FISHINGmagic Members
Right, FISHINGmagic members, what will you be doing during National Fishing Week? E-mail me, graham@fishingmagic.com and tell me what you’ll be doing.
Who knows, we may promote your event. Just let us know what you’re doing and we’ll get back to you.
This is what it’s all about, and it takes place from 19th to 28th August 2000
What is UK National Fishing Week?
It is a week, or more precisely, ten days, in August during which people who have never fished can be introduced to our sport. UK National Fishing Week is part of the World Fishing Week Programme. Various other countries such as the USA, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, France, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Singapore and Japan are already participating and many more countries have plans to participate in the future. The first UK National Fishing Week was in 1992 and it has expanded each year since its inception. In 1999 over 400,000 people took part in 4993 events all over the country. With your help we hope to make 2000 even more successful. 
The aims of National Fishing Week are twofold:
To improve the lifestyle of disabled people, youngsters, retired people, women and non-anglers by introducing them to angling as an enjoyable, relaxing, therapeutic and environmentally friendly pastime, and…to increase individual commitment to, and participation in, the conservation and enhancement of our aquatic resources.
Practically everyone associated with angling in any way, from individuals to clubs, trade associations, government departments and the media, has offered to help in making UK National Fishing Week 2000 a success.
The Steering Committee is made up of representatives of the following organisations and individuals:
Anglers Conservation Association
Angling Trade Association
Association of Stillwater Game Fishery Managers
Association of Scottish Stillwater Fisheries
British Fishing Tackle Retailers Association
British Waterways
Commercial Coarse Fisheries Association
Daily Star
David Hall Publishing Ltd
EMAP Pursuit Publishing Ltd
Environment Agency
IPC Magazines Ltd
Metropolitan Police Youth & Communities Section
National Federation of Anglers
National Federation of Sea Anglers
Premier Fisheries UK
Radio 5
Salmon and Trout Association
Tackle and Guns
Tackle Talk International
The Angling Foundation
The Environment Agency
The Mozzie Patch
The Sports Council
The Sun Newspaper
Vince Lister Agency
Warwick District Council
Water Services Association
Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers
What is actually going to happen?
Well, there will be all sorts of events taking place through the week – Teach-ins, Family Fishing Days, Seminars, Workshops, Disabled Anglers Days, Children’s Competitions, Casting Clinics, Beach Sessions, Boat Sessions, Angling Festivals, etc.
The opening event will be the ACA Celebrity Masters at Hayfield Lakes, Doncaster. All the stars will be there and the events will include a Tombola, Fun Stalls, raffles etc. 4-5000 are expected to attend and it will be a great Family Fun Day.
The week will open on Saturday with events every day until the final day on Monday, 28th August 2000. There will be Press, Radio and TV reports and coverage, Radio phone-in programmes, etc.
Organisation
The country has been divided into regions roughly coinciding with the regions of the Environment Agency. Each region will have a Regional Organiser who will liaise with the National Organiser to co-ordinate the efforts of Local Organisers, each of whom will be responsible for an event or events within a local area. The Environment Agency will arrange blanket licences for events. The National Co-ordinator, who will oversee the entire operation is Vince Lister.
Regional and Local Organisers
Of course the whole thing falls apart without organisers and so they are looking for volunteers to run events. They can be angling clubs, schools, scouts, guides, tackle shops, youth clubs, etc, in fact anyone with an interest in fishing, but most of all individuals who are prepared to give a little of their time to making someone’s life better and more worthwhile living. Regional organisers to co-ordinate the efforts of the local organisers are also essential and they badly need volunteers for this. ALL organisers will be invited to the Go Fishing 2001 Exhibition and to a special Celebration Dinner and Presentation.
Could you organise an event – or help others to do so?
Could you get Mums and Dads together for a fishing trip? Could you, with some friends or your club, arrange to take a party of underprivileged children, or some disabled people for a day’s fishing? Could you organise a fishing “Teach-in” with a local school or youth club? Could you run a competition for local youngsters? Could you handle a tackle workshop and show those less fortunate than you how to make the best of old or second-hand tackle? Could you co-ordinate the efforts of several local organisers and help on a regional basis?
Could you simply “Take a Friend Fishing”?
If you would like to do something during UK National Fishing Week 2000 but are not sure how to go about it, if you would like to help someone else discover the joys of fishing, if you want to give someone less privileged than yourself a chance to improve his or her lifestyle, if you want to be part of this great effort to share our sport, The National Fishing Week Committee can help.
ACTION MANUAL
The Committee has prepared an Action Manual for National Fishing Week. It contains a list of suggestions for events; a planning programme showing what to do; a count down programme showing when to do it; tips on how to get publicity, how to get sponsorship, skeleton press releases; specimen registration forms and participants certificates; the Junior Angler’s Code of Conduct – everything you need to organise an event. And remember all organisers get a Certificate and there are national awards for the best event, the best series of events, the most original event and regional awards for the best event in each region. These will be presented at the special Celebration Dinner to which all event organisers are invited.
The Action Manual is available free of charge to anyone who would like to help. To obtain a copy just drop an e-mail to Vince Lister at vince@listrage.supanet.com and they’ll send you one. Why not try? You’ll be doing someone a great favour by teaching them to fish and you’ll have fun doing it. Send an e-mail right away.
Or you can contact them by mail or phone for the Action Manual:
Vince Lister
National Fishing Week
FREEPOST (RG3254)
WIMBORNE
Dorset
BH21 3ZZ
Tel 01202 889430
Mobile 07785 596397
Fax 01202 889479
