Angling Particitaion Fund - overview

Trade asked for three-year pledge to get more people fishing

“Dig deep and fund fishing”

The angling industry is being urged to pledge financial support for the next three years to increase the number of people going fishing, to secure the sport’s future.

DHP Ltd, the owner of T&G, along with several key tackle suppliers are kicking off the Angling Participation Fund with promises of monthly donations to finance projects to get people on the banks.

The idea of the fund, launched by Angling Trades Association chairman Sean O’Driscoll, is to ensure we have a sport in the future to supply products too.

Launching the scheme to the ATA’s annual meeting, Sean said: “Ask most people in the trade what one thing they feel would help business and the vast majority would say more anglers. The ATA is the only angling association that has a long-term initiative to increase angling participation – through ventures like National Fishing Week and the Take A Friend Fishing campaign.

“The cynics say they don’t work, they say they are a waste of money. My reply is – you have nothing else to offer. The fact is the ATA’s campaigns have worked. Rod licence sales increased by 70,159 last year. With an enormous amount of help and money from the Environment Agency, angling participation increased.

“While some may argue that your own business might not have progressed, as you would have liked over recent years, the trade overall is still growing. But we can’t stand still. We are facing the most difficult economic slowdown for years and we need unity. Price rises from China are coming through every week due to poor demand and the weakening pound. Catalogues have been put to bed and already the prices are wrong.

“Anglers are still going fishing but they are only buying bait and accessories. As an industry we have to get more customers.

“My challenge to you all is to ask what are you going to do about it? Individually it is difficult, but collectively we can make a difference.

“Last year we received £20,000 from the Environment Agency to help run National Fishing Week. The begging bowl went out from me to the trade and I think we received £3,000 OVERALL. This is from an industry worth half a billion pounds a year! We, the trade, let our partners down.

“I do not believe we can do that again, because that money and support from the EA will just stop and then there will be NO ONE looking to increase participation.

“If you want a long-term plan to increase the numbers of anglers coming into the sport I urge you all to help. [This will be] a fighting fund dedicated to increasing angling participation. I do not care if you are an ATA member or not because this initiative is far more important that belonging to an association. This is about securing the long-term future of the industry.

“I would like members of the trade to sign a pledge to support this fund for a period of three years. It will be used SOLELY to increase angling participation and NOT to fund the ATA. Monies raised will be ring fenced for initiatives like National Fishing Week and Take Friend Fishing. Or if there is an initiative that is happening locally that you know about the organisers of it can appeal to the fund to get support.

“I want us to be in charge of our own destiny. I want us to leave a future for those that come after us. Please support this initiative.”

His call was immediately echoed – and supported – by several ATA members.

Robin Morley at Daiwa said: “We must get everyone in the industry to contribute to this vital cause. This is about ensuring the sport is there for everyone in the future.”

This was a point echoed by Graham Thomas at Pure Fishing, who confirmed, “Pure fishing would support such an initiative.”

Phil Briscoe, boss of Maver UK, added: “We must all take this very seriously and get behind it and I pledge my support.”

David Stuart-Monteith offered backing from Belstane and Cormoran and also suggested: “It is not just the suppliers who have a part to pay in this. Tackle shops can do something too and can use their local influence to find ways to get nearby schools to take people fishing. We must look at every opportunity to get more people fishing and support them to the hilt.”

Trevor Passmore, who runs Passies Pond Fishery in West Sussex and is an ATA retailer members and a member of the Professional Coarse Fisheries Association (PCFA), said: “I feel sure we can get all the fisheries involved too through the PCFA. We all need to work together to bring more people into angling and keep them there.”

Sean concluded: “If all suppliers just pledged £50 a month and retailers, say, £10 a month, we could do some serious marketing.”

Please Show your Support -

Download, sign and return the form below to state your committment to contribute to the Angling Participation fund

Angling Participation Fund Contribution Form

Anybody interested in supporting the Angling Participation Fund should contact Eileen Taylor at the ATA on 02476 414999 ext 204 or e-mail eileen@sportsandplay.com