They are just called Crucian's EricEric Edwards wrote: ↑Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:20 amCrucian carp are struggling due to hybridisation with numerous carp species (mostly ornamental), char are unable to spawn in the silt brought about by eutrophication, whitefish species are suffering the same fate, barbel are not recruiting well in our rivers due to endocrine disruptors, flash flooding (due to excessive dredging) is washing millions of fry out to sea, algal blooms (sewage again) are clogging the gills of our beloved pike and causing mortality, the list goes on and on. Nobody says a word about most of this but show a picture of a pike lying on the grass or cast out a deadbait before 1st of October and world war 3 breaks out! I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that a lot of pikers are stupid!
You last comment about "I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that a lot of pikers are stupid!" is a bit of generalisation and harsh, I think it is more likely that the are not a significant or dedicated number of anglers who are passionate about the state of UK freshwater fishing. Most UK anglers seem to be happy with the commercial fisheries rather than a wild Irish loch, a shallow broad or a meandering river.
UK freshwater species do have to evolve to an increasing number of man made threats, but if UK anglers as a whole worked on projects to create habitat for fish to live, feed and bred then we have hope.