Monthly Archives: September 2016

Another 54 angling projects have benefitted from a share of £200,000 from the Angling Improvement Fund (AIF).

Administered by the Angling Trust in partnership with the Environment Agency, the AIF reinvests income from rod licence sales into ventures that aid freshwater fishing nationwide.

With every project also attracting financial or in-kind support through match-funding, it means that schemes totaling over half-a-million pounds have benefitted from the fund.

The latest winning applications include projects to protect fisheries from predation, encourage more people to go fishing, improve facilities at clubs and fisheries, and to safeguard venues. They were awarded under the following four themes:

Otter-proof fencing:

Unsustainable predation by otters can have a devastating effect on angling venues and has become an issue of major concern to anglers. Applications from commercial fisheries and clubs for otter-proof fencing projects were invited and eight projects have been selected for funding (bringing to 11 the total number supported through the AIF) and will share awards worth £31,926. Fencing projects are an expensive undertaking and the match funding secured by these projects, worth more than £158,000, is critically important.

Best unfunded proposals from previous rounds:

More than 300 applications were submitted to the first two rounds of the AIF, many more than could be funded. Aware of the large number of good projects it had to decline, the judging panel reviewed past entries and awarded funds totalling £77,931 to 21 projects, including 17 focused on junior angling. Most of the winning projects are now in place or are close to completion and the amount of match funding secured by the applicants totalled over £81,000 in this category.

Community waters:

As a key part of making fishing much more accessible to those new to the sport, funding was allocated to […]

The Barbel Society
Midlands’ Rivers Annual Research & Conservation Fundraiser 2016

Fellow Angler,
Our first event proved to be a great success with the Society raising just shy of £3000. All proceeds were put towards the Teme PHD project and radio tracking the movement of barbel within the river system.
We aim to build on this project year on year and as time goes on, The Barbel Society will face a growing list of habitat restoration projects and enhancement schemes that will not only benefit the barbel but all species, as well as improving habitat for all wildlife along the way.

Our second instalment of the Midlands rivers fundraiser event will be held on the 8th October 2016 and consist of a friendly fishing competition taking place in the day over three prolific fisheries on the river Severn and Teme (car permits and maps will be issued to all guests prior to event), followed by a fantastic 3-course meal and auction in the evening at The Fownes Hotel in the heart of Worcester city centre. Our guest speaker for the evening will be none other than Des Taylor.

A cost of £50 per head will include your entry to the fishing match, dinner at the hotel in the evening and a chance to bid on some fantastic lots in the auction.

For those of you intending on an overnight stay at the hotel, you will need to book early to avoid disappointment as we only have a certain amount of rooms reserved for the event. All details and references for bookings will be provided with each application. Alternative accommodation in and around the malvern hills can be provided upon request.

If you would like to receive an invitation to this years event […]