Dr Adam Brown, Substance
A new National Angling Strategy (2019-2024) has been launched to encourage wider participation in the sport by focussing on new audiences and the health and well-being benefits that angling can bring.
The National Angling Strategy (2019-2024) was launched on June 20th 2019 by Environment Agency Chair Emma Howard Boyd, with members of the angling community at Get Hooked on Fishing’s Northala Fields venue in Northolt, West London.
The strategy will be implemented by a new partnership body – the National Angling Strategy Partnership Board, coordinated by the Angling Trust with representatives from the Environment Agency, Canal and River Trust, Angling Trades Association and Get Hooked on Fishing. The board will be responsible for delivering the strategy as well as securing the additional funding needed to deliver on the strategy’s aims and objectives.
The strategy was researched and written by Adam Brown, Head of Research at Substance after widespread consultation with the angling community and using feedback from the National Angling Survey 2018 which engaged 35,000 anglers. The responses included the need to make better information available on where and how to fish and the need to emphasise the health, well-being and environmental benefits of participation in recreational fishing.
You can download the strategy here: Angling for Good Report
A summary report is available here: Angling for Good Summary
Aims and Objectives of the National Angling Strategy
The aims of the National Angling Strategy are to:
- Increase participation in angling to:
- Increase the numbers of people getting active outdoors through angling.
- Improve the health and well-being of those that take part.
- Help people and communities develop with skills, education, volunteering and facilities.
- Connect more people to nature through angling for their well-being and to improve the environment.
- Increase the economic impact of angling and in particular deliver economic benefits in rural and coastal communities and revenue to clubs, fisheries and businesses.
Its Objectives are:
- Objective 1 – Develop awareness and knowledge of angling.
A marketing campaign, backed by research, with new information on how and where to fish.
- Objective 2- Increase participation in angling
An increase in angling participation by 2024 and increases in females, young people and BAME communities taking part.
- Objective 3 – Develop social benefits through angling
An increase in people getting physically active through angling, delivery of angling for health programmes; and an angling volunteer programme.
- Objective 4 – Develop Sustainable Places to Fish
Involve anglers more in environmental improvement work and science, develop more local and accessible places for people to fish and develop more community waters.
- Objective 5 – Increase Angling’s Economic Impact
Deliver a trade-backed market development plan, new funding for developing the angling sector and tackle shop and angling tourism support.
- Objective 6 – Understand angling data and evidence
Develop an angling research programme to inform future actions, stakeholders and angling commerce interests, and to evaluate the strategy’s success.
