Feargal Sharkey

[The bad one]

Granted that, he was a well known musician and more people will sit up and listen to him than say John Bailey who to be honest is probably not greatly known outside angling circles. And I have listened to him before and he speaks well and passionately about the subject. However, I still doubt his impact on the public, no matter how good the celeb, how knowledgeable and passionate, it is going take something more profound, longer lasting that can be sustained over a good period of time to get the public activated. The green party putting aside the fact we are all going to disappear into an abyss, (propaganda put out by the other parties and their press) are in fact the only people who can do that in my limited opinion. They have the size, the funds and scope far more than individuals celeb or otherwise, and any angling organization or groups of anglers.
Its a shame about their stance on angling but they haven't said they intend to ban it however, they could actually activate the cleaning up of our rivers (and sea and everything else) whereas everyone else has failed.
I am prepared to take a punt on them, nothing else left really.

Agree on the Green Party Mark, I've been punting on them for over 30 years since they were called the Ecology Party. I have some very good friends who are members of the GP. They all know what my hobby is and with some they respectfully debate the merits of it with me usually in the pub over a pint.

OH and Steve might not be far off the mark with Turd coming out of the tap.

 

[steve2]

We need a real celeb on our side someone like Katie Price or the only way is Essex and love island crowd. Millions listen to them and agree with what ever they have to say.

 

[no-one in particular]

bb

Agree on the Green Party Mark, I've been punting on them for over 30 years since they were called the Ecology Party. I have some very good friends who are members of the GP. They all know what my hobby is and with some they respectfully debate the merits of it with me usually in the pub over a pint.

OH and Steve might not be far off the mark with Turd coming out of the tap.

I remember Ecology, that was the watch word back then before it became fashionable to be an "environmentalist". I was thinking of studying it as a subject as well but like a lot of things from my youth got waylaid! I am trying to strike up a conversation about angling with the green party as well, I think they think I am a plant from the blood sports association. But it is not a bad thing to get an insight into how they work and intend to move forward; they have a lot going for them, a lot more than the political opponents press would have us believe.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

bb

I remember Ecology, that was the watch word back then before it became fashionable to be an "environmentalist". I was thinking of studying it as a subject as well but like a lot of things from my youth got waylaid! I am trying to strike up a conversation about angling with the green party as well, I think they think I am a plant from the blood sports association. But it is not a bad thing to get an insight into how they work and intend to move forward; they have a lot going for them, a lot more than the political opponents press would have us believe.

The problem I see with the GP Mark is that government is about far more than just the Environment and I simply don't see sufficient depth or width of potential GP MP candidates . . . . . . . without causing offence one can say that they truly are a one-trick-pony Party, as well meaning as they undoubtedly are . . . .

As important as the environment is, and will be in the future, government (or even opposition) is a far more wide reaching set of subjects.

 

[no-one in particular]

The problem I see with the GP Mark is that government is about far more than just the Environment and I simply don't see sufficient depth or width of potential GP MP candidates . . . . . . . without causing offence one can say that they truly are a one-trick-pony Party, as well meaning as they undoubtedly are . . . .

As important as the environment is, and will be in the future, government (or even opposition) is a far more wide reaching set of subjects.

I don't agree, they have developed policy in all areas, they are not stupid, they know they will have to speak on all areas to get votes. I am not worried about that, we will still have jobs, pensions, markets, goods and profits. I see nothing to fear in their general policies on that score. They are just wanting to change our priorities, that's all, its more of a mindset than a radical change in society and how it is run. Along the way they will improve a whole lot of other things though. That's what I am interested in. Sure they are inexperienced and their MP selection is still limited but they will grow and so will their MP' choices and policies.
I know I would never convince you or anyone, its just my latest hobbyhorse and I think it is important for angling and what we deal with as well. I would just love to see it properly dealt with, that's the draw for me. I have had my fill of the economy and how we are slaves to it and the whole country will collapse unless we only vote for one or the other parties, I just don't believe in it anymore, its an abstract concept anyway. I was eating in a café today and a thought came to mind, if the GP party were running things, nothing much would be different, the café would still employ people, pay taxes, make a profit, the only difference was all the condiments and sauces on the table would not be in plastic and the tea bag would be biodegradable.

 

[John Aston]

We need more than celebs, welcome though Mr Sharkey's initiative is . Anglers are a notoriously indifferent bunch , good at moaning but , depressingly often ,either scoring own goals by their behaviour, or doing absolutely nothing to help themselves. Of course there are shining exceptions , and I am sure I am speaking to some of them , but as a group we are lazy and indifferent to so many issues which face us .

Look at the publicity surfers and canoeists get for litter picking, or wildlife trusts for habitat restoration but anybody involved with running an angling club , as I've been for decades , will know how hard it is to get volunteers . It's easy to blame the EA , and sometimes they don't help themselves but how many anglers can be arsed to write to MPs , object to abstraction applications , litter pick or even assist in monitoring the ecology of their own water ? Very few indeed.

And the elephant in the room , I think , is the overstocked commercial water- often a parody of our sport's values. Never underestimate how fast the public mood could swing from tolerance of a harmless sport to outright hostility . All it needs is a Chris Packham expose of so called fishermen who think that hauling out 300lbs of carp from a small, muddy pond is sport and we are in trouble .... And don't get me started on the PR disaster which a more energetic , higher profile call for an otter cull would be .

 

[Peter Jacobs]

In wanting to change our priorities that can have a huge impact on jobs, pensions, economy, goods and servcies, manufacturing, imports, exports and obviously profits too.

I think it best then Mark to simply agree to disagree on the relevant merits of the Green Party . . . .

 

[no-one in particular]

In wanting to change our priorities that can have a huge impact on jobs, pensions, economy, goods and servcies, manufacturing, imports, exports and obviously profits too.

I think it best then Mark to simply agree to disagree on the relevant merits of the Green Party . . . .

That's all fear mongering put out by the opposing parties and their press who just want things to stay the same, There is no substance to those claims, I don't think its going to wash so much in the future. I will repeat my thought for the day in case you missed it,
I was eating in a café today and a thought came to mind, if the GP party were running things, nothing much would be different, the café would still employ people, pay taxes, make a profit, the only difference was all the condiments and sauces on the table would not be in plastic and the tea bag would be biodegradable.

 

[steve2]

And the elephant in the room , I think , is the overstocked commercial water- often a parody of our sport's values. Never underestimate how fast the public mood could swing from tolerance of a harmless sport to outright hostility . All it needs is a Chris Packham expose of so called fishermen who think that hauling out 300lbs of carp from a small, muddy pond is sport and we are in trouble .... And don't get me started on the PR disaster which a more energetic , higher profile call for an otter cull would be .

Before long there obscene match weights and continuous over stocking will come back and bite these so called fisheries. It as just not happened yet.
There is no way anglers can defend these so called fisheries and the stocking policy. Guardians of the waterways and fish what a joke.

 

[no-one in particular]

bbb

Before long there obscene match weights and continuous over stocking will come back and bite these so called fisheries. It as just not happened yet.
There is no way anglers can defend these so called fisheries and the stocking policy. Guardians of the waterways and fish what a joke.

We could ban match fishing but not commercials. Plenty of nice angling goes on within a lot of them or no different to any other form of angling.

 

[Bluenose]

If you voted for a political party which has lowered water quality standards, then the sh1t state of our rivers is on you. You need to take ownership of it. That is exactly what you voted for.

We live in a country where profit comes first, period. Water is a commodity, it's there to make a profit. Standards are getting lower. Why? Because lower standards = more profit.

"Why don't the EA do something?" Because they're just an underfunded, toothless, non entity. Every govt could turn the EA into the son of Satan where you'd be terrified to fart in public for fear of being arrested for air pollution. They could throw serious offenders in jail. But they don't. Why? Because it is bad for profits.

The reason why nothing changes is because they don't care. The EU made them change their ways from the 70/80s onwards, but now they don't have to. They know you will still vote for them anyway, regardless of how much raw sh1t goes into the local river.

 

[John Aston]

Yup - as the Express, and other culprits , used to complain - how dare those EU bureaucrats tell us to clean up our beaches and rivers?

 

[no-one in particular]

If you voted for a political party which has lowered water quality standards, then the sh1t state of our rivers is on you. You need to take ownership of it. That is exactly what you voted for.

We live in a country where profit comes first, period. Water is a commodity, it's there to make a profit. Standards are getting lower. Why? Because lower standards = more profit.

"Why don't the EA do something?" Because they're just an underfunded, toothless, non entity. Every govt could turn the EA into the son of Satan where you'd be terrified to fart in public for fear of being arrested for air pollution. They could throw serious offenders in jail. But they don't. Why? Because it is bad for profits.

The reason why nothing changes is because they don't care. The EU made them change their ways from the 70/80s onwards, but now they don't have to. They know you will still vote for them anyway, regardless of how much raw sh1t goes into the local river.

That's exactly what the green party are against, profit before standards, not that they are against profit, just a different set of priorities.

 

[mikench]

Yup - as the Express, and other culprits , used to complain - how dare those EU bureaucrats tell us to clean up our beaches and rivers?

And give workers rights, impose welfare standards on livestock, prevent roaming charges and I could go on ad nauseam. Just what did the Romans do for us ?

 

[108831]

No major party would look after our rivers,especially with the last two years of pandemic,along with brexit,the money just isn't there,it's being paid in furlough,backing business,developing vaccines,providing ppr goods,you could go on and on,we all know we as a country should still be keeping our rivers clean,but some things were going to suffer,this is one of several,running a country is like running a business and robbing Peter to pay Paul is commonplace if things get tight... As for Feargal Sharkey,fair play to him for trying so hard,but sadly his pushing seems at present to be getting nowhere,the same as us anglers as individuals,our clubs must already be pushing hard about water quality,with large memberships this should have some clout,if anybody took their fingers from their ears to listen.

 

[no-one in particular]

No major party would look after our rivers,especially with the last two years of pandemic,along with brexit,the money just isn't there,it's being paid in furlough,backing business,developing vaccines,providing ppr goods,you could go on and on,we all know we as a country should still be keeping our rivers clean,but some things were going to suffer,this is one of several,running a country is like running a business and robbing Peter to pay Paul is commonplace if things get tight... As for Feargal Sharkey,fair play to him for trying so hard,but sadly his pushing seems at present to be getting nowhere,the same as us anglers as individuals,our clubs must already be pushing hard about water quality,with large memberships this should have some clout,if anybody took their fingers from their ears to listen.

And so it goes on and on and on and on. It doesn't cost money to clean the rivers up, it takes political will and the correct amount of enforced balanced change required of manufacturing, farmers, water companies etc. and particularly the later; that doesn't cost money and it needn't cost them money or us done sensibly and over time.

 

[mikench]

Whenever I think of inept government( it's a vast subject matter) like the EA my thoughts turn to Sir Humphrey Appleby.

 

[108831]

And so it goes on and on and on and on. It doesn't cost money to clean the rivers up, it takes political will and the correct amount of enforced balanced change required of manufacturing, farmers, water companies etc. and particularly the later; that doesn't cost money and it needn't cost them money or us done sensibly and over time.

I agree with your disgust,but this shit wont change,the green party are a non starter,just like the liberal democrats and crazy raving monster loony party,they look good on paper until small print is read,being anti angling doesnt help get my vote which I seemed to read was a part of their future programme...maybe not but...

 

[theartist]

Don't you vote for the overall manifesto of the party not just one criteria? I'm not sure those who voted leave or Tory should be blamed for anything that's happened to our rivers since covid/brexit. Many companies are using both as an excuse and we need to see through that and not get into a red v blue, leave v stay debate, you could have a vote on it but I think you'll find that's already happened.

The rivers have been taking illegal dumpings of sewage for years and the EU hasn't prevented them, nor have the tories, labour or the liberal democrats. It's likely to get worse but the excuse that we don't have enough drivers to treat sewage is pretty paper thin, we shouldn't buy it and get distracted, it sounds like smoke screening to me.

 

[Bluenose]

Don't you vote for the overall manifesto of the party not just one criteria? I'm not sure those who voted leave or Tory should be blamed for anything that's happened to our rivers since covid/brexit. Many companies are using both as an excuse and we need to see through that and not get into a red v blue, leave v stay debate, you could have a vote on it but I think you'll find that's already happened.

The rivers have been taking illegal dumpings of sewage for years and the EU hasn't prevented them, nor have the tories, labour or the liberal democrats. It's likely to get worse but the excuse that we don't have enough drivers to treat sewage is pretty paper thin, we shouldn't buy it and get distracted, it sounds like smoke screening to me.

I agree it is not red v blue, hence my point about 'every' government could make the EA a serious proposition for polluters.

However, we vote for the parties that do these things. We put them in power. They pump sh1t into our rivers. We sit by and watch, then vote them in again next time. It's on us.