The reason that the EA are constantly restocking is the obvious one... 86% of our watercourses fail to meet basic environmental quality standards. Consequently fish populations are unable to naturally recruit themselves to the level necessary to sustain their populations. No rocket science there.
The problems are i) over abstraction ii) pollution from sewage works, agriculture and general run off etc. iii) excess predation levels including non-native species iv) increasingly extreme weather conditions increasing the incidence of droughts/floods/heat waves etc.
The solution is to have the EA perform its statutory duty to ensure that environmental legislation is enforced. In reality it's not and probably never will in our lifetimes for multiple reasons including... i) too cosy relationship with polluting water companies ii) inadequate £ budget determined by the politicians to do the job it is tasked to do iii) the cost of really solving the problem is massive and would be way too expensive for the politicians to man up to or for taxpayers to shoulder.
So we're left in a situation in which tokenism rules in order to be seen to be doing something useful in the face of an overwhelming problem. Re-stockings, insert a fish pass here and there, blow silt away to expose the gravel beds for spawning, build a riffle, reintroduce otters to please the bunny huggers etc. etc.
Meanwhile it's up to volunteer bodies and pressure groups to do what they can to highlight/act on the problems.
Anglers who really care about these issues and want meaningful action rather than gestures should support some or all of the following...
Angling Trust, Salmon and Trout Conservation, The Rivers Trust, Surfers Against Sewage and a good few others.
That's the reality of it, make the most of your river fishing while you can before your river goes the same way as the Gt Ouse, Bristol Avon, Wensum, Hants Avon, Cherwell, Thames etc. etc. etc.
