I was disappointed, this week, to hear a high profile industry figure questioning the need for rules on fisheries … before (with barely a breath drawn), acknowledging the importance of good carp care (“obviously”).
His contention, I guess – like countless others’ before – is that we should be able to rely on the common sense of the British angling public. And I agree. We should. But sadly: we can’t.
Indeed, at ‘sparrows’ this very morning, I was forced to suggest to an angler that, maybe, fishing to snags isn’t the best idea when you’re 40 yards from your rods. Using slack lines. Whilst asleep. In a cabin. With the door shut.
Now, contrary to popular belief, I‘m inclined more to diplomacy than dictatorship; I’d much rather leave guests to their own devices; to trust that their rigs will be safe, and they’ll fish, and handle fish, sensibly. But the number of ‘trailers’ we’ve had to disentangle, and fowl we’ve had either to cut free or ‘dispatch’ speaks to the contrary.
And you know what? I get it. If you haven’t worked at, on or for a fishery, you may be genuinely oblivious to the consequences, and costs, of your actions. But with carp topping £4,000 apiece inhabiting our lakes… and a loyal customer base of anglers, couples and families returning to our lakes several times a year … we (and our bank manager) are not.
Hence, the need for, really quite specific, rules.
Rules that … preclude anglers from ‘filling it in’ with third rate preserved bait – potentially leading to ammonia spikes, oxygen crashes and fish kills.
Rules that … eliminate the use of death rigs; swivels linking leadcore to mainlines, for example (yes, really; and surprisingly often).
Rules that… ensure anglers never ‘pull for a break’ in the case of snagged fish; but instead either use one of the *two* provided boats, or call us for help.
Rules that … mandate the use only of our nets and mats – to eliminate the spread of SVC, KHV and the like.
Rules that … preclude visitors from arriving unannounced, and wandering the site unaccompanied; helping themselves to absent anglers’ Delkims along the way.
Rules that … prohibit guests from leaving rubbish in their swims. Rules that … restrict the use of floating baits (having witnessed catch-at-all-costs anglers casting floating crust among flocks of Muscovy ducks).
All this stuff happens. Regularly. And rules are ‘the tools’ that enable us to warn, eject and ban repeat offenders.
They’re kind of like, well, laws; they exist for very particular reasons; and if you break them, there are consequences. Of course, it would be great to do away with rules altogether; God knows, it would make our lives a whole lot less stressful. But in the interests of the fish, wildlife, our valued customers and the environment, it really can’t be done. Because, like it or not, there exists a minority of anglers who really *can’t* be trusted.
Given this, it would have been helpful if this particular influencer had paused for just a second, before trading commonsense for populist rhetoric; and advocating to the contrary.
