Without a closed season our predatory fish are scuppered

I CAN’T believe that anyone with half a brain can ever consider no closed season.

I live next to the River Bure on the Norfolk Broads and am witnessing large numbers of pike guys putting increased pressure on stocks already in decline.

More fish are being badly hooked and more predatory fish, including perch and zander, are being eaten. It’s not just fish either – lots of ducks have gone, even swans, but that’s another subject.

Keith Arthur talks about more silver fish than ever, but what he doesn’t see is fewer predators, in particular pike. There are other factors – increased pollution from boats, agriculture and industry.

No restocking policy of predatory fish cannot be good in the long term. I have lived in Canada, and many lakes and stretches of river there are overfished, but they have extensive restocking policies.

Abolishing the closed season would sound the death knell for predatory fish stocks.

They must be left alone. Nick Chastern, email