Martin, who stood down from the House of Commons at the last election, has recently returned from a fishing and writing sabbatical in Australia which saw him publish a landmark report – Keep Australia Fishing – on the challenges facing the recreational fishing sector. Martin has made good his pre election promise to return and campaign for a better deal for both anglers and for the fisheries on which our sport depends. This new, part time post has been made possible following donations from the Angling Trades Association (ATA) and two individual benefactors who support the Angling Trust.
Martin is to be based within the Angling Trust but will be working across the sector as a whole to promote greater unity and improved joint working. In addition to assisting in campaigning, fundraising and political lobbying, Martin hopes to help drive up membership and increase participation in both the AT and ATA.
National Campaigns Coordinator – Principal Roles:
– Supporting angling participation programmes
– Liaising with angling trades & other representative angling bodies
– Parliamentary and Ministerial liaison and political lobbying
– Membership recruitment & engagement
– Campaigns and communication
– Raising the media profile of angling
– Strategy advice and policy development
Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon MP said:
“I am really pleased that Martin will be active in the Angling Trust working with the Angling Trades Association to promote angling across the UK. Over the years I have built a healthy respect for Martin’s knowledge and passion for angling. I look forward to working with him in his new role and to seeing more people of all ages on our river banks and lakes.”
Charles Walker MP, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Angling said:
“I believe that Martin Salter has been one of the most outstanding politicians of his generation when it comes to the championing of fishing interests. His depth and breadth of knowledge continues to be appreciated across the political spectrum, as does his campaigning zeal.”
Mark Lloyd, Angling Trust Chief Executive said:
“Martin Salter is quite simply the best person the Angling Trust could possibly employ to campaign for anglers’ interests. He has great contacts in Parliament, an encyclopaedic knowledge of angling and fisheries issues, and huge experience of communicating and lobbying at every level. We are very grateful to everyone who donated to make this possible. We hope that his appointment will encourage more individual anglers to get off the fence and join the Angling Trust so that we can continue to expand our work fighting for fish and fishing.”
