UNIFIED INITIATIVE SECURES FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE OF ANGLING

At a recent presentation to the angling trade and media, ECHO/SAA appealed for industry support for the protection and development of angling in the future.

This role is currently adopted by concerned, voluntary, yet poorly supported, representative organisations within the sport, such as SAA and ECHO. Increased commercial developments within angling have created financial drivers that on many occasions over-ride any sense of responsibility from the beneficiaries of the related trades. Many issues regarding the health and welfare status of our fisheries, for instance, have increased in parallel with increased commercial interests in angling. The presentation called upon the related trades to assume a responsibility to angling and make a contribution to the Fish Welfare Fund.

Danny Fairbrass of Korda Developments kick started the initiative with an incredible donation of £20,000 to open the Fish Welfare Fund, illustrating a clear commitment to the requirement for angling related industry to play its part in the future. No longer an ethical choice, it is a sound financial investment for the future. SAA and ECHO would urge all company directors to consider the future of angling and pledge their support to the Fish Welfare Fund.

The Fish Welfare Fund established by SAA and ECHO has the following objectives:

To promote and defend all the angling rights and interests of anglers.

To represent the joint membership of SAA and ECHO within the Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust Ltd (FACT), to Government, NGOs and other stakeholder bodies and organisations, in particular with regard to environmental and political matters of concern to angling.

To campaign on behalf of members for a cleaner, safer, healthier aquatic and marine environment.

There will be eight Trustees, four each appointed by the respective executive committees of SAA and ECHO. The Trustees are Tim Marks, Chris Burt, David Bird and Gary Cullum for the SAA, with Ruth Lockwood, Viv Shears, Ian Chilcott and Simon Scott representing ECHO. The Fish Welfare Fund will be treated separately from any funds that may otherwise be passed/raised/donated to either SAA or ECHO acting independently of the other.
It is the intention of the Trustees that the fund should be used to enable advances to be made towards a truly unified angling national body, to supply part funding for initiatives by that body and to support the work of that body. The Trustees hope that with sufficient support the fund could also be used to support publicity to the non-angling public about the benefits angling brings to the community.

The aim of the Trustees is to secure £100,000 annually from angling related industry.

Companies seeking to contribute support to this initiative can register their interest by contacting Ruth Lockwood email: echocarp@hotmail.com.