"methinks though you speak from a generous lack of knowledge"
Yes, and the point is?
Is ignorance a crime? No , but the acceptance of ignorance is! I will ask questions about subjects I do not understand or interest me, the original question was "can the EA be trusted with keeping the best interests of the sport in mind when they have commercial interests", not what types of good work they do within the sport of angling in general, that is not the question I put forward. The original question relates to the granting of s30 consents and the volume of carp that are being allowed to be stocked, accepted the EA at its farms may not rear carp but many other fish farms do, and these fish are being stocked with EA consent, are these fish a positive or a negative influence on the environment, Imbalance has to be a negative and therefore "in part" of its duties the EA is falling short.
Does the EA have the long term well being of fish at heart? I would argue not aways, the example of a commercial being stocked with 10,000 carp is all well and good but what if the ownwer wants to stock 2,500 barbel as well? Is it fair to allow the stocking of a fish purely on the whim of a fishery owner who only see's the stocking in relation to cash return.
Did the EA grant permission to stock the barbel into still waters? Yes, therefore the EA has stocked barbel into stillwaters.
Should the EA refuse permission of s30 consents in relation to still water barbel or other species that could be argued as noxious?, damn right they should!!
I do not want to fight the EA but I will ask awkward questions. At no point have I questioned the fantastic job they are doing on many hundreds of projects nationwide, the EA do a fantastic job, but could it be done better or should we simply accept decisions made by authoity without question. It reminds me of a bloke I saw on t.v a few years ago, intelligent professional who comanded the respect of the comunity and his peers, who's word was law and who's desisons were accepted without question. No body questioned this icon of authority in his work, he was doing a good job and worked tirelessly with the interests of the comunity always at his heart, bloody hell what was his name, its on the tip of my tongue......?
Oh yes, thats it! Dr Harold Shipman.
Question Authority.