News From The Angling Trust

Angling Trust Recognised as National Governing Body

The past week has seen the Angling Trust recognised by Sport England as the National Governing Body for game, sea and coarse angling. This will have great benefits for the Angling Trust's – and our member clubs’ and fisheries’ – ability to attract government funding and sponsorship in the future. It will also help us influence government and other decision-makers for the benefit of anglers.

Angling Trust Appeal

Last week we also received a very generous donation of £20,000 from an individual who wishes to remain anonymous. If we are able to at least match this donation with contributions from members, the angling trade and others in the next three months, then our mystery donor has guaranteed the same amount in 2010 and 2011. We are therefore launching an appeal; if you can, please consider making an additional donation to help us build up the working capital we need and guarantee that future income by sending a cheque payable to Angling Trust to: Eastwood House, 6 Rainbow St., Leominster, HR6 8DQ. Donations can now also be made on our web site; please visit the User Area , log in, and then follow the instructions.


Save Our Rivers & Estuaries

Please also help us make a difference to the condition of our rivers and coastal waters by writing to your MP urging him or her to put pressure on the Secretary of State to raise the level of ambition in the Water Framework Directive’s River Basin Management Plans, which are out for consultation this week. Poor fish stocks are one of the main reasons many of our rivers and stillwaters fail WFD standards. We need to let the politicians know that we anglers care about the condition of our rivers and estuaries and that we want more to be done to protect them from pollution, dredging, abstraction, habitat damage and commercial overfishing. This is part of a much wider campaign which we launched earlier this week with WWF and the HSBC Climate Partnership.


Fish Legal Settles Case for £17,500

Fish Legal is delighted to have secured a £17,500 settlement for its member club, the Royal Tunbridge Wells Angling Society, as a result of a civil claim mounted on behalf of the anglers following the pollution of the River Grom in June 2006.
A series of equipment failures at the Tunbridge Wells sewage treatment works saw partially treated sewage pumped into the Grom over a 6 day period with a devastating effect on the river and its ecology. There was an extensive fish kill during the incident and water quality on the upper Medway was seriously affected for approximately 14km downstream of the confluence with the Grom.


Raffle Results

The summer raffle raised more than £20,000; thank you to everyone who took part. The winning ticket numbers were: 1st: 023001, 2nd: 131781, 3rd: 069668, 4th: 124286 and all the winners have been informed. The winner of the second prize (£1,500 of Daiwa vouchers) has very generously donated his prize to the Trust for use in a future raffle.



£100,000 up for Grabs
Bovril have teamed up with the Angling Trust, the Ramblers Association and the Camping and Caravanning Club in a new campaign which will be launched early in October to spruce up facilities in the great outdoors. A total of £100,000 is up for grabs for nominated projects which are selected for support. Angling Trust members are being given the chance to nominate projects before the end of September.


Thank You
The Angling Trust and Fish Legal need your support so that we can promote and defend angling, campaign for healthier fisheries, fight pollution, stop poaching and reduce the damage caused by commercial overfishing at sea. We are very grateful for your support as a member, and for any other contributions you can afford to make. Please encourage everyone you know to join and/or make a donation to support our work.