20,000 polled on the closed season

Total of 20,000 rod licence-holders have been picked at random to take part in a survey on the river closed season.

The study, which was recently released by the Environment Agency, urges those chosen to submit their opinions via an email link so that the authority can gain a tighter understanding of how anglers feel about the potential closed season reform.

However, with 1,191,142 rod licences sold in the 2016/2017 season, some anglers are doubtful whether ‘only’ 20,000 responses will provide a true reflection of how the nation as a whole feels about the situation.

One man who wants the survey to reach a wider audience is river maestro and Angling Times columnist Dave Harrell, who wants to see the closed season scrapped. 

He told us: “I’m disappointed for the majority, and as a member of the trade I haven’t got a vote either!

“I think it’s great what they’re doing, but having worked closely with the EA and Angling Trust, I am a little disappointed it’s being carried out in this way. As far as I know, the EA has around 780,000 contacts on its database – it would have been the perfect opportunity to utilise all those people and assess the situation. 

“My concern is that the email could go out to 19,000 carp anglers who don’t go near a river – how is that an accurate survey? 

“I don’t know why the EA has done it like this. It’s disappointing, as I know a lot of anglers who want to be involved. 

“The EA does want the public’s opinion, but it’s a strange way of going about it – I’d have liked to have seen it done on a larger scale.

“That said, I think the way they’ve done it is good. I’ve seen the layout and it’s a simple system – you simply click the link in the email and it takes you straight to the survey form which asks you a few questions.”