BRITAIN’S FIRST-EVER ANGLING SUMMIT marks the start of a new era of co-operation between our sport and Government. Encouraging youngsters, boosting fisheries funding and the state of our rivers were all on the agenda, when officials from leading angling bodies met Sports Minister Richard Caborn on Monday.
“For many years angling has punched well below its weight, when you consider it’s our biggest participant sport,” Mr Salter said. “Hopefully this will mark a new partnership between angling’s governing bodies and the Government. “There’s a huge positive contribution that sports like angling can make to public policy, particularly in areas like environmental education and youth crime.” He added. Mr Caborn agreed to visit a youth coaching scheme in Stoke-on-Trent, to see at first hand how such initiatives are helping to encourage youngsters into the sport. The scheme – Stoke Angling For Everyone (SAFE) – is one of a handful of pilot projects being funded by the Environment Agency. Clubs across the country are trying to boost junior coaching, often on shoestring budgets. Many fear the lack of juniors on the banks could have dire consequences for the sport in the long run. Mr Salter said the summit would re-convene in the Autumn. He said he hoped Countryside Minister Elliott Morley would attend the meeting, to discuss issues such as the condition of river fisheries and cormorant predation. With changes proposed to the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, there were also “major issues” facing sea angling. Reading West MP Mr Salter is angling’s most outspoken defender in the Commons. Away from Westminster, he is a keen barbel angler who once bought a house in Reading’s Elgar Road because it offered a promising swim on the River Kennet. |
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