The official agenda

The English Carp Heritage Organisation

The English Carp Heritage Organisation is the only carp angling body that is dedicated to the history and the protection of carp and carp angling in England. We are totally opposed to the illegal importation of carp and will lobby for tougher legislation governing carp imported into this country, legal or otherwise. We intend to protect the best of this country's unique carp and carp angling heritage for the benefit of both ourselves and future generations.

It is our intention to make sure that this country's carp angling heritage contributes directly to the future of carp angling. Our past belongs to everyone - ECHO exists to ensure that carp anglers wherever they liv in the world and whatever their background, enjoy, understand and appreciate England's rich and diverse carp history. By working closely with the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), the Environment Agency (EA), the Specialist Angling Alliance (SAA), European carp angling bodies and fishery owners in this country, the problems endemic with the importation of carp whatever their size, can be addressed. Our heritage is the envy of carp anglers the world over, it is under threat from foreign carp and the diseases they bring with them. They are also threatening to devalue and degrade all that we have achieved.

Don’t let all our yesterdays become tomorrow's goodbyes!

What we aim to achieve

Echo hopes to work closely with CEFAS, the EA, the SAA and European carp angling bodies and fishery owners in this country to:

* Eradicate the barbaric trade of illegally imported carp.
* Lobby to toughen legislation governing importation of carp into this country.
* Broaden public awareness of our carp angling heritage.
* Increase people's understanding of the inherent dangers of stocking with imported carp.
* Encourage younger carp anglers to participate in protecting out heritage for future generations.

How we aim to achieve these targets

* Acting as a national and international champion for our carp angling heritage.
* Develop our own water to show that big carp fisheries can be created in this country without the need to import carp.
* Promote education and research.
* Helping to preserve established and develop new pedigree venues.
* Lobbying for harsher penalties for those found guilty of illegal importation of carp.
* generating income for the benefit of our carp angling heritage.

How to support us

ECHO is a non profit making organisation whose membership is made up of carp anglers and other interested agencies and individuals who are dedicated to the protection of our carp angling heritage. Anglers who have become very concerned with the threat that foreign carp pose to our original stocks and the distortion of our history. It is necessary for membership to be restricted. There are many individuals that would gain some sort of perverse gratification from obtaining membership and then fishing waters that have openly been stocked with illegal imports. sad but true. To that end ECHO membership will only be granted to anglers who have been sponsored by an existing member.

The membership secretary's address appears at the end of this for all membership enquiries.

ECHO finance

Current membership and renewal fees stand at £15 per annum. ECHO is a non profit making organisation and all the monet will be reinvested. It is hoped that this will always remain the case.

ECHO, it's members and representatives are not involved for financial gain.

Revenue is allocated as follows:

1. Badges for all members.
2. Establishing and maintaining ECHO's own lake.
3. At least two newsletters per annum.
4. Meeting costs.
5. Stationary, printing and postage.
6. Generating interest through sponsership.

Our heritage is worth protecting and if it is a cause that means something to you then please give us your support. The more members we have the louder our voice will be.

One thing is for sure, we will not go quietly into the night!

Chairman

Ian Chillcott
115a Belle Vue Rd
Aldershot
Hants
GU12 4SA

Membership Secretary

Kev Dean
11 Valentia Rd
Reading
Berks
RG30 1DL