Fishing For Complaints?

Cuts mean the Environment Agency (EA) is currently unable to do its job of effectively monitoring England's rivers. Those rivers are now in an awful state, due to a combination of the release of untreated sewage by privatised water companies and run-off from farming (like enormous chicken sheds). Both markedly increase water phosphate levels. This causes eutrophication with algal blooms. These blooms remove the water's oxygen, killing fish and the other living organisms on which they feed. Anglers (folk who fish those rivers) have become incensed about the obvious pollution levels. A number have consequently become 'citizen scientists', repeatedly monitoring English rivers (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/30/english-rivers-pollution-sewage-agriculture-uk). More than 640 anglers from 240 clubs have become 'citizen scientists'. They have monitored phosphate levels in more than 3800 water samples from 190 English rivers. 83% of the rivers failed phosphate standards on at least one test. In 44% of these waters, the average phosphate standard was failed (these are very 'sick' rivers). It's good to get this data from what has become the UK's largest water testing project. It's reprehensible that the EA isn't given the resources to do the work. How can the environment be conserved, when left to the devices of commerce without effective monitoring? Angling is the biggest participation sport in the UK. A lot of folk are getting very annoyed!