The Environment Agency and Angling Trust have today announced a new £100k ‘Get Fishing Fund’ to encourage more people to give fishing a go for the first time, or get back into angling after a break from the sport.
Funded from rod licence sales, grants of up to £500 to benefit small-scale projects and up to £5,000 for larger projects will be available. The funding will help the delivery of future angling participation events, including any additional equipment needed to ensure fisheries are following Covid-19 safety guidelines, PPE and signage. It can also cover the costs of fishing equipment, terminal tackle and bait, as well as event resources including promotional material, gazebos and basic storage facilities.
The easing of lockdown restrictions in May 2020 led to a huge increase in popularity for angling as people sought the wellbeing benefits the sport can offer. The new buzz around fishing looks set to continue, with latest rod licence sales currently showing more than 900,000 people have bought or renewed their fishing licence since April this year, with 100,000 new anglers taking up the sport. This additional income has allowed the Environment Agency to offer increased investment to support projects that will run safe angling participation events throughout 2021.
Scott Mann, MP for North Cornwall said:
"I have been working closely with the Angling trust since being elected first in 2015 and I am delighted that this joint collaboration will benefit recreational anglers in North Cornwall and around the rest of the Country."
Graeme Storey, Fisheries Manager for the Environment Agency, said:
“The Get Fishing Fund will support organisations to put on a range of fishing activities to encourage new anglers through the 2021 season. We are always looking for ways to support our angling community and the Environment Agency has invested £1.5M of the additional income from this year’s licence sales back into projects that improve fisheries.
“The increased interest in fishing over the summer proves that people are not only rediscovering angling but more people are trying angling for the first time. We want to see this continue and hope that these new projects will encourage more people to give fishing a go.”
Clive Copeland, Head of Participation at the Angling Trust added:
“We work with a great network of coaches, clubs and fisheries across the country which this fund will help but this also a fantastic opportunity for new partners to get involved in angling participation too.
“We’ve worked with the Environment Agency to make this a short, easy process and we’ve got friendly staff with lots of experience ready to help anyone who needs it.”
The Get Fishing Fund is available to angling clubs, coaches and fisheries but also to non-angling organisations such as schools, local authorities or charities based in England.
- The fund will open on 1st December 2020. The closing date for bids is Friday 12th March 2021.
- Funding is limited so applicants are encouraged to apply soon.
- Funding applications can be made on the Angling Trust website or search “Get Fishing Fund” for more details:
- For more information on coaching and courses visit https://anglingtrust.net/get-involved/coaching/. In some circumstances, the Environment Agency may be able to provide bursaries for training new coaches
- Since 2015 fishing licence income has helped fund more than 500 angling projects worth an estimated £5.6 million, creating, or safeguarding tens of thousands of angling opportunities in England.
- Get Fishing is the Angling Trust’s campaign to grow participation in angling. Last year over 37,000 people had the opportunity to fish at hundreds of fun, safe and friendly events funded by the Environment Agency from fishing licence income.
