ANGLING enjoyed unprecedented media coverage in the lead up and during National Fishing Week according to the Angling Trades Association.

Over one hundred events were registered and thousands of people tried fishing for the first time throughout the UK, attracting local, regional and national media attention. On the eve of National Fishing Week, Keith Elliott’s, Tight Lines show on Sky Sports Extra featured an in-depth report on a Junior ‘taster’ day run by Kings Lynn Angling Association.

On Saturday 21^st BBC Breakfast News broadcast three live spots to an audience of one million viewers from a National Fishing Week event at Barlow Fishery near Chesterfield. Reporter, Danny Savage, interviewed junior anglers and NFA coach Kevin Miles, before getting the Environment Agency view of National Fishing Week from Fishing Development Officer, Richard Wightman. .”Richard said “We are keen for National Fishing Week to grow every year but we can’t do it without help from anglers, clubs, coaches and fishery owners, like Rex here at Barlow Fisheries. “If you there are people out there who could not get involved this year, but want information for next year they can log onto www.nationalfishingweek.co.uk or they can telephone Juliet Robb on 02476 414999 Extension 206.

Regional television stations also ‘bigged up’ National Fishing Week. Bob Nudd gave his support by giving Ian Winter of BBC TV Look East a fishing lesson at Tingreth Fishery near Woburn. The nearly half a million viewers throughout East Anglia saw the programme which also featured a live link to Robbie Williams of the Kings Lynn Angling Association at Tottenhill Lakes.

Derek North, Chairman of the Professional Anglers Association took Dennis Coath of Carlton TV in the Midlands through the basics of angling and Dennis was delighted when he caught his first ever fish- a one pound Tench. The following evening, it was the turn of BBC TV in Nottingham to feature National Fishing Week on their East Midlands Today programme. And Welsh viewers were not untouched by National Fishing Week as Channel 4 (Wales) covered an event in Camaarthen in the Welsh language- can anyone translate?

Two times Women’s World Fresh Angler, Sandra Scotthorne, returned from competing in the heat of Portugal to the delights of the River Don near Doncaster to extol the virtues of fishing to BBC TV Look North viewers. Steve Chambers of the Environment Agency reported how the fish stocks in the Don were benefiting from the cleaner waters.

Angler writer and broadcaster, John Wilson gave National Fishing Week a boost on the Steve Wright Radio 2 afternoon show. Actor Tom Felton, perhaps better known as Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies, but really a keen carp anglers, did his bit for the cause on BBC Radio Three Counties covering Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Local radio stations covered National Fishing Week throughout the country.

The Daily Star Page 3 Girls used their not inconsiderable charms to give maximum exposure for National Fishing Week to over 850,000 readers each day for four days.

Simon Henton, Chairman of the Angling Trades Association said the National Fishing Week PR campaign had been “extremely successful in promoting angling to millions of viewers, listeners and readers who would not normally access angling by choice. “The country’s four million anglers can take heart from the media spotlight and go out and beat the drum for the sport. “Together with the thousands of people who tried fishing for the first time, we can say National Fishing Week 2004 has been a huge success and I would like to thank all the event organisers, without whom there would be nothing to publicise, for their fantastic work.”