Latest angling news
Kyle Wainwright wins 2023 RiverFest Final on the Trent
KYLE Wainwright is the 2023 Angling Trust RiverFest champion following an action-packed two days of fishing on the River Trent around Burton Joyce. The Normanton, West Yorks angler – who qualified on the River Don at the end of July – led one of the strongest final line ups ever with 84 anglers including World […]
Illegal angling on the up says the EA
The Environment Agency is warning those who fish illegally that the net is closing in after a recent rise in angling offences in the South East. Over the past 6 months, our South East Fisheries Enforcement Officers have issued over 360 offence report forms to illegal anglers. This is already 40 more than this time […]
Matt Dawes the 2023 Fish O Mania Champion
Matt Dawes won the 2023 Cazoo FishOMania Grand Final at Westwood Lakes in Boston, Lincolnshire with a final weight of 52.875kg live on Sky Sports Action in the UK and Ireland. The rain teemed down early on, and it showed with some strong weigh-ins to start the day out with Dawes taking the competition to […]
River Severn pollution report makes grim reading as anglers lead on citizen science – link to full report
A worrying level of pollution has been recorded on the Severn and its tributaries during a year of water quality testing organised by the Angling Trust. The Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQMN) – a key part of the Trust’s Anglers Against Pollution campaign – was launched in May 2022 as a pilot project in the […]
Recreational Bluefin Tuna Fishery Consultation Launched
Defra has launched a consultation on ‘Permitting regimes for the recreational targeting of bluefin tuna in UK waters’. The consultation is open until 4th September 2023. You can view the consultation here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/recreational-aquaculture-and-migratory-team/bft-recreational-fishery/ This is the next step in the development of policy options regarding the establishment of a Catch and Release Recreational Fishery (CRRF). Last year’s consultation on […]
Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel Mixed Flatfish Fisheries Management Plan Consultation Opens
Monday 17th July the Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel Mixed Flatfish Fisheries Management Plan consultation has opened for 12-weeks. The consultation closes on 1st October 2023. As the Angling Trust understand it, there will be two opportunities to respond: online consultation via Citizen Space, and in-person via a Defra roadshow (details still to be announced). You […]
Government and Environment Agency face High Court challenge over Yorkshire River pollution
Next week, the High Court will hear a judicial review of Government and Environment Agency decision-making that anglers claim has failed to stop two decades of pollution at Costa Beck, a small, spring-fed river in North Yorkshire. The legal challenge, being brought by Fish Legal on behalf of Pickering Fishery Association, is focused on updated, […]
Angling Trust launches ‘Fishing for Good’ 5-year plan
The Angling Trust has launched its vision for fishing and the environment in its five-year strategic plan, Fishing for Good 2023-28. Through the pillars of campaigning, participation, competitions and supporting grass roots clubs and fisheries, the report outlines how the Angling Trust will play a leading role in achieving key goals that will enrich and […]
Angling Trust: ‘Fish kills: Let’s be clear – they are not natural and not inevitable…’
A little spell of hot weather with some thunderstorms, some of which are locally heavy. The result? A spike in fish kills across our rivers and the loss of many thousands of magnificent and highly prized fish. In the past few weeks, the North West of England has been particularly badly affected, but we have […]
International Game Fish Association Launches Pioneering Billfish Research and Conservation Endowment Campaign
The International Game Fish Association (IGFA), a global leader in game fish conservation, is proud to announce the launch of its Billfish Research and Conservation Endowment Campaign, an ambitious initiative focused on ensuring the future of these iconic species. The unparalleled initiative will provide long-term funding solutions that support studies that augment data on billfish […]
England’s first national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code launches to help people enjoy the coast responsibly
• First national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code launches in England to help protect animals and habitats • The code encourages those visiting our unique coastlines to do so in a way which also protects our marine wildlife such as seals, seabirds and dolphins • The code was developed in collaboration with Whale and Dolphin […]
How is your rod licence money spent?
The Environment Agency (EA) has released its Fisheries Annual Report for 21/22 which details how and where fishing licence income is spent. During the financial year 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 the EA sold 934,760 fishing licences which generated an income of £21,854,093. So how has this income helped promote fishing? The report […]
Environment Agency warns of threat of Prussian carp and other non-native species in UK waters
• Environment Agency’s National Fisheries Laboratory carries out crucial work to curb threats from Prussian carp in UK waters • Investigations have also detected new non-native fish species known commonly as ‘ginbuna’ and ‘nigorobuna’ in a limited number of waters in the south of England • Environment Agency urges anglers to report any potential sightings […]
Gathering the Public and Thought Leaders Together at The UK River Summit
The public is invited to the first UK River Summit, hosted on the banks of the River Test on 13th June 2023. The event brings together some of the country’s most influential environmental speakers and experts to talk about the state of our rivers in the UK and the action needed. Beginning at 9:30 am, […]
Anglers take part in big clean-ups on rivers and lakes
• Leybourne Lakes Country Park in Kent • River Irwell at Bury, Greater Manchester Over 350 bags of rubbish, 25 tyres, an avocado toilet and an abandoned sign saying ‘Cleaning in Progress’ were among items removed from the banks of rivers and lakes during two ‘Big Litter Picks’ organised by the Angling Trust and Nash […]