Steve Lewis
Senior Member
Following Jeff Collins' post, I'm just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are about this…
As some of you know, I’ve only recently just started back after a break of nearly 20 years. Through all the months I spent prior reading up on how things had changed (or stayed much the same) with tackle, fish stocks, venues etc etc, one thing I’ve found very noticeable, at least generally in media terms, is the relative lack of anti-angling feeling. When I was last fishing back in the 90s, barely a month went by without matches being sabotaged by large organised groups, or individuals (or small groups of people) actively seeking out the lone angler on the river or canal bank to intimidate them, or worse.
Although there is still discussion about it on the internet, further is-it-or-isn’t-it-cruel-? scientific studies have happened, and the odd off-hand comment from passers-by is still heard every now and again, that previous wave of anti-angling of yesteryear seems to have all-but disappeared. None of the organised groups that were around back then seem to exist anymore - the CAA, once enough to put the fright up most anglers, were subsumed into the FPL, which itself was subsumed some years ago into a group more concerned about the conservation of marine fish, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that has taken its place, at least of a sizable nature and with a very visible profile. Most interestingly of all is that none other than the League Against Cruel Sports now clearly state that they do not have a view either way on angling, and that is the only mention angling gets on their otherwise in-depth website. Quite a difference from their views of 20 years ago. Even PETA, the most outspoken of the animal conservation groups, has on their website just one short article which is several years old, quite short and based on shaky data from a US study (where angling is a very different thing).
So, what’s happened? Have they all gone underground? Are they now apathetic? Is there now enough evidence to show that us anglers are pretty much the only reason that the UK’s rivers and their wildlife still exist that has made them all think “well, better the devil you know I guess�
Also interesting is the relatively recent increasing popularity of “urban†angling – something that most people wouldn’t have even considered back in the 90s, even if the venue was free, primarily because of the potential for trouble. Is that increasing popularity also related to the lack of anti-feeling?
As some of you know, I’ve only recently just started back after a break of nearly 20 years. Through all the months I spent prior reading up on how things had changed (or stayed much the same) with tackle, fish stocks, venues etc etc, one thing I’ve found very noticeable, at least generally in media terms, is the relative lack of anti-angling feeling. When I was last fishing back in the 90s, barely a month went by without matches being sabotaged by large organised groups, or individuals (or small groups of people) actively seeking out the lone angler on the river or canal bank to intimidate them, or worse.
Although there is still discussion about it on the internet, further is-it-or-isn’t-it-cruel-? scientific studies have happened, and the odd off-hand comment from passers-by is still heard every now and again, that previous wave of anti-angling of yesteryear seems to have all-but disappeared. None of the organised groups that were around back then seem to exist anymore - the CAA, once enough to put the fright up most anglers, were subsumed into the FPL, which itself was subsumed some years ago into a group more concerned about the conservation of marine fish, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that has taken its place, at least of a sizable nature and with a very visible profile. Most interestingly of all is that none other than the League Against Cruel Sports now clearly state that they do not have a view either way on angling, and that is the only mention angling gets on their otherwise in-depth website. Quite a difference from their views of 20 years ago. Even PETA, the most outspoken of the animal conservation groups, has on their website just one short article which is several years old, quite short and based on shaky data from a US study (where angling is a very different thing).
So, what’s happened? Have they all gone underground? Are they now apathetic? Is there now enough evidence to show that us anglers are pretty much the only reason that the UK’s rivers and their wildlife still exist that has made them all think “well, better the devil you know I guess�
Also interesting is the relatively recent increasing popularity of “urban†angling – something that most people wouldn’t have even considered back in the 90s, even if the venue was free, primarily because of the potential for trouble. Is that increasing popularity also related to the lack of anti-feeling?
