The Angling Trust - Club membership

[Stu]

I appreciate that this may have to go to an EGM but can I suggest that the club joins the Angling Trust. I am making an assumption that ABAC is not a member at present as I could not find the club on the Angling Trust website.

For those that do not know, the Angling Trust was formed in 2009 through a merger of the majority of angling bodies that existed at that time, such as the NFA and the ACA. It is therefore our representative body and looks after the interests of coarse, sea and game anglers. Both clubs and individuals can join.

The benefits for a club joining includes;
>Discounted civil liability insurance - this could save ABAC some money.

>Free advertising on the Angling Trust web site including on their online map - this could lead to more members for ABAC.

>Free legal advice for Fish Legal members on a range of angling-related legal issues. Fish Legal has two expert in-house solicitors and a legal assistant who deal with legal questions. Fish Legal takes and meets the costs of legal action for Fish Legal members against polluters and anyone else who damages fisheries. They have over 70 cases currently ongoing and recently secured £19,000 compensation plus re-stocking for a club who has a stretch of the River Derwent.

>Representation of clubs’ interests to Government and its agencies including Environment Agency, British Waterways and Natural England.

>Invitation to County Angling Action Group meetings where clubs can work in partnership with other Angling Trust member clubs and fishery owners to secure funds for angling development projects.

>Invitation to local fishery/consultatives group to discuss other matters of
local interest/concern.

>Free lobbying for protection of fisheries and angling on issues such as fish disease, cormorant control and environmental legislation. This includes the current risks of hydropower stations being installed on the river Avon that will affect waterflow and fish migration.

>Free advice sheets on fisheries management issues such as predator control, invasive weeds, poaching and the Reservoirs Act.

>Access to UK Coaching Certificate endorsed coaching qualifications.

>Advice on funding and applications for Clubmark for Angling accreditation.

>Regular updates on Angling Trust’s activities and issues affecting fishery
and anglers’ interests.

>Clubs can also earn commission (£5) for each member who signs up as an individual member.

>Various discounts, such as on fishing platforms which we could use on venues like Abbotts Salford (both river and lake)

Membership, for a club with 500>1000 members, is currently £567 and lasts for a complete 12 month period. That's roughly £1/person for ABAC.

More detail can be found at
http://anglingtrust.net/page.asp?sectio ... lubs://url[/url]

[Stu]

Just by way of an update, the Angling Trust have recently published details of their "Building Bridges" campaign aimed at informing migrants that they need to obtain EA licences and day/membership tickets to fish; that close seasons are observed on rivers; and, importantly, not to steal, cook or kill fish. Various literature is available, with some poster images available for clubs to use to display at their own fisheries, such as the following image;



More details of the Trust's work on this can be found at;

http://www.anglingtrust.net/page.asp?section=709&sectionTitle=Building+Bridges+with+Migrant+Anglers