Private Prosecution For Pollution

Well done that man for standing up for what he believes in, but why the hell didn't the EA prosecute?
The EA rarely prosecute the water boards, do they still feel some affiliation towards them?

A previous news thread back in October had a statement from the EA which reads
"Pollution is still being treated as an acceptable risk by too many businesses in England and Wales, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency said today. A culture change is needed across management, Barbara Young said, with zero tolerance for pollution replacing apathy and acceptance of poor environmental performance."

Zero tolerance?
Perhaps we should have zero tolerance towards these people whos salaries we pay and who do not perform either their prescribed duties nor the smart sound bites they throw out occasionally to attempt to appease us.

Have you looked at the EA site at all recently rik??????

click on the news section and see how many cases they have sucsessfully prosecuted in the last month alone.

i have just had a quick glance and i found there were 2 water companies fined nearly the maximum fine for pollution offences in Feb alone.

then look at all the other prosecutions on there site as well.

I hate it when people who should know better knock the EA for the work they do.

instead of sitting at your pc critising them spend an hour or even more looking at there site one evening and post somthing constructive.

they are working on reduced budgets like many companies today, and cant get everything right, but they are trying.

critisisum from bulitin boards dosnt help moral when it is not justifide.

this is just my personal opinion.
my club has had a lot of work done by the EA in the last 5 years at no cost to us, and i hate it when i see people knocking them.

there news section is updated daily

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/?lang=_e

I'm sorry Dave, but I have a right to knock the EA when they don't think it's worth prosecuting someone, when clearly it was worth it, because the man won the case.

If they make a statement saying zero tolerance, then what does that mean?
Obviously not what I think it means, or they would have prosecuted this water company.

Perhaps the EA know who to help and who not to purely on a publicity basis?......there are many sewage discharges that are deemed to be acceptable,but nought done...and there are many that go unoticed, i'm not convinced that "accidents" aren't given the old blind eye treatment, there are undoubtably people within the EA who are up for the job....but i bet they are gagged when need be!.......i think it's all called spin!....... there is in my opinion still many problems to come with regard to water quality in rivers.
Rik....nice face lift!.....you have really gone up in the world since your promotion, that must have cost!!

If the clubs and assocations made them selves responsible for testing their own waters with kits supplied by the EA problems would be discovered a lot sooner and any short comings in the EA system of doing things would be highlighted and sorted out to every ones advantage. Or is this suggestion far too simple to work.
Or failing this we could get PETA to do it all with the millions stashed away in their bank accounts,after all they are the guardians of the countryside, but Isuppose their far too busy rioing.

Rik, you are spot on. When I heard the news on radio I felt like trying to track him down to say well done.

The problem we have, which is endemic within this country on most things, is that we (or rather "politicians") are too scared to take a hard line on anything. It is the same with behavoir in school, drugs, anti-social behavoir etc etc.

Graham, why not try and track this man down, send him a Fishingmagic hat and see if he can pen a short article about his battle. Something positive to shout about and to let people know we care about fish welfare.

Nuff said.......

My local stretch of the river cray was polluted a few yrs ago,masive fish,plant and invertebrate deaths resulted.
The EA were quick to react and recoverd costs and restocked,but not to the levels
prior.
The river is now fishing well,and very healthy,but as to the other form of polution
such as rubble,litter and 21 dumped/burnt out cars in a 1/4 mile stretch nothing is done.
I know the EA are over stretched,freeley offer advice or answers on the phone,letter and e mail,but it sadens m,e to see EA vehicals and local council parks vehicals
drive along the track along side the river
and yet nothing is done.

Ive mentioned to some groups that provide envirnmental works/management in our area
about the problems and my intentions to sort things out by forming a ,Angling, nature and conservation group. but they say it isnt needed for this area.
One year on and nothing done and things have got worse,So im going ahead anyway to form this local group.

Good luck Ashe.

"My local stretch of the river cray was polluted a few yrs ago,masive fish,plant and invertebrate deaths resulted."

Too late now Ashe, you'll never get the carp out once they are in.

(lights the blue touchpaper and p*sses off for Easter - bye lads)

The carp perished,no carp have been stocked unless someone put a few in off their own back.
Ive also noticed a lack of bream since the restock,plenty of chub,roach rudd and perch.

Figure this one out,

EA cant deal with a fly tipping problem and burnt cars on a river and in the river.
Local council cant afford to clear it up,or prosicute offenders.

Also they are orderd to remove the gates that prevented vehical access,as it is a public right of way.
Apart from anglers ,dog walkers and cyclist`s no vehicals had access,now only dumpers and car thiefs.

The land next to the track/river bank is private,no fence and easy access from the main road,infact you would think the river belonged to this private land.

The council and EA are aware of the situation but both are powerless to deal with it,the land owner has not acted on requests from the council.

People still fish this stretch of river,and gues what? no angling related litter.