River Action pledges its support for The Angling Trust’s Anglers Against Pollution campaign…

At River Action we urge our supporters and friends to sign the Angling Trust’s Petition here as part of our unequivocal endorsement of the Anglers Against Pollution campaign.

It is estimated that freshwater anglers contribute an estimated £1.5 billion annually to the English economy, supporting up to 27,000 full-time equivalent jobs. A clean environment and un-polluted waters are essential for anglers. However, the UK’s waterways are in a sorry state, which is having a direct impact on the sport, with many anglers reporting significant environmental deterioration and devastating fish declines from pollution.

River pollution occurrences can obliterate fish stocks and remediation efforts to restore rivers can often take many years. Here are just a few examples of the horrific regular instances of this happening:

Wales Online, September 2020: Thousands of fish wiped out by pollution that has devastated River Llynfi

Devon Live, May 2020: Hundreds of fish killed in major pollution incident in East Devon

Wales Online, September 2019: The disgusting scale of man made pollution killing Wales’ rivers

Most alarmingly, many serious pollution incidents are not being adequately investigated or prosecuted. In February, the Guardian reported that the Environment Agency has documented 243 violations of the ‘farming rules for water’ since they came into effect in April 2018, however none of these violations have been prosecuted or fined.

The Angling Trust has been campaigning for cleaner waterways since 1948. The organisation has been doing essential work to raise awareness as to why clean rivers are so important. Through its campaign, Anglers Against Pollution, it seeks to give anglers a voice in the fight for a better future for our environment by holding the Government to account for its promises, its actions and its responsibilities.

“Avoidable pollution from careless agricultural practices or sewage discharges is damaging every river in the UK. Anglers are often the first to witness its devastating effects. Through the Anglers Against Pollution campaign The Angling Trust has launched a brilliant initiative to hold government to account on this critical issue. We look forward to working closely with them in this war to save our rivers” said River Action’s Chairman, Charles Watson.

River Action launched in February 2021 to apply direct pressure on the food industry and other polluters to take responsibility for the environmental integrity of their industrial processes and that of their various supply chains. Partnership and collaboration are essential to achieving climate and environmental targets. Please get in touch if you or your organisation would like to partner with us in our work to save the UK’s rivers.