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A.T. working for the EA.

What a dour negative and miserable bunch of ingrates you lot really are!!!

Anglers have been saying for a while that a portion of rod licence funding should be put back into the sport via the AT, it now is!!

Biggest upside is that AT will be deciding on what fishery projects receive EA funding and from what I have seen so far they are doing it well!! No more big money all going to the trouties!!

Regards Graham's example, the AT have never sued the EA for Thames Water pollution incidents, Fish Legal have and will continue to sue Thames Water directly, on our behalf.

Also good the Volunteer Bailiff Scheme will receive EA funding whereas before we were having to pay from the limited AT pot.

All good in my view, better management of Angling Money by anglers for anglers!!
 
Crooky. Realists, thats all.

Are the above your wish list on in the remit? eg Biggest upside is that AT will be deciding on what fishery projects receive EA funding and from what I have seen so far they are doing it well!! No more big money all going to the trouties!!

Do you remember about 5-6 years ago I stated that there were problems with barbel numbers on the Kennet and Loddon re recruitment. You stated that there was no problem, that we were all fishing the wrong way and needed to adjust our methods? Still think that?

On a report on the Pats of a large dog otter very recently. You said, no worry, there has always been otters on the river.
Well I can only say, never heard of one reported by anglers for the 30 years prior to say 5 years ago. Or on the Kennet.

No, IF the whole license fee went to a separate fishery body, and they were charged with managing the sport, that would make sense. (and have some proper teeth to take on the EA and the Water Companies) but basically the EA have abidicated part responsibilities that they should hold, on the cheap.

I really do hope that AT make headway, but they will be answerable to the EA. And the EA will make sure they behave as the EA wish them to. Otherwise they will be replaced by a more compliant alternative.
 
The biggest priority should be predation..I have yet to see any group aiming to tackle this problem or in any position to do so.
Dancing around the bleeding obvious yet again, whilst the Rose tinted Glasses brigade still seem to think theres hope without tackling predation and that some how because the AT are now being given money from the EA that everything is going to improve..
How can things improve when the fish are disappearing, mainly from predation..
Seems to me the EA are passing the buck and the blame for future failures..
People are living in cloud cuckoo land if they think the AT are going to be Anglings saviour..
 
I'm not saying predation isn't a problem, but disagree regarding fish stocks in the rivers, as some of them are fishing better now than I've known in nearly 40 years of fishing. 30 years ago, I wouldn't have imagined I'd ever catch double figure barbel out of the Trent.
The otter died out for a reason, but a lot of our waters are rich in Otter food or they wouldn't be there.
But I can't see any organisation convincing the general public that the otter is not so cuddly and friendly as they think it is. One organisation claims it will help clubs with otter fencing, but I'm hearing, and have experience of, them not replying to requests. Strangely you don't hear people whinging about them on Forums.

I've had abuse from mentioning the devastation Zander are causing on my local canals. But it doesn't entertain the average Zander angler to go out to catch 10-12oz fish. Once the large chub, barbel, and carp have gone all that'll be left is Zander until they scoff each other till only a few remain. And maybe then the eco system may begin to balance out, but how long will that take.

I am an Angling Trust member, and I won't sit here and say they are perfect, but they are doing some good stuff, Operation Leviathan as one example. I get some help (non financial) for introducing kids to the sport (which I do on a Voluntary basis). And I am quite peeved paying my subs when non members benefit from what the Trust does good, and they still whinge. Join and you can make your points heard at the AGM. If more joined more could be done, but unfortunately not enough can be bothered, but can spend endless time on forum.

I attended a local Forum run by the AT, with guests talking about the work done on the Severn and WAvon. It was FREE to attend, but I bet less than 40 people were bothered to turn up, and have an opportunity to ask questions.
 
Craig H.
For your info
Well over 50, 000
barbel have been stocked in the Trent over the last few years. Not my figures but EA.

It should be good. In fact caught 26 incl 5 doubles in 2 days recently.

But the smaller southern rivers have been suffering . Kennet Loddon Bristol Avon etc.

Just my opinion, there's no doubt the AT have done some good in a number of areas, its just that some hoped they would be in a position to challenge EA failings. Not work for them.
 
I'm not happy about the AT taking contracts from the EA, talk about poacher turned gamekeeper.

And don't think it's not a cynical move by the E.A to get them in their back pocket either.

Predation is the number 1 threat to fish stocks in this country and if the EA are not going to spend some of our licence fees on controlling predators like Cormorants then they need to build a couple more fish farms with our money and put back what is being eaten.
 
Who says they won't challenge any EA failings?

The EA aren't perfect either but they do some good work too. It's always when things go wrong that get remembered.
Fish Legal is like an insurance policy, you don't know what you are paying, or how good it's going to be, until you need to use it to fight your corner.

DEFRAS lack of funds doesn't exactly help the EA.

Besides, a lot of the work the AT have been doing anyway. This has been like renewing a contract.
The Volunteer Bailiff Scheme, for example is an existing partnership between AT and the EA.

It's a shame because of English Law it is not possible to put an extra £5.00 on a rod licence, (per licence holder, not per licence) which would cover statutory individual AT membership.
The membership numbers of the AT are a disgrace, and those who aren't members isn't helping, but then they blame AT for not doing enough.
 
I am struggling to understand, how on Earth can the AT take on the EA, when they receive funding from the EA..

If the current trend with Otters continues, eventually nearly every River will incur whole year classes of fish disappearing in a short time.

The EA contributed funds from the licence fee to reintroduce Otters and improve habitat to sustain Otters without any Ecological survey being carried out and knowing that certain species of fish were already in trouble.

The EA also contribute funds to the Rivers Trust..

If we think its bad now, just wait and see what its like in another 10years if the last 10years are anything to go on..
 
Most of us are worried about this move, to varying degrees...and that's hardly surprising. We have all seen the cynical corruption, sleeziness and plain dishonesty displayed by all those in power, from government down. It seems an almost daily event for the newspaper headlines to be screaming out the latest disclosure involving a politician, church leader or executive (or all three together) having been caught with their trousers down, figuratively speaking or not. Our trust of and faith in those in power is at an all time low.

However, I look at it this way...I still do the lottery, twice a week, without fail. The odds against me winning are phenomenal, but there IS a chance. That being so, I reckon my chances of this dubious marriage between the EA and AT working well are at the very least a whole lot better than those of me being a millionaire one day. Therefore, as I say, I will wait and see. Odd really, because I have always been a 'glass half empty' type of person :D:D:D

Cheers, Dave.
 
I have no doubt that the AT have the best intentions towards Angling.
Theres no point beating about the bush, we need a strong campaign to highlight the damage that has been caused by predation..
This needs to be done to protect Coarse fishing as a priority..
It is painfully obvious that Otters, Cormorants etc do need to be controlled to protect inland Waterways especially the Rivers..
I might be wrong but there does seem to be a north, south devide at the moment as to the impact of Otter Predation, how long that will last is anyone's guess..
If the AT were to stick its neck out and tell all Anglers that they intend to start a credible campaign with possible legal action, to highlight the Negligence and Malpractices of the EA towards coarse fishing, including where has the Licence Fee money been really going...I would join tomorrow..

Its too late for some Rivers no matter what happens now, so I guess the AT and other groups need to consider protecting the ones that are left..
In reality no one can say what the future holds, but judging by whats already happened, well it don't look to good..

To even have a glimmer of hope for the future we definitely need controls against predation, perhaps the AT could spearhead such a campaign, bringing on board the fishery Owners, Tackle Trade etc and of course all Anglers..
We have nothing to lose, we are already losing..:(
 
But this is my point. AT needs membership money to run such campaigns. It's no good or any help to them joining after the event.
Things are getting done with the little membership it has. Imagine what it could do if even 60% of the anglers in this country joined. You want them to fight your corner for nothing
The Kennet just so happens to be one of Martin Salter's local river. The last I heard he was working double the hours campaigning for the AT than what he was being paid for. Do you think he's happy about not being as to change things?

How many invasive species have we got coming into this country? There's a lot more than just otters threatening our sport, but again it needs money to protect it.

The Angling Trust describes itself as the Voice of Angling, pay your money and that voice is a little bit louder
 
Just in case anyone hasn't seen this...

Environment Agency awards fisheries contract to Angling Trust - The Angling Trust

At first glance, the only thing that that stands out instantly as being wrong is the AT's statement that....

"Both organisations are committed to protecting and improving freshwater angling by tackling the issues identified by anglers as part of the National Angling Strategy".

As far as I am aware, the EA has not been particularly 'commited to protecting and improving freshwater angling' for a long time, their stance on otters tells you all you need to know on that issue! However, probably just pretty words and dressing prior to getting down to business on the AT's part..............I hope!

Cheers, Dave.
 
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