I got this reply when I asked the validity of the poll and what use would be made of the results.
'Thank you for your considered question as to the value of the latest polling question on
www.anglerssay.com
The purpose of the initial question on any of our polls is to elicit a quantative response from anglers as regard to their views on a specific statement. This is traditionally, why such a question is set as a positive (should stay) rather than a negative (should go). Therefore, the purpose of our surveys such as our initial polls is to set a baseline from which to build a qualitative questionnaire.
When we have completed this type of survey the result will be enshrined into an Executive Summary. This summary will indicate the result by number of the vote and the age and geographical spread of the contributors. see previous report
I would hope that we will be asked by, in this case, the Environment Agency to produce some qualitative data from our initial poll which may mean that we would question a smaller sub-section of the initial vote in greater detail to establish their views.
If you wish to take part in more detailed questionnaires you will find this link on the members homepage.
Thank you for your input and I look forward to sending you the Executive Summary on our 'Live Bait Poll' toward the end of February.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions relating to
www.anglerssay.com
kind regards.'
My reaction to this is that the E.A./Government will not or have no desire to conduct polls of their own.In this day and age when we are all accountable in public office the E.A.need to be able to say 'we asked anglers and did this that or the other because this is what we were told they wanted,it must be true, we have these poll results'.
There is no way every angler could be polled , too many people too expensive.
Make no mistake Bob Clark is not doing this out of the goodness of his heart. Like Bob Wooster (MORI)he hopes to make a living from polling us.I am not against that so I intend to make absoloutley sure that I answer the poll questions as I do not wish to sit here moaning when the E.A makes a decision that I could have influenced.
I do not like the questions I have seen so far , some are plainly set to generate interest in the site,but they will only get better if we make enough noise. I do not think this idea is going away,there is money in it.