Does the Government care about our fisheries?

In 1993 the Environment Agency received about £14 million Grant in Aid (GiA) from the Government, to support their responsibilities for fisheries work.

Today they receive less than £10 million to support that work and the workload and Agency responsibility has been increased in the intervening years by Government.

Coarse and game anglers contribute more than £18 million a year, through rod license fees, to the Agency and we see an annual increase in those dues. However Government feels that it can continue to cut GiA whilst charging anglers more and more.

This is not a plea to reduce licence fees. It is a demand that, having enjoyed headlines based around their commitment to angling, the present Government should demonstrate their commitment to healthy fisheries by bringing GiA back to the levels previously seen as necessary to fulfil the Environment Agency obligations to enhance and improve our fisheries and to meet our obligations under the Water Framework Directive.

Defra has, only this year, announced further cuts in GiA for fisheries work. The Agency is overstretched and presently incapable of policing our fisheries or their own bylaws because of lack of money from the Chancellor.

Anglers pay their bit. It is time this Government realised that all of society benefits from healthy waterways and started to fund the Agency adequately.

If the £14 million in 1993 was re-valued at today’s prices the Government would be giving the Agency nearly £19 million a year. Instead it delivers half of that!

Is this the mark of a Government which really cares for angling and fisheries?