Environment Agency mailshot

[Skridlov]

I recently received a mailshot (dated July 2008) from the E.A I expect most of you did too. It was apparently intended to encourage me to go fishing... Hmm.

I was moved to send Daffyd Evans (Head of Fisheries; round here we call him "Daffyd the Fish") an email, as follows:

 

"The snap of the letter-box, the ripping open of the envelope, the shriek of incomprehension, the fury at wasted resources..."

Dear Daffyd - you don't mind if I call you Daffyd, I trust?

 

No wonder rod licences are relatively expensive given that you waste the money on insanely pointless mailshots. Of course the key lies in the phrase "have your debit/credit card handy...". Nonetheless, even by .gov.uk standards this is one of the most inane efforts I have ever seen.

 

If its intention was to encourage yet more people to go fishing, one might ask "why?" Given the acute level of angling pressure everywhere you'd be better off sending a mailshot encouraging more people to abandon the pastime. Of course that might impact negatively on your pension fund.

 

Alternatively, why not a campaign for teaching our "New European" "friends" not to kill and eat our fish - having already devastated their own stocks.

 

If these suggestions don't appeal, why not spend a little of it rectifying some of the damage already inflicted by blunders committed by the E.A.? Like restoring the Millstream at Arundel , West Sussex, to its former condition as a pristine, healthy tidal waterway bearing a population of wild Brown Trout, Dace etc. This waterway is now a nearly choked anaerobic ditch, devoid of life other than algae. The cause? The permanently closed sluice which you have fitted to prevent tidal pulses from entering from the River Arun, of which the Millstream is a tributary. Might I humbly suggest summary execution for the E. A. dimwit who made this decision?

 

Best wishes and good bureaucratising.

 

I now feel guilty that I may be responsible for the death of some poor swine. Never mind.

[Ken L]

I got the e-mail last week encouriging me to "take a friend fishing". No mention of getting them a licence though.

I'm still not over the mandatory kill order for Zander. OK, the genie should never have been let out of the bottle (it was of course the EA that did it) but the kill order was a pointless waste of scarce resources and they knew it.

As to the introduction of barbel into the severn.....don't get me started.

[ayjay]

I recently received a mailshot (dated July 2008) from the E.A I expect most of you did too. :

 

 

If its intention was to encourage yet more people to go fishing, one might ask "why?"

 

I'd be more interested in how (it will encourage more to go fishing) assuming it's been sent to the email address of licence holders.

Edited July 28, 2008 by ayjay

[peterpikefisher]

thank st peter that's the( Fisherman)

one of the big JC's side kicks ,

that i live in Scotland

we don't have a licence for rods as you poor lot do

we do have a permit system and or day tickets but no EA rod licences.

[Kappa]

Sorry long day bad mood, I've removed my post as it was not very constructive.

 

Rich

Edited July 28, 2008 by Richard Capper

[Pete Elleray]

Thank goodness for the EA; doing their best to keep our waters in shape so that the above miseries can enjoy their sport.

Edited July 28, 2008 by Pete Elleray

[Royboy]

I recently received a mailshot (dated July 2008) from the E.A I expect most of you did too. It was apparently intended to encourage me to go fishing... Hmm.

I was moved to send Daffyd Evans (Head of Fisheries; round here we call him "Daffyd the Fish") an email, as follows:

 

"The snap of the letter-box, the ripping open of the envelope, the shriek of incomprehension, the fury at wasted resources..."

Dear Daffyd - you don't mind if I call you Daffyd, I trust?

 

No wonder rod licences are relatively expensive given that you waste the money on insanely pointless mailshots. Of course the key lies in the phrase "have your debit/credit card handy...". Nonetheless, even by .gov.uk standards this is one of the most inane efforts I have ever seen.

 

If its intention was to encourage yet more people to go fishing, one might ask "why?" Given the acute level of angling pressure everywhere you'd be better off sending a mailshot encouraging more people to abandon the pastime. Of course that might impact negatively on your pension fund.

 

Alternatively, why not a campaign for teaching our "New European" "friends" not to kill and eat our fish - having already devastated their own stocks.

 

If these suggestions don't appeal, why not spend a little of it rectifying some of the damage already inflicted by blunders committed by the E.A.? Like restoring the Millstream at Arundel , West Sussex, to its former condition as a pristine, healthy tidal waterway bearing a population of wild Brown Trout, Dace etc. This waterway is now a nearly choked anaerobic ditch, devoid of life other than algae. The cause? The permanently closed sluice which you have fitted to prevent tidal pulses from entering from the River Arun, of which the Millstream is a tributary. Might I humbly suggest summary execution for the E. A. dimwit who made this decision?

 

Best wishes and good bureaucratising.

 

I now feel guilty that I may be responsible for the death of some poor swine. Never mind.

Edited July 29, 2008 by Royboy