I initially shied away from the Angling Trust  due to some of its early personel but after they had booted them out I had hoped that the Trust would move forward and represent angling without being influenced. I subsequently joined as did RWGA and urged others to do so.  Now I am not so sure.
 Old liasons die hard however and much of the Trusts statement recently on canoe access and hatchery closure smacks to me of outside pressure from old friends who may well be influencing the  decisions made by Mark Lloyd at least in those two areas.
We now have staff from Angling Trust  visiting Poland to liase with Polish officials for advice on how to combat poaching by their countrymen here. Apparently Polish officials will share information on those who have transgressed in Poland and who come her and may commit similar offences in the UK.   A few more EA bailiffs on the ground might have helped the issue more don't you think..
With modern communications was it really necessary to visit Poland to obtain this information.
One of those official Dilip Sarkar has also apparently persuaded the Birmingham Anglers Association to lift their rule asking all members to kill the  Zander they catch on their club waters. Seems its OK now to protect an invasive species. God help us if the same people who stocked the Wye barbel go down that road with zander too.  Mind you coarse fish Passport owners may sell even more tickets for a new invasive species and no doubt WUF wouldn't blink an eyelid.
On the same note two sturgeon around 7lbs have been taken from the river Severn in recent weeks both around the 7lb mark.  Returned of course.

Talking of invasive species it appears now that in some rivers barbel are up to 80% dependant on high protien anglers baits, with a subsequent rise in weights of both barbel and chub.  Just how much bait some people will use is a report of a carp angler on a 72 hour session actually using 160 pints of maggots and 80 pints of casters.  Bet  the same guy begrudges paying for his rod licence every year.

A report too of rod rage in the Beacons. I doesn't say which reservoir but apparently Jamie Morris of Merthyr pleaded guilty at the local court to unlawful wounding and was given a 12 months jail sentence suspended for two years with £350 costs and 100 victim surcharge.. He apparently hit a 15year old teenager over the head with his tackle box.   An expensive day out for sure.

Above information from this weeks Angling Times.