NEWS EXCLUSIVE
In a no-nonsense, open letter to the sport, Rob Harris, chairman of award-winning Peterborough and District Angling Association, has issued a rallying cry to anglers. But why do we find unity so hard to achieve?
AS ANGLING enters dangerous, uncharted waters, it’s high time the sport pulled together to punch its weight. That’s the urgent message from Peterborough and District Angling Association (P&DAA) chairman, Rob Harris. In an open letter to the sport he pulls few punches in discussing angling’s pitiful record of division and apathy.
“Not one elephant, but a herd of them,” is how Rob described the many issues we face, whether that’s pollution, predation or invasive species. It’s easy for people to complain or single out personal gripes, he said, yet it’s not passion we lack, but togetherness.
“Angling is plagued by partisan and frankly selfish thinking,” he said. “We not only need to join up the problems but join up the audience! On that basis, we could do worse than take inspiration from the classic Beatles hit Come Together. And, as the song goes, there’s no better time than right now!”
MISSING TOGETHERNESS
At the heart of our disunity are two huge factors – public apathy and a disconnect with the sport’s governing body, the Angling Trust. Wherever you point the blame, though, the answers will never be found by individuals obsessed with single issues. Togetherness is the missing formula.
“The Angling Trust represents such a tiny proportion of its participants that it’s patently obvious why we struggle to effect real change,” said Rob.
“The numbers alone are terrifying. Based on EA licence figures, there are around a million anglers in this country. The Angling Trust’s tally of around 15,000 individual members therefore equates to only about 1.5 per cent of anglers. Let’s be clear here, I want to applaud the Trust’s ambition and enthusiasm. However this needs to manifest results before it’s too late.”
Could this be a vicious circle? The Trust lacks greater clout because it can’t get more anglers to join... anglers won’t join because they think the Trust lacks clout! Our sport’s main body has some great people working for it, but there is a disconnect with angling as a whole.
“Angling is totally under-represented,” continued Rob. “In reality this means it is underfunded and has to bow to better supported powers. We’resatisfied with scraps, and until that changes we’ll be at the kids’ table while the grown-ups talk serious business at dinner.”
BIGGER-PICTURE THINKING
Exactly how we bring together a sport as disparate as angling over so many
