£200,000 to be spent between now and the end of March 2016
The Angling Trust and the Environment Agency are releasing an additional £200,000 of funding as part of the ‘Angling Improvement Fund’ to be spent between now and the end of March 2016, sufficient to fund up to 50 additional projects.
The move, which recognises the huge desire among anglers to develop their local facilities, has been made possible by good rod licence sales.
Funding will be available to a wide range of freshwater angling providers, including clubs, commercial fisheries and angling projects, and there is no requirement for applicants to be affiliated to the Angling Trust. Projects must be located in England and involve a form of fishing requiring the purchase of an Environment Agency non-migratory and coarse rod licence. Awards of up to £5,000 are available for successful projects. Clubs and fisheries can find out how to apply on the Angling Trust website at www.anglingtrust.net/improvementfund
Sarah Chare, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency, said: “The Angling Improvement Fund is just one way we use rod licence money to work with partners for the benefit of angling. Healthy rod licence sales have enabled us to be able to put yet more money into these projects.
“I’m looking forward to seeing great results from the third and fourth rounds, especially those which encourage young people to give fishing a go and those which rejuvenate under-used or neglected fishing spots.”
Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive, Angling Trust said: “We are delighted to be able to distribute even more money to the country’s best angling improvement projects. We appreciate how disappointed many clubs and fisheries with good bids were to have missed out in Rounds 1 and 2 and so we welcome the chance this extra funding gives us to look at those projects again.
“Funding will also be made available to new projects involving partnerships between clubs and fisheries and schools and for the creation, development and safeguarding of low-cost fishing at community waters, one of our National Angling Strategy priorities.”
What is the Angling Improvement Fund?
The Angling Improvement Fund (formerly known as the Fishery Improvement Fund), administered by the Angling Trust, provides financial support for urgent facilities and improvements at clubs and fisheries in England. It is one of the key elements in the new National Angling Strategic Services contract awarded to the Angling Trust as part of the delivery of the National Angling Strategy. So far this year the fund has distributed £115,000 of rod licence income to 31 projects across the country which will now soar to £315,000 with this announcement.
How do I apply for funding?
Full details of how to apply, the type of project for which funding is available, our workshops for clubs and fisheries on ‘Making Effective Funding Bids’ and application deadlines can be found on the Angling Trust website HERE.
