Ron,
The only reason I am breaking my sef-enforced 'no FM rule' is because you are in danger of talking as much KRAP as Tony Rocca!
"No wonder the roach fishing in some waters has deteriorated" - Ron, you know a lot better than that!
Firstly, take a good look at both Norway and Sweden where the Ide (Vederbuk) live in perfect harmony with; Roach, Dace, Chub, Carp, Tench, Crucians, Bleak and just about any other freshwater species you care to look at in both rivers and stillwaters. Mostly, in Scandinavia the Ide migrate into the brackish waters of the Skagerak t ofeed on the plentifull marine life there, once back in the rivers they reverte back into quite harmless fish that are no more carnivorous than a decent sized Chub.
"Ide are liked by the matchmen because they feed in the winter?"
Mr Rocca, you are so full of sh!te that you stink!
Have you ever caught an Ide?
Probably not as you seem to be so myopically focused on the Barbel that any other fish becomes bloody invisible.
Whether or not your carefully (un-dyslexic) comments are aimed at winding up the DVSG or not is a matter of conjecture, although not all that much!
Get a life or pi$$ of back to your over-coddled, binocular Barbel sites!
In short, don't go away mad, just please, go AWAY!
Matt, why on earth would you 'rather they were not swimming freely in this Country?"
The Ide (Vederbuk) is a fish that provides much-needed sport in our (seemingly) dying rivers, and any fish that might revive the proper sport of river fishing is quite welcome in my book.
Ye Gods, why Bother!