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Feel angry, sad and frustrated

Hi men ,

The state of release of sewage is unacceptable, but has happened since water treatment started . It's great to see it highlighted more on TV with well known people championing it which could bring pressure onto the subject but it's a massive step change to update treatment plants to have the capacity to avoid it . They need to be held accountable, and fines don't do it.

Myself , I started barbel fishing on the best river in England , the Windrush , and had it not been for the otter problem would have been still walking it's special banks , but these days it's turned into a useful drainage ditch 😲 , and a shadow of the crystal clear river it was . I can't help , so my conscience is helped , only slightly , by donating to WASP charity for those trying to do something even in a small voluntary way to help .

Windrush Against Sewage Pollution | Environmental pollution campaign

Windrush Against Sewage Pollution. Our environmental pollution campaign is based in Oxfordshire and works nationally to investigate and analyse data to expose the truth about the sewage pollution scandal in the UK and bring it to the public.
www.windrushwasp.org www.windrushwasp.org

Hatter
 
Graham Tremble said:
The problem here is that you SHOULD be right regarding privatisation. In practice, ‘ old ‘un’s’ like me can actually remember how inefficient the old nationalised businesses were. I only have to remember the railways ,who many now think should go back to being nationalised, they were just a bloody disgrace back then. In my opinion, governments simply don’t’run things’ very well. A pity I know but I guess change is needed so who knows?
G.T.
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I know what you mean Graham. I'm in the old 'un category myself! The thing is on the one hand you have private Co's doing what they please and not what the public need or demand, and on the other hand the possibility of public ownership of utilities. If the latter were to happen, then driven, skilled, experienced and motivated people would be needed to run and work in the industry. The BIG question is, do we have such people? 🤔
 
Kevin Siddle said:
I have now had a call from the EA asking for more details. The young lady I spoke to fully understood the concern for fish welfare and agreed in relation to this incident that all does not appear right given the manner in which the fish behaved. I have no idea what her background is but she certainly appreciates that it is unusual in cold water for fish to behave in this way and has asked that I report to her any further incidents. She has also agreed to contact the controlling club to speak to them direct about this apparent regular occurrence. In fairness it’s a better response than I anticipated.
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Full credit to the EA for responding and updating , much better response than I have experienced when reporting issues to them in the past
 
Like others I was shocked and saddened to watch on Sunday evening.
As i remember, Thatchers selling point when she sold our water off was that privatisation would ensure that the new companies would upgrade all the old Victorian infastructure.
It clearly hasn't happened, but what was perhaps more shocking was that they are LEGALLY allowed to discharge raw untreated sewage into our waterways. All it needs is a shower of rain, which mitigates the discharge,........they just cite low storage capacity.
Somehow I don't think we will see a positive change in any of our lifetimes and that is the saddest thing 🙁

Steve
 
Sorry meant to say.
Some so called anglers don't help. One of the spots I fish on The Thames is like a tip. I've seen old music centres and mattresses dumped. Maybe not anglers. But I'm sure the amount of tins. Spam, corn and beer mainly are anglers. Not just a few either. Add wrappers including one "predator baits". Bottles, glass and plastic. It's disgusting! Old line tossed into bushes. To think when the river floods some of it probably washes in. Makes my blood boil.
 
Joe Winstanley said:

The Times & The Sunday Times

News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times
www.thetimes.co.uk www.thetimes.co.uk

Some bad news...
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Very bad news for the rivers - but it is what the water companies are allowed to do every time we are short of water. And it’s been the case for decades.

Where is the additional storage; and plans for a National water transfer scheme……

Ive just responded to the current consultation on water resource planning for the future and it makes scary reading. The Thames area plan involves building a new reservoir (Abingdon) and reducing customer demand. But still there are predictions of a monster shortfall in 20-30 years time.

It is a disgrace. The Abingdon plan has been discussed at senior level 3 times before and NOT built. Last time was whilst I was on Thames RFERAC and the committee was all in favour. And the lead time then was estimated at 13 years. It will probably be even longer now.

More people means more water consumption and more sewage generation. Add in potentially lower rainfall and the answer is really bad news for our rivers - less water and more crap.
 
Our small Angling Club has a Rolling 5 Year Plan of improvements. The Plan outlines the funds needed to complete works required, details of costings, materials, volunteer labour needed and allows for any disruptions (although we did not foresee Covid!)
My point is this: we are a tiny Club with a Plan. It seems that the Water Co's and HM Government do everything on a knee jerk basis.
We have known about Climate Change for years, but it appears those in charge are taken by surprise when we have droughts or floods!
I can GUARANTEE that, if not this year, then in the next couple of years, the UK will have a drought and our old reservoirs will be under huge pressure, so extraction will take place. This, after (probably) severe flooding 6 months earlier when millions of gallons of fresh rainwater ends up in the sea, mixed of course with the obligatory sewage.
There is NO plan and worse still no-one with any intelligence to realise the repetitive nature of these occurances.
 
Paul Bullinger said:
Our small Angling Club has a Rolling 5 Year Plan of improvements. The Plan outlines the funds needed to complete works required, details of costings, materials, volunteer labour needed and allows for any disruptions (although we did not foresee Covid!)
My point is this: we are a tiny Club with a Plan. It seems that the Water Co's and HM Government do everything on a knee jerk basis.
We have known about Climate Change for years, but it appears those in charge are taken by surprise when we have droughts or floods!
I can GUARANTEE that, if not this year, then in the next couple of years, the UK will have a drought and our old reservoirs will be under huge pressure, so extraction will take place. This, after (probably) severe flooding 6 months earlier when millions of gallons of fresh rainwater ends up in the sea, mixed of course with the obligatory sewage.
There is NO plan and worse still no-one with any intelligence to realise the repetitive nature of these occurances.
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I suspect entirely due to the short term interest of politicians. It's ways left for someone else to sort out. We have got to the stage nothing can be debated sensibly and objectively anymore. Result is nothing gets done.
 
Alec Hague said:
I suspect entirely due to the short term interest of politicians. It's ways left for someone else to sort out. We have got to the stage nothing can be debated sensibly and objectively anymore. Result is nothing gets done.
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I agree about the "short-term" outlook of politicians but Water Co executives are in post for a long time. Its relatively easy to impose conditions on the Water Co's that insist a certain % of revenue (not profit as they will just squirrel it away somewhere) to be spent on sewage treatment and reservoirs. The legislation could impose heavy fines if works not carried out or the incorrect % not applied.
Political Parties can come and go but the legislation would still apply. Mind you it would need to be watertight (see what I did there?) 😉
 
Paul Bullinger said:
I agree about the "short-term" outlook of politicians but Water Co executives are in post for a long time. Its relatively easy to impose conditions on the Water Co's that insist a certain % of revenue (not profit as they will just squirrel it away somewhere) to be spent on sewage treatment and reservoirs. The legislation could impose heavy fines if works not carried out or the incorrect % not applied.
Political Parties can come and go but the legislation would still apply. Mind you it would need to be watertight (see what I did there?) 😉
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That's perfectly true but overlooks another problem in industry of "who cares?" I mean that professional directors/ managers tend to follow the package to improve their career path. Working lifetimes spent with 1 employer are rare and I suspect long gone. I recall a recent CEO of a big bank, stuffed that , taxpayers sorted the mess, then went on to glory somewhere else. No one carries the can, so no one cares as they will be somewhere else when the brown stuff starts to fly. That's also appropriate!
 
Neil Smart said:
Perhaps Paul Whitehouse involvement, the popular nations fishing chap will at least be the one to put this problem higher up the political agenda .Because there is only one way this mess will be cleaned up is making it an issue come a General Election.
Perhaps even dopey Charlie et all from BBC Breakfast who admits to wild swimming in the filthy Thames and those two women in the Wye who swim all weather amongst sewage discharge might at least highlight the problem along with the wonderful Paul Whitehouse
No longer should it be out of sight put of mind.
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www.angelajonesswimwild.co.uk

Environment | Swim Wild Wye UK

I am passionate about the environment and I am a strong campaigner for cleaner rivers and holding those to account who disrespect our natural resources that nature so kindly shares with us. Writing and Appearing on many pollution programs such as Panorama.
www.angelajonesswimwild.co.uk www.angelajonesswimwild.co.uk
 
Mark Anderson said:
Hi men

Yes we need the non fishing public to be outraged ....... But the same public that pick up dog shite , tie it in a plastic bag and throw it in a tree to break down over hundreds of years 🙄. It's because , as it always has been , that anglers are at the cutting edge of this stuff , seeing things that the general public would struggle to see that often makes us first and most vocal .

Hatter
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I think on rivers like the Wye, Severn and Trent, it's anglers close-mindedness to other river users that is limiting! If anglers got together with swimmers, canoeists and other river users I think they'd find a great deal more traction and commonality in issues that matter.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
I think on rivers like the Wye, Severn and Trent, it's anglers close-mindedness to other river users that is limiting! If anglers got together with swimmers, canoeists and other river users I think they'd find a great deal more traction and commonality in issues that matter.
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It doesn't help that is for sure.

I had an email from a club I'm a member outlining it's position on beaver reintroductions. It was such a depressingly dreary outlook...beavers essentially painted as 'destructive rodents' which are a 'threat to salmonids' and nothing other than funding driven 'tick-box exercise'. It's as though some anglers try and alienate angling from potential partners.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
It doesn't help that is for sure.

I had an email from a club I'm a member outlining it's position on beaver reintroductions. It was such a depressingly dreary outlook...beavers essentially painted as 'destructive rodents' which are a 'threat to salmonids' and nothing other than funding driven 'tick-box exercise'. It's as though some anglers try and alienate angling from potential partners.
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As a wrinklie the change most noticeable in society in recent years is that Us no longer matters, it's only Me, that counts.
 
Meanwhile on the River Trent this afternoon! 🤬
20230312_170715.jpg
 
As someone else said earlier in these series of posts, having watched Part 2 of Paul Whitehouse programme about pollution in our rivers, I am not sure he was the best person to present it. I like the guy. He and Bob Mortimer have introduced fishing to a wider audience but I think he is too "jokey" for such a serious matter as sewage in our rivers.
The female chicken farmer was a good example. She rears a million chickens a year and not only does she not have any idea what's in their feed (!) she also thinks that spreading the chicken poo 3 metres from the river stops it polluting. So when it rains she doesn't think the rain could wash it into the river?
Paul Whitehouse didn't challenge her on either of these remarks. I just can't believe that curiosity didn't get the better of her to find out what her chickens were ACTUALLY eating!
Think the fast food industry has a lot to answer for.
 
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