Increase in fees is disgusting

I ambled down to the Post Office to renew my fishing licence, gave the info to the lady and we had our normal banter - then she asked me for the payment.

I am not tight-fisted but when she told me how much I nearly had a heart attack. As I am a pensioner I get reduced rate - last year I paid £12.50. I thought it would be about a pound extra this year but I was wrong. The Environment Agency had increased it to £16.75.

So it has, or will now, lose hundreds of anglers who will not, or indeed cannot, pay the disgusting rise. It is little wonder so many people fish without a licence.

I do not condone fishing without a proper permit, but high prices encourage it. We pay good money to angling shops for equipment and bait - then we get this on top.

We are being caught, like the fish we enjoy catching, looking after, and making sure they are in good condition, as we are always being asked to do by the agency, which then has the gall to add on whatever it likes.

We anglers put our fish back into the pools, they put our money into a bank, and give very little back. I hope more letters of protest are sent, but we will still get caught again next year.

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