River Itchen Hydropower Scheme Withdrawn

[Peter Jacobs]

Notwithstanding the falling out between Paul and the S&TA; on this topic, the Withdrawal of the Itchen Hydropower Sceme, the S&TA have had an outstanding success.

As such that success should not be allowed to be taken off topic by whatsoever means.

I believe that there are some 5,000 projected sites for these Hydro Schemes and hopefully both the Angling Trust and the S & T A will be there fighting our corner for us.

[Paul Boote]

Not so much about any past falling-out, Peter, but about far important things like ethos and ethics, attitude and outlook, connection with modern reality etc...

[amushroom]

surely with so many schemes proposed countrywide, the S&TA success, it aint unreasonable to think, that if the ATr and S&TA joined forces on this issue, we'd all be better for it

[Paul Boote]

You would hope so. However, the lyrics of a number in the old musical "Oklahoma" ring in my ears still (after being plagued by them as a small child by an aunt and uncle with a big new radiogram somewhere in Lincolnshire), knowing as I do that, even now, for many a gamefisher, the only good coarse fish (or coarse fisher, for that matter) is a disappeared / absent / invisible one...

The farmer and the cowman should be friends.
Oh, the farmer and the cowman should be friends.
One man likes to push a plough, the other likes to chase a cow,
But that's no reason why they cain't be friends.

Territory folks should stick together,
Territory folks should all be pals.
Cowboys dance with farmer's daughters,
Farmers dance with the ranchers' gals.


I tried, I really tried, for a good many years, to bridge the fishy divide, being someone who not only did both types of fishing - coarse and fly - but who also could do them pretty well, who could talk about them in an enlightening, entertaining manner, without prejudice or snobbery...

Best to leave it to the new breed of all things to all men, grinning Pros in the weeklies, I suppose [have a wink smilicon on me].

[amushroom]

wot is it within this sport of angling that keeps us disjointed, different perspectives entrenched by past prejudice, the inability to do the right thing because of a poor relationship previously, who knows
but we all know wot is right, and that is for the ATr and S&TA to mount a combined response to the hydropower threat, and while they're at it, include the countries major polluters, the water companies
wot we've got, and wot we've had, are sticking plasters and sudocream, applied by a multitude of general practioners
a generation of anglers have watched gene pool after gene pool, erased from river after river, and all they could muster was a paltry fine, insufficient to deter repeat offences
notwithstanding killing the fish, they now wanna stop'em moving'n'spawning
and wot we gonna do about it ?, naff all of any substance if the past is anything to go by
pollution and hydropower threats, can unite anglers, but if the anglings illuminari are unable to unite, even for these threats, wot can you expext from the normal angler
I beg, implore, plead, get down on one knee, please please give angling wot it deserves, a fully comprehensive protection of our aquatic environments

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Originally Posted by Peter Jacobs

the S&TA have had an outstanding success.

Originally Posted by amushroom

any chance the clever ones at S & TA can loan their skills to the ATr

You might find, Jim, that even on this, it was the other way around. Yep, Mr Butterworth of the Angling Trust provided the research and all the objections, but the S&TA took all the credit.

[john m h]

I met your friend George Gerring (from Thames EA) last night, Jeff.
He was fronting the Lower Wear Project (part of the Water Framework Directive, and how to improve the river for all)
There was a guy there who was pushing for hydro power schemes on the river - all green and will save the planet etc etc. He quietly disappeared after I explained of how 'green' they really are and what a negative impact they have on the rivers. Also a noticeable absence at the meeting of representatives the game clubs and S&TA

As for the number of projected hydro schemes, according the ATr figures there are no fewer than 26000, and those are the ones the EA have admitted to. Insiders at Durham County Council plannig dept tell me there are three planned/being sought for the Wear within Durham City which the EA deny any knowledge of.

[amushroom]

nice one for the info jeff, but more importantly, a big up to alan butterworth

strange old world when those who do the work, are outshone by those who benefit, meaning its bang out of order the S&TA giving it the large one, without fairly acknowledging the help from the ATr
I hope the ATr received big boys wages for their assistance, or perhaps the assistance was a charitable donation

john m h, good on ya for keeping at 'em fella, I owe you a huge debt for helping myself with the forming of the TAC, something I can never repay
were there any other anglers present, or reps from the ATr, no game fisher reps speaks volumes, as does a hydropower idiot attending
it seems there is no shortage of enthusisim or finance, for the multitudes of hydropower promotees, does anyone know where this countrywide funding is coming from, dealing with short sighted gene pool destroyers on the ground is one thing, embarassing the financiers another, me I'd like to being both

[john m h]

Hi Jim, I was there as Sec of the ATr NE Freshwater Forum. George G from the EA is an angler, and a director of the Wear Rivers Trust, who is also a member of the PAC, gave his personal view of Hydro power. Sadly no other angling bodies were represented, but in fairness I was only notified a few days prior to the meeting.

Most of the other interested groups were either Durham Uni youngsters and Durham Wildlife Trust, who all seemed to be nice people, but didn't really have much of a grasp on real life. At times it was like being at the production of a Blue Peter programme. Oh, we also had the rowers and canoeists

I'll never learn though, somehow I seem to have got landed with the job of building the new groups web site.

[Paul Boote]

Originally Posted by john m h

At times it was like being at the production of a Blue Peter programme.

That's a good one, John.