Greg, the antis exist under differing organisations. The most prominentused to be theLeague Against Cruel Sports but some of the ultra militant organisations like the Animal Liberation Front and PETA are at the fore and currently concentrating on attacking animal experimentation. They are vicious, unprincipalled andwant us allto be veggies (no thank you - anglers fart enough as it is). These groups are involved (proven in court) in activities so serious that they are on the radar of Special Branch and other internal security agencies. The main activity against angling was in the early 80s when protesters tried to disrupt some of the big matches, particularly in the east of the country on the Nene, Welland, and Witham. The trouble was, they came up against steel workers and miners who took a dim view of their sport being disrupted and acted accordingly. It was found at this time that, sadly, some of the protesters were able to swim.
You are also correct, Greg, in that angling has an underpinning of millions of votes. It would take a gutsy government to attempt any ban. Many high profile MPs are hanging on to marginal seats by a thread and the millions (let's be honest, it IS millions) of potentially lost votes scares the hell out of them. For some, even the breath of a ban would be political suicide - and they know it.
Phillip, you are correct. Many urban waterways, particularly canals in the Midlands, were cleared up, cleaned out and brought back on line as fishing venues, monitored and cherished by local angling clubs. Wildlife thrived, fishing thrived and people could walk their dogs and kids along these, now scenic,banks. Sadly, society has moved on and the places are generally full of dogshit, syringes and alchies. Shopping trolleys and empty tins of Stella and Tenants Special Brew are more evident than anglers. If only the government was aware of the price of Stella, it would sharply increase the value of benefits for some of these worthless people who choose to live an equally worthless parasitic life relying on the working man to pay his taxes so they can indulge themselves in the drug infested, alcohol haze they call life. Sermon over.