National Fishing Month - 05/03/2010

Following a hugely successful 2009 series of events, National Fishing Week is now growing into a month-long celebration of angling, retitled National Fishing Month.

It all begins on July 17th and concludes on August 15th and will involve several showcase events in each region and a wide range of other local events. As in previous years, the idea is to encourage every family member to have a go at fishing, no matter which cultural or social background they may be from.  

The initiative’s timing has been deliberately planned to incorporate the end of the school term and more of the school holidays to enable activities to be linked with both schools and families. By extending the timetable, fishery owners, angling coaches and retailers will have a greater span of time to be able to take part and support events in their areas.

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said: “Last year’s National Fishing Week saw thousands of new anglers learn to fish and we want to build on that with a longer event to maximise opportunities for people from all walks of life to discover the joys of game, coarse and sea fishing.   

“National Fishing Month will also promote the benefits of angling to society, the economy and the environment to the general public, who tend not to understand our weird but wonderful sport. Everyone at the Trust is very excited about the initiative and we will do all that we can with the Angling Development Board, the Angling Trades Association, the Environment Agency and Sportsmatch, to make this important initiative a success.”

More details on how to organise or participate in events across the country will be posted on the new website www.nationalfishingmonth.com