- Joined
- Nov 16, 2020
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 416
I see Simon Cooper is having one of his pops at the EA, notably its enforcement officers and their role in today’s world. He’s correct to do so. There are more flaws in the system than holes in a keepnet.
Their paramilitary uniform is barely what any of us want to see on the lakeside and embarrasses many of the officers I know. That is besides intimidating many anglers I have talked to.
Enforcement officers have limited powers, and Health and Safety strictures mean they are prevented from operating in many situations where real offences are taking place.
Police friends tell me they have frequently caught poachers and other offenders, and presented super-tight cases to the EA yet no action has been taken.
The vast majority of anglers, perhaps as high as 95%, buy licences, hence the sum of £24 million is achieved. Yet licence payers have no say in how this money is spent and, despite copious EA PR exercises, would disagree with many/most of the projects the EA dreams up.
The fact remains that the EA remains ludicrously weak in its policing of the water companies, and it is gross maltreatment of our rivers that it should be dealing with.
Joggers. Swimmers. Canoeists. Birders. Cyclists. A host of people enjoy our river banks and pay nothing for the privilege, yet we anglers do. If this continues to be the case, can we at least demand that money is spent as we would like it to be spent?
Cooper is right on this one. There simply have to be changes... and why not NOW!?
Their paramilitary uniform is barely what any of us want to see on the lakeside and embarrasses many of the officers I know. That is besides intimidating many anglers I have talked to.
Enforcement officers have limited powers, and Health and Safety strictures mean they are prevented from operating in many situations where real offences are taking place.
Police friends tell me they have frequently caught poachers and other offenders, and presented super-tight cases to the EA yet no action has been taken.
The vast majority of anglers, perhaps as high as 95%, buy licences, hence the sum of £24 million is achieved. Yet licence payers have no say in how this money is spent and, despite copious EA PR exercises, would disagree with many/most of the projects the EA dreams up.
The fact remains that the EA remains ludicrously weak in its policing of the water companies, and it is gross maltreatment of our rivers that it should be dealing with.
Joggers. Swimmers. Canoeists. Birders. Cyclists. A host of people enjoy our river banks and pay nothing for the privilege, yet we anglers do. If this continues to be the case, can we at least demand that money is spent as we would like it to be spent?
Cooper is right on this one. There simply have to be changes... and why not NOW!?
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