Griff wades into row with anglers
COMIC actor Griff Rhys Jones has sparked an unlikely and bitter row about one of Britain’s most genteel of past-times – fishing.
The TV star, a boating fan, made disparaging remarks about anglers and called for people to enter private land to enjoy Britain’s hidden waterways.
The 55-year-old said: “Here is an extraordinary corridor of natural beauty that you can experience if you can be bothered to jump in a canoe.
“Who do you disturb? The occasional fisherman. I’ve met a lot of fishermen and decided that we should disturb as many as possible.”
The actor was speaking out after filming a BBC documentary about Britain’s waterways in which he sailed along many of the forgotten rivers by canoe.
But Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said: “We take great exception to Griff Rhys Jones’s calls for canoeists to cause disturbance to anglers and to trespass.
“Anglers pay £3.5billion a year towards the British economy – £25million of that is on rod licences – and hundreds of pounds for the right to fish on certain rivers. They have a legal right to go fishing in peace.”
Canoeists and boat owners have access to less than a third of the 150,000 miles of British waterways. Rich landowners, farmers and private fishing clubs own the banks and parts of many rivers.
Griff Rhys Jones said: “After a year canoeing, swimming and surfing along our waterways for my new television series I have discovered that, in England and Wales at least, they no longer belong to the people.
“They belong to stockbrokers, to anglers and to farmers. You cannot pass without permission.”
But Mr Lloyd said the actor did not understand the countryside and had an “Constable-like, idealistic view” of our rivers. One river Griff travelled along was the Tay in Kenmore, Scotland, where canoeing is legal. Former newsreader and keen angler Fiona Armstrong last year marked the opening of the salmon fishing season on it. She was unavailable for comment last night over the angling-boating clash.
The BBC said: “Griff was trying to inspire people to enjoy the natural beauty and wonder of the riverside. His comments were tongue-in-cheek.”