Angling Trust Rounds On Sceptics - 12/02/2010

Accusations that the governing body for recreational angling in England is failing have been roundly denied.

“It is working and it will go on working,” said Mike Heylin, who was appointed chairman of the Angling Trust (AT) in August when it faced financial problems. The AT is the result of the merger of six organisations which he predicted will become “a great success for anglers and angling.”

There are around 13,000 individual members in the AT, with 1,200 freshwater and sea angling clubs affiliated to it. Membership is less than planned, but Mike said it’s a solid base on which to grow and improve the experience and rights of anglers. In September, Sport England recognised the AT as the governing body for sea, coarse and game.

During 2009 it took more than 50 steps to improve angling, from campaigning against restrictions on the sport, and to ban commercial eel fishing, appointing an environmental campaigns officer and successfully protesting over threatened EU control regulations on sea angling in England.

Mr Heylin calls on members who joined earlier this year to renew their subscriptions to continue to qualify for benefits, including  public liability insurance.