Paul Boote

What? Some harrumping, forever going backwards into the terrifying future, Alan Clarke type? No, Peter ... though I have had a goodly number of such sorts 'on my case' in recent years...

Fooled again. I don't own a car. When I absolutely need one, I hire it (or get my mate Jeremy Clarkson to lend me one of his).

Old, New, ANYONE with sh*t for brains or a desire to put one over - I try to be even-handed...

NEVER. Actually I am a realistic OPTIMIST who is willing to kick serious ass to make things better. If that 'serious ass' belongs (as it usually does) to a privileged, selfish, destructive, couldn't care a fook, few - then, so be it!

WE all know about this. Tell a few people today who don't, maybe? http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,532...-105193,00.html We need to start caring about fish, or there won't be any left to eat The world's oceans are being plundered and nobody seems to be willing or able to stop the slaughter Max Hastings Monday October 31, 2005, Guardian Most of us like eating fish, but nobody wants to cuddle them. The consequence is that, while otters, seals, elephants, rhinos and even foxes have powerful political constituencies to fight for them, mankind is doing disastrous things at sea without anybody seeming to care much. Environmental organisations often damage their own causes by overstatement. I am among those who have criticised Greenpeace and its brethren for abusing statistics and indulging in some pretty wild scaremongering. But Greenpeace is absolutely right, in its report published last week, to highlight the scandal of some supermarkets - Asda is branded the worst offender - selling threatened fish species. The world's oceans are being plundered, and nobody seems willing or able to stop the slaughter.... [click the link above to read the rest of the article]

Never, ever, met a single soul of any of the people involved with the outfit trying to do something on the Wandle - http://www.jetsetclub.co.uk/index.htm - but, my word, over the past few years, on some FLAY (did I spell that right?) fishing forums, how a few of them believed that they knew (or wanted to know) me...

As I said. Long worn an earring, with the current one a present from a neck-turning, traffic-stopping (for all the right reasons), raven-haired, young Turkish woman (who might have been Sophia Loren's granddaughter) in the early 1990s. I used to worry some more traditional gamefishers, as you can imagine, but as I avoid them like the plague these days...

Do you mean the rather younger old geezer with dark-brown curly hair below his shoulders, and a gold earring in his left ear? If so, then you've got me...

I wish I was paid so handsomely to write stuff like this - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,...1848863,00.html From Jeremy Clarkson - lovable, larf-a-minute, archetypal Man Behaving Badly; man who couldn't care a monkey's; man who's too busy to care cos he's too busy running over everything... Gizzajob. PS - Nope, the link I supplied won't work. Here's the text of a piece by a man who in the past has been wheeled out in full fatuous mode when some of his fellow Cotswolds-dwellers haven't been having things quite their own way... The Sunday Times October 30, 2005 When cities burn, ban the beaver JEREMY CLARKSON The question of immigration reared its many-hued head again last week when rival ethnic gangs took to the streets of Birmingham and set fire to one another’s cars. The government’s reaction has been strange because it’s decided the problem is not who we’re letting into the country so much as what. Yup, it reckons that the biggest threat to public safety comes not from angry Muslims or Jamaican yardies. But from the beaver. It seems a wealthy chap from Gloucestershire decided one day that he’d reached a stage in life when he really ought to put something back into society. Presumably he thought about funding a cure for avian flu, or maybe putting up some swings and seesaws for the kiddies in his local park. But in the end he reckoned that the most useful thing he could do to improve all our lives was repopulate the UK with beavers. Had he visited Newcastle on a Saturday night he may have noticed that we’re well enough stocked already — and that, by the way, is the last genitalia reference you’re getting. But he didn’t. So he went to Bavaria, bought six, and now after a spell in quarantine they’re leaping about on his estate. And what’s wrong with that, you may be asking. Beavers were commonplace in Britain until the 12th century when everyone started turning them into hats. So why should it be any business of the government’s fearsome-sounding Defra division if someone wants to bring them back? I turned, as one does at a time like this, to the Daily Mail to see if beavers could in some way cause house prices to fall, or if perhaps they’d been involved in the death of Princess Diana. It seems not. The Mail couldn’t even come up with a link between beavers and breast cancer in middle-aged women, noting only that they have razor-sharp teeth. I therefore rang London Zoo and spoke to a girl there who just laughed when I asked if she had a beaver. Another girl, at the Natural History Museum, thought it would be a bad idea to bring them back and turned to a tree-huggers’ website for some reasons. But alas, the tree-huggers reckoned there were enough trees in Scotland alone to support a flock of beavers a thousand strong. Maybe, then, there was opposition to the reintroduction because beavers would eat all our moles or, heaven forbid, go around in packs hunting down Tony’s beloved Brer Fox. I never see a problem with this kind of thing. Everyone is running around waving their arms in the air because the grey squirrel has murdered its red brother. So what? How can the colour of a bushy-tailed rat you hardly ever see anyway make a jot of difference to anyone’s life? I even enjoy the way American mink are charging around in the undergrowth killing voles because a) I don’t care about voles very much and it is one in the eye for the animal rights loonies who released the big mink into the wild in the first place. It turns out, however, that beavers don’t eat voles or foxes, or even, more’s the pity, animal rights activists. They live on grass and trees. And since we’re only talking here about six of the little blighters, I really do think Britain has enough vegetation to keep them going. Even if they breed like Geordies. Which they don’t. Beavers have only three kids a year. What’s more, the beaver is cuter than a pig when it’s alive and even more useful when it’s dead. Yes, a porker can be used to make sausages and ham and bacon but you can’t wear a pig on your head when you go out. And you can’t use its glandular secretions to cure headaches. It’s true. If you eat a beaver’s brain it will blitz even the most savage hangover. I thought long and hard about the issues here and decided that the government wants to ban the beaver for the same reason it wants to ban everything else these days. Because some nitwit scientist had decided that it is responsible in some way for global warming. So I decided to telephone Defra, which really does sound like an Eastern Bloc security services acronym. The girl there said she had nothing against beavers at all but said you can’t just let people import animals willy-nilly and turn them loose in the countryside. Now I can see her point if I were asking about funnel-web spiders or wolves, but I’m fairly certain that the total number of people killed by beavers in the whole of human history is nought. Apparently, however, it’s not humans the government is worried about. It’s something called biodiversity. And to gauge a beaver’s impact on this, whatever it might be, experts will have to be hired and charged with the task of doing experiments. This is what happened before the great bustard was brought back to the plains of Salisbury, and before the northern pool frog was unleashed on East Anglia. It didn’t happen, however, when someone let a gaggle of wild boar loose and now look . . . apparently there are five or six hundred of them running around in Kent, frightening all the Polish lorry drivers. So there you are. You will go to work tomorrow and 40% of what you earn will be taken away by Mr Blair and given to someone in a parka and wellingtons so that he can find out if field mice are scared of beavers. Meanwhile, Birmingham burns.

Even Izaak isn't safe. I have excellent contacts on the flower-studded banks of the Other Side approaching the great old fella as you read this posting (Sunday: a good day - he won't be fishing...). You know? For a consultancy - "To keep you in milkmaids, Zak, old mate - er, good sir. And in the standard of bucolic bliss to which you've become accustomed and a lot of people only partially alive in the Real World now want and are willing to pay very good money for... No need to return to the hellhole we have made of things, of course ... merely put your name to a range of excellent, top-end products... Do please think about it, sir..."

http://www.wildtrout.org/WTT/support/donat...p?pic=trout.jpg Hmm... Same people who 'MIGHT' just own that bankside jacuzzi in Tierra del Fuego I mentioned earlier... "Are you feeling lucky / nervous, punk?" If I was a local angler and knew of any decent, freely available fishing left down there, I'd be feeling worried...

"where did it all go wrong" That, argyll, is what a few much-put-upon folk - folk we are often asked to admire and respect, even aspire to becoming - say to one other as they sit in a riverside jaccuzzi in far-off Tierra del Fuego, agonizing over how they are going to fit in Cuba, then the Kola in Russia ("One can hardly go for a week ... and a fortnight is just a rush..."), then a few of the "better" rivers in Iceland, then the Sustut in B.C. Canada (for huge, late-summer / early autumn steelhead) this year. "So much fishing; so much money, such little time to spend it..."

Farlow's believed themselves to be second only to Hardy's (never - first equal) in the gamefishing-tackle manufacturing and retailing biz in the old days. Their gear wasn't in the same league, generally, though - less-well engineered and a tad clunky. C. Farlow & Co, London - for a long time of some smart West End street, of Pall Mall more latterly. The name is still around today, after a fashion. Big, new, fancy shop in Pall Mall that sells a lot of country clothing, if you want to risk the Underground.

So you think I'm obsessing a bit too much about all of this? I probably am. But not half as much as SOME people. Catch the article in this other-forum thread of mine from August - http://flyforums.proboards53.com/index.cgi...read=1124356565 Note the utterly sane final comment by Callum Rankine of the World Wide Fund for Nature, about Africa. Would-be New Generation Big Game Shootists' stuff, a lot of this stuff, I rather reckon.

Which brings us back to an article I linked way up near the very start of this thread (see text below). Quite a few really cynical people believe now that all this Reintroduction Stuff is just some desperate landowners' ruse to thwart the Right to Roam legislation and the bobble-hatted ramblers and hikers whom they loathe with a passion, but then they're just cynics, aren't they...? Wild herds may stampede across Britain under plan for huge reserves John Vidal, environment editor Thursday October 27, 2005 Guardian About 800,000 hectares of Britain have been identified as places where traditional farming could be replaced over time by wilderness nature reserves, possibly inhabited by vanished species such as elk, moose, beaver and wild horse. The radical vision of developing large-scale conservation areas and linking them via ecological corridors to allow herds of animals to roam across hundreds of miles is proposed as a relatively inexpensive way to revitalise the large areas expected to become uneconomic to farm during the next 15 years as European subsidies are progressively cut. The proposals, drawn up by a group with extensive experience of such projects, have been presented to the Treasury and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. They are also being taken seriously by many big wildlife groups and landowners. The National Trust, the Forestry Commission, the WWF and the RSPB are said to be enthusiastic about the scale of the areas envisaged. The areas tentatively put forward by the Wilderness Foundation for "re-wilding" are mainly in upland areas with farms that are only marginally economic. They include the isles of Arran and Harris, the central Cairngorms, Glen Affric and the Knoydart peninsula in Scotland, and the Brecon Beacons, Elan Valley, Plynlimon and Snowdonia in Wales. In England, parts of the Lake District, the North York Moors and the Pennines are proposed, along with wetland areas such as the Essex marshes and the Fenlands. "Large natural habitat areas offer significant alternative livelihoods to landholders and local communities," said Toby Ayckroyd of the Wilderness Foundation, which has also discussed the proposals with the government nature adviser English Nature, and its counterparts in Wales and Scotland. "A series of large interlinked natural wild lands is now entirely practical in Britain. Many large areas of farmland will become uneconomic for agricultural production over the next 20 years." The charity, which has worked with the world's largest conservation groups to develop wilderness areas in South Africa and elsewhere, says there is growing public and official interest in the economic value of wild places and the social benefits which they can generate. Some of the proposals are based on the experience gained in South Africa. "We do not envisage that anyone would have to be moved," Mr Ayckroyd said. "There would be core areas where people would not be encouraged to go, as well as inner and outer buffer zones. But there would be no restrictions put on access." The charity believes there is great potential for communities to earn money from international ecotourism. "If Britain is seen to be re-establishing wild places, and moreover for economic as well as conservation reasons, then rich country proposals for preservation of diminishing habitat and vanishing species in the third world would carry significantly more credibility," Mr Ayckroyd said. The idea of large-scale conservation areas was this week backed by several organisations. "It's imperative to think big. We certainly agree with the idea of thinking on the large scale, though we do not see herds of bison roaming around Britain," says Catherine Huirn, the nature conservation adviser to the National Trust, which is allowing a valley in Ennerdale, Cumbria, to revert to a wild state and is also working on large-scale ecological restoration projects in Snowdonia and the Fens with others. One of the models for future British wilderness areas is Oostvaardersplassen, 30 miles from Amsterdam in Holland, where about 5,600 hectares (14,000 acres) of valuable, reclaimed land has been turned with government assistance into Europe's largest conservation experiment. An area once slated for industrial development is now roamed by more than 1,600 deer, as well as primitive descendants of Europe's original wild horse and ancient cattle. Bridges have been built over roads to allow animals to cover large distances, and there have been few objections because local communities have been involved at all stages. It is is part of a bigger plan to link large natural habitat areas throughout the Netherlands and into neighbouring Germany and Belgium. The Dutch propose to eventually turn 17% of the country into wild lands. "UK veterinary laws and other issues might proscribe exact duplication. But The overall challenge to the UK is clear," Mr Ayckroyd said yesterday. "Can our own nature wildlife and conservation groups in partnership with government and a broad array of community, social and business interests rise to the occasion and usher in an era of landscape scale natural habitat restoration?" Return of the natives The most likely introductions to Britain over the next 20 years are: Wild horses They roamed Britain before the Romans. There are now three groups of primitive Konig ponies in Wicken Fen, Suffolk Aurochs Ancient cattle which may have survived in northern Britain until the 10th century, but were last recorded in Europe in 1627 Elk Very large deer thought to have died out in Britain around AD1300 Beaver The Scottish executive recently turned down proposals to reintroduce beavers but they are now in 26 European countries, and the Welsh are believed to be keen to introduce them Reindeer Died out in Britain in the 12th century, but herds from Sweden were introduced in the 1950s. Three exist in captivity and could easily adapt to large areas of Scotland and Wales Lynx were still present in Britain 1500 years ago most likely because of deforestation and hunting The least likely animals to be officially introduced in Britain are: The wolf Even though the last wolf in Britain was said to have been killed in 1743, the animal still has the power to scare people. However, wolves live happily close to Berlin and Rome and there is little evidence that they attack people The European brown bear was thought to have died out in Britain by the 10th century. They still live in eastern Europe and they were reintroduced to the Pyrenees but it is unlikely they would be popular roaming around upland Britain: they have a reputation for being aggressive

I just hope that the "large fence" mentioned in the Times article pasted below is a VERY DEEP fence; the height of the thing is immaterial. But then the "conservationist" involved can afford excellent lawyers... The Times October 28, 2005 Wild beavers may be returned to enclosure A millionaire conservationist who re-introduced beavers to the British countryside yesterday may have to put them back into captivity. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) called in the police to investigate the release of six Eurasian beavers, into the Lower Mill Estate at Cotswold Water Park in Gloucestershire. The animals have not run wild in Britain for 500 years. Defra said last night that Jeremy Paxton, the owner of the 550-acre nature reserve and housing development, had the right paperwork to own the beavers but was not authorised to release them after their six months in quarantine in Devon. A spokeswoman said that there was a danger of the animals breaking out from their enclosure, which is protected by electric fences and CCTV, and escaping into the wild and that “it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act to release or allow to escape into the wild any animal which is of a kind which is not normally resident in and is not a regular visitor to Great Britain in a wild state”. The maximum penalty is two years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Mr Paxton’s team said the project was entirely above board. A spokesman, Derek Gow, said: “If Defra want to challenge this then they can. The beavers are in a big enclosure which is protected by a large fence. We are confident that what we have done is perfectly legal.”

I agree. The RSPCA ceased to get any of my money (plus that of several long-time RSPCA-member friends of mine) several years ago. When Ballard goes and the outfit ceases to be just another haven for sad, diasaffected, self-loathing, people-hating PETA clones, then (as happened with a certain angling body not long ago) my hand might reach for my wallet once for more.

I find it very sad that such a fine organization as the RSPCA has been turned into a home for cranks and mere gullible garglers of the water from the Fountain of Truth in recent years. The sooner that the RSPCA dispenses with the services of its current front-person, the eccentric to say the very least Jackie Ballard, and gets back to what it once did so well the better.

Reply from 'wildfisher' (his website - http://www.wild-fishing-scotland.co.uk/ ) yesterday on the fly fishing forum: "One reason the Scottish Executive gave for not reintroducing them in Scotland was that it is known from introductions elsewhere that the population quickly ‘explodes’ and that under EU protected species rules they would not be allowed to cull any over population in any given area." Oh I'd love to see a few beavers about Britain again, sportsman, so long as they behave themselves...

Don't get me wrong about animals in general, as I am big-time conservationist and member of all sorts of worthy Save the World / Make Britain Forested and Wild Again type charities. Big supporter of our otter, too, an animal we managed to largely kill off in the '50s to '70s of the last century with DDT etc. But beavers...? One part of me says: "Bring 'em on", whilst another murmurs "They are creatures of a much-earlier, much-wilder, far-less-populated Britain ... creatures, too, who ACTIVELY SHAPE THE ENVIRONMENTS in which they live... Fine maybe in some far-off, inaccessible river-valleys, but what will beavers get up to on less-wild waters if they really establish themselves in the years to come ... how will these waterways be affected? I am all for 'Wild' (on my extensive worldwide travels I have seen more 'Real Wild' than most people), but beavers, in some possible future, ploughing up the Broads, the Fens, chalkstream country etc...?" I reckon that some people, now, in their enthusiam to restore a more ecologically rich past to our far less rich present, might be leaping before they have had a long hard look at the possible outcomes of their actions.

Exactly. Book now for "Coypu Revisited".

Yes, Budgie. The last ones were extirpated from Scots and Welsh waters within the last 400 to 600 years. The Welsh, in their ancient legends, have a monster named the "afanc", which did very unpleasant things to (like snacking on) innocent folk passing certain bodies of water. Afanc, in modern Welsh today, I believe, means beaver.

You would think so, but, in reality, both US and European beavers, especially if lacking numbers of suitable trees, build the most intricate networks of LARGE-bore, bankside (extending MANY yards back from the water) tunnels. Just watch 'your swims' and lies for migratory fish cave / fall in - I have.

Newt, You are used to these critters in their home-range - that is, your own backyard. However, what they can get up to when introduced or re-introduced in other countries / territories is quite another matter. For my part, I have seen - over the course of several years - just what escaped, initially farmed for the fur trade, U.S. / Canadian beaver have done to formerly pristine, formerly simply fabulous, riverine and forest habitats in southern Argentina: a result that is not merely amazing, but downright SCARY - a total ecological foul-up. Hence my qualms about reintroducing creatures that we lost over here several hundred years ago. Most animals are just fine and dandy in their countries of origin (given sufficient space and a healthy environment), but some, like certain foreign wines, just don't travel well.

And yet he is one of Britain's best younger casters with a fly rod. Oh! You don't think that ... do you...?