THE English Carp Heritage Organisation looks set to be one of the most influential bodies in years to protect fisheries and English carp from illegal and legally imported foreign carp.

These have killed several million pounds worth of English carp and threaten to destroy the very future of the biggest growth area of angling in the country today.

Echo was set up by respected big fish angler Ian Chillcott and a small group of like-minded anglers, who had taken as much as they could stomach of 40lb plus carp mysteriously turning up overnight in waters where there was no previous evidence of their existence.

The organisation is gathering momentum all the time and already the organisation is in a financial situation where it will pay informants a substantial reward for evidence which leads to a successful conviction of illegal fish smugglers.

Echo has just set up a nucleus of a steering committee, including some of the top names from commercial fisheries, carp farmers and anglers.

They plan a fund-raising meeting at Sparsholt College in April and the publication of two newsletters a year.

It is also hoped the organisation will have its own fishery up and running within 12 months, stocked with English carp from New Forest carp specialists Heather Fisheries, John Paton, at Fishers Pond, Sparsholt College and RMC.

Echo are inviting corporate membership to clubs, fisheries, the tackle trade and fish farmers on a special invitation basis to supporters wanting to maintain our English carp heritage.

Already Heather Fisheries, the New Forest-based carp farmers, Tim Oatley of Rookley Park, Isle of Wight and Wayne Little of Milton Abbas Carp Syndicate, have paid their £50.00 membership and firmly nailed their colours to their sleeves in supporting such an important organisation.