Symmetries do occur. The British election result, aided by the efforts of the Australian propagandist also responsible for returning the climate-change denier Morrison to power in his own country, has serious consequences for the UK environment. As much of the Australian coastal regions burn, the country’s PM has belatedly accepted the reality of heating climate, with record temperatures to rub it in. As I expected some years ago, it takes catastrophes to move minds, though even now some are too set in concrete to budge. More fool them, more devastating the consequences for us. Yet we have still to see whether Morrison translates his Damascene recognition into action, or continues digging coal.
Britain has its own incipient catastrophes though many people are unaware. Even most anglers fail to recognise the dangers. Fly fishermen on the chalk streams will know the problems of low rainfall and shrinking aquifers. Sea anglers know the parlous state of marine fish stocks; yet many are happy to ignore size and bag limits, preferring to blame trawlers, despite evidence that angling has an impact too. Many fishermen drive large four-wheel-drive trucks which are the most polluting vehicles of all. Fish pellets, made from sea fish, are now very popular as baits; even expensive meat is now used for bait, along with the traditional luncheon meat. All these have well publicised high environmental impacts but that does not stop anglers fishing with them. Fly anglers with enough money are fond of flying to exotic overseas destinations as far away as South America, impressing a huge carbon footprint on the planet. Even the Wild Trout Trust and Salmon & Trout Conservation encourage this through articles and auctions. The fly fishing periodicals also popularise these fishing fiestas; one author and organiser I spoke to, when I expressed reservations over long-haul flights, said, ‘Just go.’
Most anglers only worry about the environment in relation to cormorants and otters, which they see as environmental threats to be destroyed rather than what they really are — a demonstration of environmental improvement, or at least a cessation of man’s persecution. It is our destructive behaviour that is the threat to fishing and much else.
The new UK Government holds little promise for future environmental policies. Through its intent to abandon the strong EU environmental protections, along with food safety protocols, there is an immediate danger that decline in our waterways will gather speed. Given the political inclinations of so many fishermen, a great number will have voted for a government that will hurry the destruction of their own sport. What catastrophe might lead to anglers’ own Morrison moment? Now that so much fishing centres around muddy ponds with stocked carp, are there enough to see past the end of a pole? It may already be too late.
The Secret Angler 