Devastating river pollution!

[Jon Kennard]

So pining the rivers again I had decided I'd join the Exeter angling association again. Primarily to fish the river culm. I used to fish it many years ago and was always blown away by how by healthy the river was. Roach, Dace chub pike and even rumours of a barbel or two. It reminded me of a smaller version of the river teme. Phoning Exeter angling today I was gutted to hear its been utterly destroyed give or take by pollution from a local farm. Despite it being traced completely to a local farm nothing was done at about it at all. Completely gutted to hear and even more so it's taken me so long to get back on the bank. My only local option of barbel now gone they were apparently becoming more wide spread. I find it hard to believe how many rivers get polluted or even destroyed and nothing is done and no one held responsible.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

So pining the rivers again I had decided I'd join the Exeter angling association again. Primarily to fish the river culm. I used to fish it many years ago and was always blown away by how by healthy the river was. Roach, Dace chub pike and even rumours of a barbel or two. It reminded me of a smaller version of the river teme. Phoning Exeter angling today I was gutted to hear its been utterly destroyed give or take by pollution from a local farm. Despite it being traced completely to a local farm nothing was done at about it at all. Completely gutted to hear and even more so it's taken me so long to get back on the bank. My only local option of barbel now gone they were apparently becoming more wide spread. I find it hard to believe how many rivers get polluted or even destroyed and nothing is done and no one held responsible.

Very sad to hear that, have some good memories of fishing the Culm whilst visiting family, spent many an hour wandering the banks of Killerton trotting for chub and roach, even had the odd pike. Nether saw head nor tail of the elusive barbel though!

Last time I read anything about the Culm was when George Monbiot highlighted another example of the EA's institutional negligence, I wonder if this is the farm Monbiot highlighted?

Toothless Environment Agency is allowing the living world to be wrecked with impunity | George Monbiot

George Monbiot: The farcical investigation of the pollution case I exposed in a Devon river highlights how budget cuts have left the agency incapable of enforcement

www.theguardian.com

 

[Jon Kennard]

Yes Joe sadly that's the case in point. 4 years on and apparently the river is lifeless. Hard to believe given how alive it was. I also used to fish killerton had chub to 3 14 and pike to low doubles plus bonus lovely brownies. I just can't understand it. I'll be targeting the time instead then. Probably about similar distance for me. Yes I never caught a barbel but I know they were becoming wider spread throughout the river.