In a recent interview for Anglers Say, John Mitchell who, as the recently elected Vice President of the still influential coarse angling governing body the National Federation of Anglers (NFA) revealed, “The three governing bodies have met and debated the need for a single governing body for angling which will have the responsibility to recruit, train and develop talent within our sport along with the responsibility to protect angling from those who will attack it.”

John added “It is clear that such a change in governance will require additional funding from Sport England and to achieve this increase I can confirm that we have met the initial challenge from Sport England to produce an outline of angling’s whole sport plan and it has been sent to them prior to their deadline”.


Martin Salter MP

Martin Salter MP, the Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling & Shooting who, following his recent achievement in guiding the Moran Committee to success in negotiating the relaxations to the onerous licensing procedures for the control of cormorants (see FISHINGmagic article) commented on the interim Anglers Say report “I’ve always argued that we should make the case to increase the Rod Licence to fund a governing body for angling.”

Martin, whose political efforts have arguably shown him to be the architect for modernisation in angling governance cautioned, “However, to have any chance of selling it to anglers the governing body would have to be able to prove that it could provide a 21st century service.”

Martin added “It is up to angling to come up with a sensible and modern proposal, and if they do, then yes, Sport England should pump some life-blood into angling modernisation”

In order to increase the deserved recognition of angling as our largest participant sport, Anglers Say contributor Terry Fell, the President of the NFA, has used his acknowledged political skill in masterminding the ‘Future of Freshwater Angling Seminar’ to be held at Nottingham’s National Water Sport Centre on November 1st where NFA Members will be able to question angling luminaries such as Martin Salter MP, NFA Biologist Dr Keith Hendry and Dr Dafydd Evans the Environment Agency’s Head of Fisheries.

To add to this undoubted coup Terry has convinced The Right Hon Richard Caborn MP, The Minister of Sport, to open the Seminar.

To ‘have your say’ on the Keith Arthur’s current funding question click here, and submit your comments via the ‘contact us’ button. We will make sure Martin and Terry receive your comments prior to their Seminar.

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