Dear ERB Angling Club,
At the Environment Agency, we know that anglers play a vital role in helping us and our partners protect and develop fisheries and improve angling. This year, particularly, your support has been more important than ever.
The weather made life very difficult for fish stocks and anglers alike. The Beast from the East was followed by a period of prolonged dry weather in which we relied on anglers to report incidents of fish in distress. This helped our teams deal with a record number of incidents; oxygenating waters and rescuing fish in difficulty. Thanks to your help, both in buying a fishing licence and alerting us to problems, we were able to rescue many thousands of fish that would otherwise have died.
Illegal fishing remains an issue for us. Many of you have supported our enforcement teams both in the Environment Agency and the Voluntary Bailiff Service, which is run on our behalf by the Angling Trust. You have provided us with information to target our efforts and stamp down on illegal activity. Please keep reporting issues to us. Remember, if it isn’t reported we cannot take action.
Thanks too must go to the countless volunteers up and down the country who work hard to introduce new people to this wonderful sport of angling. Many of you have become coaches or work within your angling clubs, while others help family or friends become involved.
Finally, tens of thousands of you have also completed our National Angling Survey. The information you have provided will help us shape our angling strategy to keep improving and developing the sport of angling.
I would like to personally thank all of you who have worked so hard to make angling the incredible sport it undoubtedly is. I know that working together we can continue to go from strength to strength.
I hope you have a very happy Christmas.
Dr Kevin Austin
Deputy Director
Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment
