The Angling Trust is the representative body for game, coarse and sea anglers in England and Wales. Our members support the campaigns and legal action we carry out to protect fish stocks and our programmes to increase the number of anglers fishing for fun and in competitions. We're fighting for the future of YOUR fishing, but we need YOUR support to do more. If you want to protect your fish and fishing, for now and in future, join your representative body today.
Fish Legal (formerly the ACA) a unique, non-profit making organisation set up to use the law to fight pollution and other damage to the water environment - both freshwater and marine - and to protect the rights of anglers and angling. We act for fishing clubs, fishery owners, syndicates, commercial fisheries across the whole of the UK. In England only, we act for the Angling Trust as well as other members.
Joining the Angling Trust as an individual member includes great benefits. You get 10% off at fishing venues, free £5m public liability insurance worth £14.99, entry to Angling Trust member only competitions two copies of our magazine each year, discounts on tackle, books fishing mags and outdoor gear, membership of our Fish for Free Loyalty Points Scheme, e-updates and members only prize draws plus more - for all the details click on the picture above...
Those who participate in sporting activities must ensure that anything they do does not cause injury or loss to other people or damage their property. Angling activities are no exception and the Angling Trust has developed a Civil and Employers Liability facility for Affiliated Member Clubs and Organisations. For the full details and to purchase this insurance call our office on 0343 5077 006 (Option 1) - your call will only take a few minutes and costs less than 5p a minute from landlines.
We want to make sure our members and non-members get all the latest news on what the Angling Trust are doing to protect fish and fishing, get more people fishing more often, our legal battles and competition news.
The Angling Trust are the only organisation that campaigns for all anglers on issues affecting salt and freshwater and the fish and angling activities of each of these environments. We employ a Marine Campaigns Manager and Head of Freshwater Campaigns to oversee these projects - our members have direct access to these employees and their teams. Fish Legal, the legal arm of the Trust in England fighting legal issues for its sea, coarse and game angling members. We need YOU to join us so we can campaign at the highest level and protect your fish and fishing.
Coaching is key to the long-term development of every angler whether new to the sport or whether involved in performance squads competing across the world. Coaching courses offered by the Angling Trust will help set you on the right path to being able to provide the most appropriate coaching when the learner requires it.
Get hooked on fishing or get back into angling with angling participation events to get the whole family fishing... Want to get into fishing for the first time, bring your friends or family fishing, get back into angling after a break from the sport or just learn new skills and develop your experience? We've got a whole range of FREE activities for anglers of all levels to attend.
To every match angler the Fish 'O' Mania competition is one of the biggest in match fishing. With 22 qualifying rounds available. Competitors will try to add their name to the illustrious list of previous champions and scoop a cool £50,000 in the process.
All the latest fixtures and news from our National and International coarse competitions. Find out about the latest results, all the upcoming events and how to book your place in a competition...
Want to get into fishing or find out where to go fishing? Our website "Get Fishing" has all the angling information you and your family need. Find out about angling events, fisheries and venues so you can start fishing for the first time, get back into angling or go family fishing after school or in the holidays.
Not sure how to get into fishing or get back into angling? Your Angling Development Officer can help you find events or get info on angling opportunities at clubs, schools and fisheries near you.
Contact Danny (Northern England) and Dave (Southern England).
The Cormorant Toolbox Read lots of information about how to protect your fishery from cormorants in this Intercafe Manual.
After a three year Angling Trust campaign to persuade the government to take action to tackle unsustainable avian predation, three Fishery Management Advisors (FMAs) were appointed in 2014 to cover the whole of England. There are now two FMAs employed by the Angling Trust who have helped hundreds of fishery managers on both rivers and lakes not only with licence applications, but with practical advice about measures to protect fish using innovative techniques, such as the use of lasers and lifelike mannequins to deter birds, as well as exclusion tactics and fish refuge. The funding for the FMAs has recently been extended for a further three years, until April 2019.
The Angling Trust's FMAs also advise fishery managers on how to protect their fisheries from otter predation, including advice about fencing. They are also now licensed by Natural England to trap and remove otters that are trapped within appropriately and securely otter fenced still water fisheries. Find out more here.
Progress of the Fishery Management Advisors
In April 2016 the then-Environment Minister Rory Stewart concluded that the pilot project had been successful and that the initiative should continue as it had been successful in providing advice and practical support to angling clubs and fisheries over the past two years about how to protect fish from cormorants and goosanders.
The Minister also confirmed that where appropriate the new area-based approach to issuing licences for lethal control will continue, rather than requiring every individual fishery to submit an individual application. The Minister noted that the system has worked well and that it benefits fisheries, which are an important part of the rural economy.
The FMA posts are funded from rod licence income from the Environment Agency. The scheme has been managed by the Angling Trust under the guidance of a Project Board, which includes representatives from Defra, the RSPB, Natural England, Environment Agency, Cefas, independent fisheries scientists and the Angling Trust.
The expert advisors have also provided invaluable help with the paperwork required to carry out lethal control safely and responsibly either on an individual basis or via an area-based licence, which helps with co-ordination of control throughout a catchment. For additional shooting related enquiries please refer to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) website.
Cormorants and goosanders can often leave fish with serious wounds, which can later become infected and eventually prove fatal.
Jake Davoile, FMA for the south of England, explains: "There are currently 16 area-based cormorant licences in operation across England and all have seen the benefit of working together, and sharing knowledge. These include stretches of rivers, stillwaters, and fish farms, bringing fishery managers together for the greater good - Some have even expanded across whole catchments."
"Collating knowledge on the cormorant population is vital, as we get a clear understanding of the feeding patterns of birds, and can develop bespoke strategies to deal with predation. By working as one and utilising the cormorant’s incredible vision in flight, we can maximise the impacts of a shooting strategy if one is required."
"By coordinating shooting, we aim to condition birds in the most efficient manner not to predate on our valuable fish stocks. We have also seen great success using lifelike mannequins, which mimic the river keeper. These are completely weatherproof, easy to move, and by shooting from behind them, birds are conditioned to fear them, thus further protecting your fishery."
Richard Bamforth, FMA for the north of England added: “Some area licences extend along 92km of river and include multiple stillwaters. Alongside the clear benefits of a coordinated approach, this strategy also provides us with robust data to take forward to Defra. Remember, if the combined need for lethal control exceeds the current national limit, the limit will be reviewed."
Fisheries Management Advisors - Contact details
Please email cormorants@anglingtrust.net, call our main office which is 0844 7700616 or contact the FMAs direct:
North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber, Lincolnshire, East Midlands, West Midlands Richard Bamforth: Richard.Bamforth@anglingtrust.net | 07904 041518
South West, South East, London, South Midlands, East of England
On area-based applications and licences we aim to cover the catchment (or part of) with the following:
Cormorant: Coordinated roosting bird data
Goosander: Coordinated river counts
Find out more about the Area-Based Licensing system here.
There is some fantastic advice available from the Environment Agency on building a fish refuge and a floating island:
Meet our Fishery Management Advisors....
Jake Davoille
Jake has extensive ‘hands on experience’ in reducing cormorant numbers in circumstances where lethal control was not possible on a reservoir through extensive research and practical application. A graduate of the University of Birmingham in Environmental Science, he specialised in freshwater ecology and the habitat requirements of fish. A keen coarse angler, recent captures include a stalked brace of carp at 35 and 40lb as well as an 8lb 12oz chub.
Richard Bamforth
From Lancaster, Richard graduated from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with a degree in Countryside Management. His subsequent career has spanned habitat & water management for a large Water Company, project manager for a Heritage Lottery Project which included working with farmers, other land owners and government bodies and has worked with large sporting landowners as well as conservation organisations. A keen trout & coarse angler, he also enjoys taking his family fishing.
Natural England Fish-Eating Bird Licence Applications Forms
Contact: Angling Trust Eastwood House, 6 Rainbow Street, Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 8DQ Tel: 0343 5077006 (For Membership enquiries select Option 1) | Calls to our 0343 number are charged at the same rate as normal landline numbers. Office hours are Mon - Thu 9.00-5.00 and Fri 4.30. Please leave a message if you call outside these hours or email us. Email: admin@anglingtrust.net Angling Trust Limited is a company limited by guarantee, company number 05320350