered to be involved in both surveying and stocking in my area !

The EA’s remit is to maintain, improve and develop fisheries – a fishery is somewhere that supports aquatic life not somewhere you go fishing. The fact that they are able to use so much of our licence money for the benefit of anglers is admirable and having worked with EA staff from all over the country I know personally what a committed honest bunch they are and any club or individual that has actually bothered to work with their local officers will say the same I’m sure.

In closing, if you want to get your teeth into the politics of the why’s and wherefores of what’s going on in the fishing/environmental world then the place to start is with your local MP and not the people who do their very best to help under difficult budgetary failings caused solely by government !

[TF_CraigH]

I have to agree with Kagger TNB, and adding stock fish has been given quite a bit of publicity over the last couple of years.

Saying that the canals around my area are awful, but adding a stock of fish is only food for the abundance of Zander. Sorry Zander anglers, but you don’t want to catch them at 1-2Ib either.
I won’t mind the species when nature has balanced things out, but at the moment there’s tons of them , especially small ones, acting like Piranhas scoffing everything in sight, and it seems the EA have given up trying to thin them out too. (I’ve had 10 in an hour before now on worm)

As for the Canal and River Trust, allegedly called the British Waterways Charity, well where shall we start. A company since the name change, can ask for your money to maintain it’s assets, or should it be repair the canal system after years of neglect by BW. A company that sends you an email pleading for £25 to save the canal at a time when the country is underwater and people are losing not just their homes, but their lives too. A company who promotes free of charge mountain biking along it’s towpaths to deter the paying angler. Next it’ll be model boat racing on the likes of Earlswood, Drayton Res, and Clattercote, etc, and that’ll go down a hoot.

By going by the number of Marinas in my area, I guesstimate they have increased by at least 500%. Surely they must be making more money these days from boat operators, or are they giving that away too?

I think somebody touched a nerve 😀

[TF_paulnewell]

Worcestershire wildlife trust are in charge of the bow brook project and said the improvements would encourage the passage of otters . My apologies and I must get my facts right before engaging . Regarding safely eating fish . Over a. 20yr period at least 2 public warnings have been given warning of high levels of toxins found in eels . Maybe off the land who knows but my enquiry proved difficult. Somebody reintroduced otters !!! Has the project stopped now . Don’t they love eating eels ? Keep on stocking new fish please with our money to feed all of those cuddly predators. Where will the new fish for the bow brook project come from ? Who pays . ? Will the farmers give us access ?

[TF_wightangler]

The excellent and helpful EA fishery div. staff were cut back to about 7 when the SW & SE were merged about 6 years ago.
Their staff do a fantastic job – including a river survey but are often hampered by the sheer amount of work and decreasing resources – often when i receive a call the officer concerned is waste deep sorting out a fish problem.
The trouble is that their divisional department and its funding allocation is well down on the list of understandably human and waste/quality supply expanding concerns – even before the flooding. I’ve never yet had to resort to FOI when requesting info. though admit it can be some weeks before you get a detailed reply – but can accept that given their decreasing staff numbers and ever expanding workload.

[TF_wightangler]

Well said Kagger,

The excellent and helpful EA fishery div. staff were cut back to about 7 when the SW & SE were merged about 6 years ago.
Their staff do a fantastic job – including a river survey but are often hampered by the sheer amount of work and decreasing resources – often when i receive a call the officer concerned is waste deep sorting out a fish problem.
The trouble is that their divisional department and its funding allocation is well down on the list of understandably human and waste/quality supply expanding concerns – even before the flooding. I’ve never yet had to resort to FOI when requesting info. though admit it can be some weeks before you get a detailed reply – but can accept that given their decreasing staff numbers and ever expanding workload.

[TF_caster robParticipant]

All we seem to be paying the EA for is to produce river water of such clarity (at normal fishable level) that rivers have become a fast-food outlet for predators with silver fish (except for lumps) No 1 on the menu.
With money being spent on bird sanctuarys (to keep the cormorants and goosanders in comfort) otter platforms, and the utter debacle over the recent flooding I hope they sack the lot of them and turn the rivers back over to the old river boards, when they were maintained properly and had a bit of colour in them.

Nothings too gay in this day and age:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2560300/Why-did-floods-agency-spend-hundreds-equali-tea-gay-awareness-mugs-30-000-gay-pride-marches-As-Britain-counts-cost-shoddy-defences-reveal-bizarre-spending-quango-bosses.html

so the money’s being spent wisely.

[TF_redarmy]

there must be otter breeding facilities some where,they cant re populate at the rate they have under natural circumstances.it wont be the ea involved in this,but sureley as the guardians of our waterways i would of thought natural england or whoever has been responsible for releasing otters onto watercourses would need to liase with there local ea first.

[TF_paulnewell]

We see the massive increase in buzzards . I thought due to the explosion of rabbit and pheasant rearing units . Ie lots of grubb !! Anglers on the other hand have not witnessed any explosion of fish species anywhere to my knowledge . And I am in regular conversation with match anglers all over. With the odd exception perhaps . Arrow valley comes to mind ! But in general no substantial food source that would instigate the huge upsurge in otter sightings ! We can only assume a huge reintroduction program or they breed like rabbits aswell . Never mind when they eat all the stock along with the twenty eight cormorants on arrow valley alone those ever so educated experts may admit . We may have overdone it!!! Meanwhile those of us not having degrees in Wildlife or Fishery Management can only rely on ist hand sightings and a gut instinct And empty nets !! And 40yrs of practical on the bank experience !
😎 😎

[TF_Kagger TNB]

Paul, what about carp?

There are commercials everywhere, containing either match sized carp or specimen fish

These weren’t there when otters were prevelant in the past, and make easy pickings unless protected by a fence.

[TF_paulnewell]

Don’t tell us there has not been a breeding and re introduction programme . But I guess commercial fisheries stuffed with food are on a par with rabbit for buzzards . Biggest difference is our wild fishing is not protected. Never spotted a live otter on a commercial . Cormorants also appear to avoid commercials . Maybe lead shot up the rear puts them off ? : 😮 😀

[TF_smeagal]

@wightangler wrote:

Well said Kagger,

The excellent and helpful EA fishery div. staff were cut back to about 7 when the SW & SE were merged about 6 years ago.
Their staff do a fantastic job – including a river survey but are often hampered by the sheer amount of work and decreasing resources – often when i receive a call the officer concerned is waste deep sorting out a fish problem.
The trouble is that their divisional department and its funding allocation is well down on the list of understandably human and waste/quality supply expanding concerns – even before the flooding. I’ve never yet had to resort to FOI when requesting info. though admit it can be some weeks before you get a detailed reply – but can accept that given their decreasing staff numbers and ever expanding workload.

I have sent a FOI to my local office but the officer is on leave of absence until August!!!
And on Face-book today( E A home page) they are telling folks to just take their FL number with them!!
When the chairperson was challenged about lack of stock and wildlife she just shrugged her shoulders a said no idea!.
my local canal has over the last two years been raped and there is no one fish been caught since January 2013 even the ducks have been fished out and eaten!
AND THEY STILL CHARGE FOR A DAY TICKET!

[TF_Johnny Mac]

A couple of months ago I filled in a question form on the EA website asking about stocking my local river, a few day’s later I received a phonecall from them ( I wasn’t really expecting a reply), The guy told me what fish, and how many, are being stocked into my local river. We also spent half an hour discussing stocking in other Northwest rivers, I was more than happy with the EA response 🙂

[TF_paulnewell]

Johny mac can you tell us what river and which species please ? 🙂

[TF_smeagal]

@Johnny Mac wrote:

A couple of months ago I filled in a question form on the EA website asking about stocking my local river, a few day’s later I received a phonecall from them ( I wasn’t really expecting a reply), The guy told me what fish, and how many, are being stocked into my local river. We also spent half an hour discussing stocking in other Northwest rivers, I was more than happy with the EA response 🙂

Wish the southern counties were so supportive!!!! 😡 😡

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

More than one-and-a-quarter million anglers in England paying £22 million a year for fishing rod licences are being short changed because the money is not being spent to maintain and develop freshwater fisheries, as the law requires.

FULL STORY – https://www.total-fishing.com/fishing-news/where-all-your-licence-money-going

[TF_smeagal]

@geepster wrote:

More than one-and-a-quarter million anglers in England paying £22 million a year for fishing rod licences are being short changed because the money is not being spent to maintain and develop freshwater fisheries, as the law requires.

FULL STORY – https://www.total-fishing.com/fishing-news/where-all-your-licence-money-going

Thought I would alert you to an ongoing argument on the E A Facebook page between me and them.
For over 5 years I have been requesting new stock and safe disable platforms on my nearest canal.
I have asked the canal society to have then installed but they claimed lack of funds( they have had a multi million pound boat house built I have even asked for funding from the local EA (the have just had a grant of £18 million for inland water ways re reinstatement and renovations).
For the last two years I have been consonantly reporting poaching by eastern Europeans.
the water is now devoid of fish ducks and all forms of aquatic life!
SO ONCE AGAIN WHErE DOES OUR MONEY GO!!

[TF_smeagal]

Just received this!

il: [email protected]
Our ref: DJ/RLM/5421
Your ref:
Date: 7 May 2014
Dear Mr Gratton
Chichester canal fish stocks and survey
Thank you for your email of 14 April 2014 to our Chief Executive, Paul Leinster. Paul has read your email and asked me to respond on his behalf. He will also receive a copy of this response.
I am sorry for any confusion caused by the automated email response you received while Damon Block, technical officer, Fisheries & Biodiversity was unavailable. When our staff are out of the office, they are required to put an automated response on their email address to alert those contacting them to the fact that they are unavailable. Unfortunately, the email response should have stated ‘until 28 April’ (instead of August).
In your email to Damon of 13 April 2014 you have asked when we intend to carry out a fish survey on the Chichester Canal. We do not yet have a confirmed date but we will let you know as soon as we do.
I am sorry to hear you are finding it difficult to locate suitable fisheries within a reasonable distance from your home. We are constantly striving to improve angling for all across England. Information on locating fisheries can be found here: http://www.anglingtrust.net/ and http://fishinginfo.co.uk/Home/MyFavourites.
Revenue received from rod licence sales helps pay for improved facilities for anglers as well as our essential regulatory work. Our latest report on where some of that money, along with additional government funding, was spent in the South East is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288607/Environment_Agency_SE_Annual_Fisheries_Report_2012_2013_a9a4e4.pdf
You will see that this included access improvements on the Thames at Cogmore Farm, Chertsey and a new car park, access track and swims at a fishery on the Isle of Wight.

[TF_paulnewell]

Sounds like a comedy sketch only it’s not funny ? Me thinks they got a gravy train from anglers and are now taking us for granted . If there are 4 million anglers chipping in they forgot to charge 4 million cyclists behind me on the Gloucester Canal on Sunday !!!! ??? . Sounds like Bullshit jobs for the boys with a veil of secrecy and no one at the desk ????

[TF_smeagal]

@paulnewell wrote:

Sounds like a comedy sketch only it’s not funny ? Me thinks they got a gravy train from anglers and are now taking us for granted . If there are 4 million anglers chipping in they forgot to charge 4 million cyclists behind me on the Gloucester Canal on Sunday !!!! ??? . Sounds like Bullshit jobs for the boys with a veil of secrecy and no one at the desk ????

I agree it is a joke but they think I am going to give up!
NOT A CHANCE. 😡 😡 😡
Still awaiting my FOI on just how much has be invested in my local fisheries and how much spent on wasted time!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TF_smeagal]

@paulnewell wrote:

Sounds like a comedy sketch only it’s not funny ? Me thinks they got a gravy train from anglers and are now taking us for granted . If there are 4 million anglers chipping in they forgot to charge 4 million cyclists behind me on the Gloucester Canal on Sunday !!!! ??? . Sounds like Bullshit jobs for the boys with a veil of secrecy and no one at the desk ????

Having spent a few hours going through the link here to discover what actually they spend our money on I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED!1
HERE IS MY RESPONSE ON THEIR FB PAGE 😡 😡 😡

Having been right through the Planning and resources documents( All 42 pages).
The only fisheries work undertaken in Hants and West Sussex have taken place on chalk streams and rivers not acceable to disabled anglers.
SO WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE YOUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY’S UNDER THE EQUALITIES ACT AND THE DISABLED DISCRIMINATION ACT AND ENFORCE THE LAW?
Public fisheries and public day ticket waters are supposed to provide equal numbers or a percentage of platform swims as able bodied!!
this has not and is still not being addressed by the southern area offices.
WHY?
AS YOU WEBSITE STATES THAT NUMBERS BUYING LICENSES HAVE AND ARE DECLINING AND YOU WONDER WHY!!!

[TF_smeagal]

Due to a bad fall and not being able to fish.
I thought I would update members as to the ongoing battle to get some work done on our local canal.
About 5 years ago I raised concerns that the fish stock was diminishing and the water quality gave great cause for concern to the survival of fry and most other fish and plants.
I took my concerns to both the canal society and local EA office.
Finally last Friday they under took a fish survey!! (no water quality test done and no fish taken for health check and no water quality test we undertaken!
here is their reply.

Thanks for your email. We did survey the canal last Friday, I apologise for not informing you sooner.

We surveyed by electro fishing a 500m stretch at Hunston and also seine netting. Due to the amount of silt the seine netting was pretty difficult and not particularly effective, the net was rolling over in the silt so a number of fish may have escaped before we could bring the net in. We didn’t record the number of fish we caught by netting but there was nothing of note as such to an angler, our catch consisted almost entirely of several hundred small roach.

Our electro fishing survey was also a little disappointing, although we will only see about a third of the fish actually present we were still expecting to see a few more fish. Again we didn’t catch or see any particular ‘specimen’ fish, scale samples of the larger fish were also taken to identify ages growth rates. Results of electrofishing;

58 Roach, 40 x 100-109mm, 6 x 100 – 119mm, 1 x 120-129mm, 3 x 130-139mm, 4 x 140-149mm, 3x 160-169mm, 1×190-199mm

3 Pike, 1x 230-239mm, 1x 240-249mm, 1 x 415m( 5 more pike seen but not caught).

1 Tench, 109mm

10 Perch, 2 x 130-139mm, 3 x 140-149mm, 3 x 150-159mm, 1 x 160-169mm 1 x 190-199mm

4 Bream, 1 x 130-139m, 2 x 140-149mm, 1×150-159mm

1 Roach Hybrid 190-199mm

Also seen but not caught were a number of eels.

Following on from our survey we have already begun talking with the canal society about where we can help i.e. by preventing any illegal activity, possibility of sourcing additional stock and where habitat could be enhanced in order to optimise fishery productivity.

Afraid I can’t possibly say whether we will be able to provide free access to fishing, we are of course always looking at ways of improving accessibility of angling to all.

Regards

Mark

.

[TF_paulnewell]

Doesn’t it sound like a politician talking , Of course we are always looking at ways .!!! Then nought happens .

[TF_smeagal]

@paulnewell wrote:

Doesn’t it sound like a politician talking , Of course we are always looking at ways .!!! Then nought happens .

This is not just a battle about a little canal hidden away on the South coast it is about the loss of day ticket venues accessible to all
In the last 5/10 years all disabled fisheries with day ticket access have been closed or left to die or membership fee have risen to an impossible amount.
We all pay a license fee and can expect some work in return and before I am derided yes that have been under pressure with all the flooding of the past years but no restoration works have taken place in Hants /West Sussex even though a grant of £18 million was granted for said works.
Politician Me ???
No I am just a retired Pompey Cab driver who loves to fish for silvers and tench but I have had quite a few years on committees of clubs and alliances and have worked with most government departments ans so know how to get their attention.
As a one time fisheries officer I do not like to see a water which was once a great fishery be left to go downhill and eventually get closed by lack of use!!
And due to a bad fall ans subsequent spinal damage I cannot build swims pull rakes or any of the other work I so loved but that doesn’t stop my brain working or my passion for the sport even though I cannot access most these day.
This little canal is at most 10 miles from my house but even when I get there I have to have help to get out of the car and have my gear taken to the water by my missus..
So sorry if i offend but I am fed up buying a license for a year and getting to use less than 6 times!!

[TF_Dr.Phil]

All come together and tell the EA we are not paying anymore until they answer all our important fears and questions. That could be hard to do but it needs to happen as this misery will carry on . Start a campaign now , threaten them with non payment of licences countrywide then they will soon come to the negotiation table. They cannot fine a million anglers and they cannot use the police to arrest us all so place pressure on them where it will hurt , our money !!

OTTERS ,CORMORANTS ,EVASIVE SPECIES all need to be suitably controlled !

Also throw into the bag the question of banning the close season , its a farce , we need anglers on the banks all year round as we are the true bailiffs ! If you can fish commercials and canals why should the rivers be separate from this rule ? archaic thinking !!

[TF_smeagal]

@Dr.Phil wrote:

All come together and tell the EA we are not paying anymore until they answer all our important fears and questions. That could be hard to do but it needs to happen as this misery will carry on . Start a campaign now , threaten them with non payment of licences countrywide then they will soon come to the negotiation table. They cannot fine a million anglers and they cannot use the police to arrest us all so place pressure on them where it will hurt , our money !!

OTTERS ,CORMORANTS ,EVASIVE SPECIES all need to be suitably controlled !

Also throw into the bag the question of banning the close season , its a farce , we need anglers on the banks all year round as we are the true bailiffs ! If you can fish commercials and canals why should the rivers be separate from this rule ? archaic thinking !!

Quite Right Dr Phil
Problem is getting a consensus on what is required?
River canals and drains have different problems than lakes and pits.
Commercial won’t want any truck with it as they have regular help and assistance .
Perhaps I should launch a petition on facebook to ask the minister to explain exactly what out licenses pay for and if funds are ring fenced for angling? :confused: :confused:

[Author]

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