14 DAY TRIAL // Canoing on Avon river can soon become an extreme sport, after the people who practice this activity have been threatened with shotguns by angry anglers, who claimed that they threaten their profit margins by scaring away the fish.
Fisherman announced them that they might want to consider choosing another location for their hobby, since they plan on installing razor wire across that water, to make sure that Hampshire Avon won't see any canoes ever again.
Many fisherman seem to think that this activity should be considered a form of illegal trespassing which might inflict irreparable damage to the river’s fragile ecological balance.
Anglers hope that the authorities will solve this matter by deciding in their favor. Otherwise, they plan on taking this matter into their own hands.
“The large, garish craft will also disturb the peace of the river and destroy anglers’ enjoyment of their sport by scaring fish away. We have contacted the police and asked them to arrest anyone participating in aggravated trespass,” affirmed a spokesman from the Angling Trust. The canoeists won't let such an initiative stand in their way, as they plan to organize a meeting to support their “right of way,” a move which is about to stimulate the dispute in this region.
The people who enjoy this sport say that Act of Parliament passed in 1664 works in their favor, granting them free access to the waters of this river. Nevertheless, legal matters don't seem to cope with the anglers' intention to use everything in their power to maintain profit margins.
“Sadly, canoeists and fishermen are never going to get along. The majority of canoeists are OK but you’ll always get the odd idiot who goes too close to someone fishing, “ declared Peter Hutchinson, vice-president of Ringwood and District Anglers’ Association.
Who's going to win? Probably the people with the biggest shotgun.