Angling Trust Campaigns and Environment Impact Report 2025

CAMPAIGNS & ENVIRONMENT IMPACT REPORT 2025

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

2

The Angling Trust’s aim is to protect and improve recreational angling and fish stocks through: LOBBYING & CAMPAIGNING: On behalf of members and the angling community to protect and improve fish stocks and the right to fish for them.

ANGLING & ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS: Working with the Environment Agency and others to carry out projects to improve angling and the water environment.

MEMBERSHIP & FUNDRAISING: Providing membership benefits to a wide range of categories of membership, administering subscriptions and raising funds for the Angling Trust & Fish Legal.

PROMOTING & DEVELOPING ANGLING: Increasing the diversity and number of participants in angling, the frequency of participation and the standards of safeguarding and coaching.

COMPETITIONS: Providing a wide range of Angling Trust regional and national competitions in England for all angling disciplines and supporting England’s national teams to win medals.

Our campaigning and environmental work would not be possible without the generous support of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

3

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

MEET THE CAMPAIGNS & ENVIRONMENT TEAM

Emily Smith Head of Environment

Martin Salter Head of Policy

Peter Morgan Sea Angling Engagement Officer

Hannah Rudd Head of Marine

Stuart Singleton-White Head of Campaigns & Advocacy

Sam Jones Salmon Engagement Officer

Alex Farquhar Campaigns & Advocacy Officer

Jemma Jewkes Charter Boat Officer

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

4

FOREWORD BY JAMIE COOK, CEO Anglers know the importance of a clean and healthy aquatic environment. It is central to the Angling Trust’s mission to protect, promote, and develop angling. The benefits of a healthy environment— for fish and for people who enjoy the delights of fishing—are obvious.

Whether it is getting close to nature, supporting wellbeing, or simply finding time to step away from the rush of modern life and relax, we want more people across generations, genders, and diverse communities to take up angling.

We also know that the environment, which is fundamental to angling, is not as healthy as it should be. Many anglers spend hours on a favourite stretch of river, a fishing lake, or a coastal mark, and have seen the devastating impact that pollution and poor management are having. Too many of the fish species we love are in decline. Poor water quality, devastating fish kills from major pollution events, overabstraction, widespread habitat destruction, and sea fishing quotas set above scientific advice are all putting immense pressure on our waters.

I am, however, optimistic—and proud of the work the team at the Angling Trust is doing to fight for fish, fishing, and the environment.

I am proud of the support from our members and anglers across the country; proud of the angling clubs and groups who are out there every day working to improve their fisheries and their environment; and proud to work with the funders who support what we do and share our vision.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

The Campaigns and Environment Impact Report 2025 shows why I am optimistic. Whether it is growing our Water Quality Monitoring Network to over 800 volunteers across 80 catchments, expanding into estuaries and still waters, or developing other citizen science projects led by anglers—such as those focused on bass, pollack, and black bream. Whether it is the increasing number of practical conservation projects taking place around the country, or the local campaigns being run by anglers to protect their waters and wildlife. Or whether it is our growing influence on policymaking across government and regulators such as the Environment Agency, including the acceptance of much of the evidence we presented to the Independent Water Commission, or our increasingly important role in the development of fisheries management plans in coastal waters.

And finally, I am optimistic because the Angling Trust is not alone in this fight. We work with a wide range of coalitions—within fisheries, and more broadly across conservation and wildlife organisations.

We have fantastic support from funders such as Esmée Fairbairn.

But above all, I am buoyed by the passion and commitment I see from anglers every day.

This Impact Report sets out the range of activities we are working on and the successes we are delivering. Thank you for taking the time to read it, and for your continued support.

Jamie Cook

5

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

THE FIGHT FOR CLEAN WATERS STARTS WITH YOU. WE TAKE IT ALL THE WAY.

6

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

7

CONTENTS About the Angling Trust

2

Meet the Campaigns and Environment Team

3

Foreword by Jamie Cook, CEO

4

Highlights for 2025

8

Action on Pollution

10

Water Quality Monitoring Network 12 Anglers Against Litter 23 Environment and Policy Action

25

Independent Water Commission 26 Love Fishing Love Nature 29 Providing Environmental Advice to Clubs and Fisheries

30

Invasive Species Advice 31 Tackling Fish Predation 32 Protecting Our Sea Fish

36

Protecting Marine Fisheries Through Citizen Science

38

Influencing Marine Policy and Strategy 42 Promoting Recreational Sea Angling and Community Engagement

48

Developing Recreational Sea Angling 52 Action on Salmon – Forging a Future for Game Angling

54

SSTAG 56 Working in Partnership to Protect Our Waters

59

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

8

HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2025 This Impact Report sets out many of the key achievements across 2025.

Whether it is campaigning and advocating for policy changes to protect angling and the aquatic environment, using the power of citizen science and partnerships with research bodies to increase our understanding of the fish we love and the threats to their environment and survival, or carrying out practical conservation work to improve the environment for fish and other wildlife, with your support, we will continue to fight for fish, fishing, and the environment.

HERE ARE SOME OF THIS YEAR’S HIGHLIGHTS: •

Our angler-led water quality monitoring network (WQMN) now involves over 800 volunteers from the angling community and beyond. They now monitor 80 catchments across all four countries in the UK and have collected over 10,000 samples.

•

Those 10,000 samples have shown a failure rate in our rivers of 34% for phosphate, and 45% for nitrates. In the hot dry spring of 2025, nitrate pollution was above recommended levels in 53% of cases, and ammonia levels had doubled since 2023.

•

The WQMN expanded into estuaries with a pilot on the Ribble estuary. 180 samples were taken, and levels of inorganic nitrogen meant the estuary was classed as poor in many samples taken. The project is now monitoring seven more estuaries around our coast.

•

We launched a pilot, alongside the Freshwater Biological Association, to develop “Lakefly” allowing us to assess the biological health of our still waters alongside their chemical health using the WQMN equipment. In developing the right methodology, we will be expanding this work in 2026 to give us a richer picture of the health of many of our still waters.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

•

Our Anglers Against Litter work continued to expand into coastal communities, with 60 sea angling clubs doing litter picks and 50 line recycling bins installed at popular sea angling spots.

•

We have continued to develop the important role recreational sea angling plays in research and science through several partnerships with research bodies and universities. This includes projects on bass, black bream, and pollack where our Pollack Pact gives advice on best practice and we gave away 85 descending devices to charter skippers and boat anglers to help reduce fish mortality.

•

We relaunched and are developing our regional network of sea angling, giving anglers a stronger voice in local byelaw making and local fisheries management decisions by IFCAs.

•

Working with our regional game angling associations, we delivered 700 survey responses to the Environment Agency’s informal consultation on changes to salmon and sea trout management in advance of a new byelaw expected in 2026/27.

THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY WORK WE: •

Submitted detailed evidence to the Independent Water Commission, much of which was taken up.

•

Engaged extensively in shaping a range of fisheries management plans that impact on species of recreational interest.

•

Pushed for more action on the control and management of invasive species.

•

Pushed for more action to protect chalk streams from the impact of development.

•

With the Missing Salmon Alliance, argued for more action to protect salmon across its range through the measures taken by NASCO, the inter-governmental body..

YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS IMPACT REPORT.

9

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

10

ACTION ON POLLUTION

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

11

As anglers, we are the frontline witnesses of the devastation caused by sewage, agricultural runoff, plastics and chemicals. It has been a busy year for the Anglers Against Pollution campaign in our fight to protect and restore our rivers, lakes and seas from all forms of pollution.

We have been demanding stronger laws, tougher enforcement, and urgent action from the government and polluters. Through evidence, advocacy, and community action, we have been working to hold polluters to account, safeguard habitats and wildlife, and ensure that future generations inherit waters that are clean, healthy, and full of life.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

12

Water Quality Monitoring Network The Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQMN) continues to grow in scale and impact. As of Autumn 2025, 800 volunteers have taken water samples from more than 80 river catchments. Our first kits have been sent to Northern Ireland, expanding our coverage to all four nations.

In the summer, we hit the milestone of 10,000 water samples, making the WQMN the largest regular citizen science water quality monitoring programme in the UK. The vast dataset collected has informed local groups and the Angling Trust team’s campaigns for cleaner waterways and our reports continue to attract national media attention, keeping water pollution at the forefront of the public mind. Following a successful pilot in the Ribble Estuary, the WQMN has been rolled out nationwide in Estuaries – a vital yet poorly understood habitat when it comes to water quality.

In our mission to monitor waterways from source to sea, we are also expanding the WQMN’s coverage to still waters, where we are testing a pioneering approach to combine Lakefly invertebrate monitoring with WQMN chemical monitoring. As well as innovating in new habitats, the Angling Trust is embracing technology – launching its interactive WQMN online map to allow volunteers, regulators, and anyone interested in water quality to explore our vast database.

WQMN: REPORTS What sets the WQMN apart from other citizen science projects is the fact that volunteers regularly monitor the same location over several years. This allows us to understand how water quality is changing over time, which we publish in reports to inform the public, regulators and the government.

13

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

Our second annual report analysed the first two years of data, finding a remarkable similarity between the two years results. In 2023, 35% of sites failed to meet good ecological status for phosphate pollution, and 44% showed signs of nitrate pollution. In 2024, 34% failed the phosphate test and 45% indicated nitrate pollution. Clearly, river health is not improving at the rate promised by successive governments – a fact our report drew national attention to in the Guardian.

Spring 2025 was the hottest on record, surpassing the record set just last year. It was also one of the driest too, with river levels around the UK desperately low. Climate change and pollution are combining with terrible effects on river ecosystems. We produced a spring report, which compared spring 2025 with the two previous years. The results were shocking, with 53% of samples showing signs of nitrate pollution, and the level of ammonia pollution more than doubling since 2023. The report received national media attention in the Times, Independent and BBC, and continues to be used in our evidence-based advocacy work.

45%

10,000 Samples

34% Phosphate samples failed 'good ecological status'

Nitrate samples showed signs of pollution (>5ppm)

Water Quality Monitoring Network

775+

2023/24 Report

Volunteers

SPONSORED BY

76

River catchments tested

300+ Angling clubs

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

14

WQMN: ONLINE MAP RELEASED In September, the Angling Trust released an interactive online map for the WQMN. This allows volunteers, regulators, and anyone interested in their local water courses to extract easily understandable graphs of river health over time. Looking forward, this will be a powerful tool for local angling clubs and the Angling Trust to drive progress in river management. You can explore the online map here.

Figure 1. Water Quality Monitoring Data Map.

The map has several interfaces where users can explore all parameters, filtered by river or site name. With just a few clicks of the filter, volunteers can extract impactful graphs such as the one shown above, without the need to manipulate the dataset using excel or any other data processing software.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

EVERY POLLUTED RIVER IS A CALL TO ACTION– AND WE HAVE ANSWERED.

15

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

16

WQMN: LOCAL GROUP CAMPAIGN SUCCESSES Local angling groups and community organisations are demonstrating remarkable progress in protecting and restoring freshwater environments across the UK. Through dedicated citizen science, strategic engagement, and direct action, they are becoming indispensable drivers of change, often revealing pollution issues and securing tangible commitments from water companies and regulators.

In the Medway catchment, the Royal Tunbridge Wells Angling Society (RTWAS) has made significant strides, going beyond initial pollution identification to influence systemic change. Our 2nd annual report found a 100% phosphate failure rate across 15 regularly monitored sites in the catchment, with an average phosphate reading of 0.672 ppm, more than double the Water Framework Directive (WFD) upper limit.

The RTWAS are an exemplary group who capture the key ways local groups are driving change. They have been regularly monitoring using their yellow box for years, building up a huge dataset in their catchments. They have expanded the range of parameters to include emerging pollutants including E. Coli and Riverfly invertebrate studies.

Perhaps most importantly, they are engaging with regulators to further enhance monitoring and river management. They worked closely with the EA to demonstrate irrefutably that over 90% of pollution stemmed from Southern Water’s wastewater treatment works and combined sewer overflow in the stretch they monitor.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

17

Following RTWAS's data and advocacy, the EA agreed to install 24/7 monitoring equipment at a treated sewage outfall for six months.

RTWAS was instrumental in the appointment of a new Senior Environmental Monitoring Officer/Citizen Science Lead within the EA, fostering a much closer working relationship and joint projects.

The WQMN has precipitated a snowball effect of citizen science and campaigning across many catchments. In the River Itchen, local fly fishers, having joined the WQMN in 2022, formed the Upper Itchen Restoration Community Interest Company. They have conducted a study of microplastics, collaborating with other environmental groups and Brighton University, as reported in the BBC. The River Kennet is one of around 200 precious chalk streams, supporting a unique and fragile ecosystem renowned for its wildlife and fish species such as trout and grayling. It is already under pressure from both sewage and agricultural pollution as well as habitat degradation.

Plans were put forward to establish an intensive poultry unit to house 32,000 chickens in an area located within the floodplain of the River Kennet at Hamstead Marshall in a highly sensitive Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

18

In response, local anglers joined forces with the wider community to halt poultry units in the Kennet Valley. The campaign sought to highlight the threats the proposal posed to this chalk stream and SSSI and pushed for more action and intervention from both the Environment Agency and Natural England. The planning application was rejected by the local council in August. In doing so, West Berkshire Council's refusal notice highlighted the arguments made by the Angling Trust and Fish Legal on behalf of their member clubs and fisheries in the area and reflected the concerns of Natural England, the Environment Agency, Action for the River Kennet (ARK), River Action and others. A large proportion of the 233 objections were submitted by members of Reading & District AA, Newbury AA, Civil Service AA, Red Spinners AS and other angling interests concerned at the potential damage to this famous river.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

19

WQMN: MONITORING WATER CONTROL IN ESTUARIES Estuaries provide vital ecosystem services, including flood protection, carbon sequestration, and nursery habitat that help address climate change and biodiversity loss. They also hold deep cultural value, offering accessible spaces for recreation, wellbeing, and connection to nature.

Yet estuarine water quality is poorly understood and under monitored.

In England, 81 percent of estuaries fail to meet Water Framework Directive standards, underscoring the urgent need to restore these habitats. In Wales, statutory testing shows nutrient pollution is the main reason coastal Marine Protected Areas fail conservation objectives, but monitoring covers only a third of the network. Comprehensive monitoring is essential to assess, advocate for, and protect our coastal waters.

To address this challenge, the Angling Trust developed the Estuary Water Quality Monitoring Network, a pioneering citizen science initiative that empowers UK anglers to become active stewards of their local waters. To ensure a high-quality monitoring scheme, a pilot project was held on the Ribble Estuary in partnership with the Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM). A successful monitoring network must keep volunteers safe while accurately measuring against relevant governmental water quality standards. With IFM’s expertise in estuary volunteer safety and by measuring against the physiochemical standards of the Water Framework Directive, we were ready for our pilot project.

Figure 2: Sampling Dissolved Oxygen,

20

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

Over a two-month period, we worked with dedicated local volunteers to trial equipment, assess feasibility, and refine our sampling methodology. A total of 180 samples were taken from the Ribble Estuary during this time frame by nine volunteers, with sampling effort spread from the upper tidal limit to the lower boundary. Measurements were taken of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, a measure of nutrient enrichment in winter months, and Dissolved Oxygen, the amount of available oxygen within water to allow aquatic organisms to breathe.

This project found that within the Ribble Estuary the concentration of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen fell within the ‘Poor’ classification of the Water Framework Directive standards. More broadly, the results of this pilot showed it is entirely feasible for citizens to safely and accurately carry out water quality testing that can provide enlightening insights into our estuaries. The ability for this data to be compared against relevant governmental water quality standards provides further strength to the data being collected.

60

Frequency %

50

40

30

20

10

0 0

60

121

182

244

305

366

425

486

547

Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (uMol/L)

HIGH

GOOD

MODERATE

POOR

Figure 3: Frequency distribution of Ribble Estuary Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) measurements within the WFD water quality standards for DIN.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

21

In May, we concluded the Ribble pilot and publicly launched the network, receiving fantastic support from anglers nationwide. With the network expanding, our first new volunteers are now sampling in seven estuaries across the country. As more anglers join, the power of our data will only grow.

Government bodies have taken note, collaborating with us to fill data gaps and feed our evidence into statutory assessments such as the Ribble Estuary Marine Conservation Zone. This support highlights the cultural, recreational, and ecological importance of our estuaries.

Combined with our River Water Quality Monitoring Network, we can now track water quality from source to sea like never before, showcasing the power of citizen science.

WQMN: EXPANDING INTO LAKES Two-thirds of freshwater biodiversity is found in still waters (lakes and ponds). These vital habitats act as key stepping stones in the landscape, providing essential ecosystem functions and supporting catchment resilience to climate change, pollution, and habitat degradation. Understanding and monitoring these habitats is crucial to assess their current status, their contribution to biodiversity, and to guide ongoing management and restoration in support of environmental targets and nature recovery. Fisheries and angling clubs are important stakeholders in this work, many owning or leasing thousands of still waters across the UK. Engaging this community and empowering them to monitor and improve habitats can embed biodiversity within their sites and unlock significant environmental benefits across the waterscape.

22

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

Work by initiatives such as CastCo has highlighted the need for consistent monitoring approaches to ensure data from citizen science and community monitoring can be integrated with other methods to provide a comprehensive picture of the state of our water environment.

It has also highlighted the wide variety of methods currently used and the importance of collaboration to consolidate approaches, creating unified monitoring methods rather than numerous incompatible ones.

Working with the Freshwater Biological Association, the Angling Trust has launched a Lakefly monitoring programme, building on the well-recognised Riverfly approach and adapting it for lakes. We are currently testing the Lakefly methodology across a range of stocked waters, covering diverse trophic states, hydrology, size, and fish assemblages. This pilot continues until December 2025. Results will inform a finalised approach, which the Angling Trust will roll out and promote to fisheries, clubs, and through our established still water WQMN next spring.

Our first groups attended training days to understand the best methodology for combining Lakefly invertebrate monitoring with the chemical testing undertaken by the WQMN using the yellow boxes.

With the best methodology having been established, we are rolling out this innovative project nationwide as part of our mission to monitor and protect rivers, lakes and seas.

Figure 4: The Angling Trust Fisheries Support Officers undertaking Lakefly training with the FBA on Windermere ahead of testing the approach on fisheries around England.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

23

Anglers Against Litter Litter poses a significant and persistent threat to aquatic environments.

Waste that enters rivers, lakes, canals and coastal waters does not simply remain where it is dropped – it is carried by currents, wind and tides, spreading pollution far beyond its original source. Discarded items can entangle animals, and plastic litter, which does not biodegrade, breaks down into smaller microplastics that are ingested by fish, birds and other wildlife. This presents a ticking time bomb, with the creation of vast plastic garbage patches in the ocean, and microplastics found in over one-third of freshwater and marine fish around the world. The presence of litter also impacts the enjoyment of these environments. The tranquillity of spending time by the water, such as fishing or walking along the riverbank, can be negatively impacted by the sight of litter scattered across the landscape.

In some cases, it can also create hazards, from broken glass to sharp metal, making spaces less safe for families and recreational users.

Litter continues to present an issue from source to sea. However, there is growing momentum to address this issue. Across the country, anglers from headwaters down to our coasts are taking action to protect the places they value most. In 2025, we have continued to work with our trade sponsor Shimano, to provide litter picking equipment to the angling community group to empower them to remove litter from their local water bodies. We continued our support for the Great British Spring Clean

24

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

and Plastic Blitz, organising and supporting events through our Anglers Against Litter network. We were also fortunate to receive funding from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) through their Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) to strengthen our ability to support recreational sea fishers – installing 50 Anglers National Line Recycling Bins in key locations around England to enable old line and spools to be recycled into new products, supporting 60 sea angling clubs with equipment, and undertaking an innovative pilot with Reduce Reuse Aquatic Plastic (ReAP UK) in south-east England to collect and recycle aquatic plastic collected by this community through a company in the UK. This pilot highlighted the significant proportion of aquatic plastic that is being washed up along our coastlines, but also, the opportunity for most of this to be recycled, breaking the cycle of litter being taken to landfill.

As well as empowering community action, the Angling Trust has continued to call for action to reduce litter at its source and strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) across the UK. We wrote to Defra following the ‘Environment Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) draft regulations' to outline our concern that these draft regulations did not go far enough, with the need to include all single use wet wipes, and tighter restrictions on their use by businesses. We have also worked with Wildlife and Countryside Link to call for infrastructure to support the recycling of old commercial nets and the Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme – the latter of which is largely run by volunteers, to support a circular route to recycle old equipment.

Looking forward to 2026, we will continue to advocate for tighter restrictions on plastic and work closely with angling organisations and our partners to take action to ensure cleaner, healthier waters.

Figure 5: A beachside Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme disposal point.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

25

ENVIRONMENT & POLICY

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

26

Independent Water Commission In July, the Independent Water Commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, published its long-awaited report into the water sector in England and Wales. The purpose of the Commission was to examine how water companies and the regulators operate, how the sector is failing, and what is needed to ensure our water infrastructure is improved, customers interests are protected, companies are run properly, and the environment is protected and improved. The final report contained 88 recommendations for the government to now consider.

Providing evidence to the Independent Water Commission, and subsequently responding to its recommendations, and what the government now needs to do, has been the main focus of our policy and advocacy across 2025.

Both the Angling Trust and Fish Legal presented detailed evidence and arguments to the commission as it worked to pull together its recommendations. This included a number of calls around the need to reform the role and function of the regulators, who had so clearly failed in their duties, including the abolition of OFWAT. The need for a new approach to how we manage water for the benefit of both people and the environment, bringing decisions closer to the areas that will be impacted by those decisions. The need to tackle the appalling state of our water infrastructure to ensure it is fit for purpose and is resilient to future pressures from economic growth, population growth, and climate change. And the need to ensure the protection of environment is the main priority of any new system for managing water in meeting our needs while not degrading the environment through pollution or through taking too much water out of our rivers and aquifers.

Central to our call to protect the environment was both the Angling Trust’s and Fish Legal’s evidence to ensure the measures and purpose

27

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

of the water framework directive were maintained. The water framework directive is good law. It remains the most effective way we can protect our water environment. As the Pickering court case clearly demonstrated, there is nothing wrong with the law, but there are major failings in the way both government and the Environment Agency have implemented that law, and taken the necessary steps to protect our rivers, lakes and sea. We, along with many environmental groups, argued strongly in favour of retaining the water framework directive.

“Our purpose is clear. Water must serve both people and the living systems that depend on it.”

Stuart Singleton-White

Much of the evidence we presented to the Independent Water Commission was accepted, and the Angling Trust was referenced extensively throughout the final report. This included the abolition of OFWAT and the creation of a single regulator for water; the creation of regional management structures in England based on the river basin regions and defined by hydrological boundaries; and the need to invest more in maintaining existing infrastructure (fixing the leaks, maintaining sewage treatment works properly, etc) to ensure they function as they should and do not fail, alongside investing in new infrastructure such as reservoirs.

We were less successful in making the case to retain the water framework directive as it currently is but are continuing to make the case to government in this regard.

In response to the Independent Water Commission’s recommendations, the government immediately accepted two of its, and our, recommendations concerning the creation of a single regulator and

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

28

setting up regional government structures. They are now considering the other recommendations contained in the report and will be publishing a White Paper before the end of 2025 and a new Water Reform Bill in the next session of parliament. There is a lot of work still to do if we are going to achieve a water system that puts the interests of the environment and fish front and centre of its purpose.

Our work will continue, and we have now published a detailed report setting out what the government needs to include in its White Paper and the forthcoming Water Reform Bill. We will continue to work with other environmental groups through the Blueprint for Water coalition to promote our common interests when it comes to protecting the environment, and we are continuing to push the case that while sorting out our water companies performance is important, we have to tackle other threats to our environment, from agriculture and the way we use land, to the impacts of transport, economic development, and new emerging chemicals.

Protecting our aquatic environment remains a central purpose of our policy and advocacy efforts across both freshwater and marine.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

29

Love Fishing Love Nature Some 56% of anglers get involved in environmental volunteering once a month, compared to only 4% of the general population. Furthermore, the National Angling Survey found that experiencing nature and scenery, was important to 90% of anglers. Our Love Fishing Love Nature campaign aims to highlight the great work that clubs, fisheries and individuals are doing to protect the environment and their local waters and encourage further action to make space for nature in angling blue spaces.

30

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

Providing Environmental Advice to Clubs and Fisheries The Fisheries Support Service was formally launched in November 2024, to provide fisheries and clubs with advice and guidance to help them grow and develop. This new initiative was developed as part of a four-year partnership between the Angling Trust and the Environment Agency, to provide comprehensive support for clubs on a variety of issues, including environmental education and the implementation of best practice.

Over the past 10 months we have provided support to over 700 clubs, including 200 site visits to provide bespoke technical advice to empower holistic fisheries development and biodiversity enhancement.

Through the expertise of the team on the ground and working closely with the Environment Agency and Institute of Fisheries Management clubs are provided with advice on how to implement improvements which provide simultaneous benefits for fish, fishing and wildlife.

Funding such as the Angling Trust's Angling Improvement Fund for Invasive Species funded over £1.1 million in 2024-25. This included work to improve climate resilience or biodiversity, manage invasive species or other threats, or undertake specialist training.

→ 2500 volunteer hours

LAKEWOOD, CHRISTCHURCH, HABITAT IMPROVEMENT

Anecdotal evidence

→ Dredge the silt, stabilise the banks, planting wildflowers, creating habitats for wildlife

from local community

→ Angling and wildlife thrive together

maintenance of

state that flooding nearby homes has been reduced thanks to the improved the site.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

31

Invasive Species Advice Over the past year, the Angling Trust has made significant progress in tackling invasive species and equipping the angling community with the knowledge and tools to protect their local waterways.

A key achievement was the production and launch of a new online training module designed specifically for angling clubs, anglers and their volunteers. This module outlines what invasive species are, how they can impact fish, fishing and the environment, and best practice around invasive species management, biosecurity implementation, reporting sighting and relevant legislation. This resource not only encourages clubs to embed biosecurity into their everyday practices, reducing the risk of invasive species being introduced or spread, but also outlines practical guidance on managing those established on site. To complement this, the Environment team have continued to provide on the ground training and specialist advice to clubs on invasive species, outlining management best practice, and encouraging the implementation of “Check, Clean, Dry” practices to reduce the introduction of species – the most effective way to manage this threat.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

32

Alongside this, the Trust continues to play an active role in national partnerships, contributing expertise as a member of the England Invasive Species Working Group, the Aquatic Biosecurity Partnership, and the GB Floating Pennywort Strategy Working Group. For the latter, the Angling Trust has led the development of a three-year review of the strategy to assess progress and shape future priorities.

We also continue to support Invasive Species Week, with a wide range of programmes of action, from hands-on removal events, educational presentations at both national and local levels, to daily social media campaigns promoting biosecurity and raising invasive species awareness.

Collectively these efforts have strengthened the angling community’s capacity to tackle invasive species, ensuring healthier and more resilient waters for the future.

Tackling Fish Predation The Angling Trust employs two technical specialists in advising clubs and fisheries in ways to protect their waters against predation using, humane, non-lethal means working closely with the licensing teams at Natural England and the Environment Agency. Their specialist areas are otters, seals, cormorants and goosanders.

They are licensed by Natural England to trap otters when accidentally fenced in to fisheries under controlled circumstances and then released outside the fence lines.

Recent years have seen a significant increase in seal incursions into rivers as populations have increased. For example, seals have now been observed on the Thames as far upstream as Windsor.

A case in point is on the river Nene where traditionally the RSPCA have released rescued seals within the tidal range of the Nene. The

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

33

majority of these moved back along the coast to their colonies but four moved upstream, through the tidal navigation locks remaining in the Peterborough area and upstream for over two years. Environment Agency Fisheries staff conducted fish surveys over this time showing a significant decline in fish stocks, in particular bream. The seals were showing clear evidence they were starving. This data when revealed to the RSPCA in a meeting with them showed the issues with this release site and they then agreed to stop using it.

Working with Peterborough & District Anglers and regulators, we helped secure the licences needed to safely capture the seals and transfer them to the RSPCA for health checks and release to the coast. The operation took place under a Natural England licence, with veterinary oversight from the International Zoo Veterinary Group and Marine and Wildlife Rescue. One seal has already been released back to its coastal habitat, and another is being prepared for release by the RSPCA at East Winch. Sadly, the remaining two seals died before they could be rescued.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

34

The River Nene case shows how complex seal management has become: •

Strict wildlife protection laws mean removal is legally challenging.

•

Multiple agencies must be aligned.

•

Local clubs alone cannot overcome these barriers.

Each time the removal process stalled, the Angling Trust stepped in to move it forward – from securing the suspension of RSPCA seal releases at Sutton Bridge and working with the RSPCA to identify suitable alternative sites on the coast, to winning Natural England’s agreement to relocation, to guidance through the licence application process that finally enabled action on the ground.

This operation took two years to complete with a considerable amount of staff time involved to achieve a successful outcome.

The Angling Trust also successfully negotiated a protocol with Natural England and the Environment Agency on the use of acoustic deterrent devices which allowed the use of these devices to move seals in the freshwater environment in a humane way without requiring a licence – these can now be applied on the Nene and more broadly across the country where seals are impacting freshwater fisheries.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

ANGLERS ARE THE FIRST TO WITNESS— AND THE LAST TO GIVE UP.

35

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

36

PROTECTING OUR SEA FISH

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

37

Over the past year, the Angling Trust has continued to champion sustainable recreational sea angling in England and Wales. With the generous support of Esmée Fairbairn, we have strengthened the voice of recreational anglers in fisheries management, expanded engagement in citizen science, and promoted social and wellbeing benefits within coastal communities. Our work demonstrates that anglers are not only stewards of the marine environment but also essential partners in evidence-based policy, volunteer networks, and community development. Our Impact Report summarises a handful of the key initiatives we have been involved with that have supported and strengthened grassroots engagement by the recreational sea angling community and improved engagement in citizen science initiatives.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

38

Protecting Marine Fisheries Through Citizen Science Recreational sea angling is a major user of UK coastal waters, contributing not only to local economies but also to the stewardship of fish stocks and marine habitats. Despite this, the sector has historically been underrepresented in scientific data collection and policy discussions. Addressing this gap is central to the Angling Trust’s mission. The two case studies below represent just a fraction of the growing portfolio of research and citizen science projects the Angling Trust is involved in, both domestically and internationally. Our work spans grassroots angling at the local level through to national and European forums, including feeding directly into stock assessments produced by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), ensuring recreational fisheries are considered alongside other users of the marine environment.

With significant data gaps across social, economic, and environmental parameters, it is vital that we work in close partnership with the sea angling community, regulators, and other stakeholders to plug these gaps. Only through this collaborative, evidence-driven approach can we achieve sustainable fisheries and thriving coastal communities. Our north star is to deliver worldclass recreational fisheries, akin to models in countries such as Australia and the United States, where comprehensive scientific monitoring, integrated management, and governance allow the recreational sector to sit at the table alongside commercial and other fisheries users.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

39

SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES ARE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF SEA ANGLING.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

40

POLLACK F.I.S.P.: EVIDENCE THAT COUNTS Through Pollack F.I.S.P. (Fisheries Industry Science Partnership), recreational anglers and charter skippers have collected robust catch and effort data that directly inform pollack management off southwest England. This work has supported voluntary measures such as the Pollack Pact, encouraged responsible catch and release, and fed into the ICES pollack benchmark, the first stock assessment to formally include recreational catches. The Angling Trust continues to work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to co-design recreational pollack management that supports stock recovery and the socio-economic benefits it provides to coastal communities.

Pollack F.I.S.P. has also catalysed new partnerships with the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO) and the Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association (PFSA), supported by the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme and Fishmongers’ Association. These collaborations highlight the crucial role of angler-led citizen science in shaping both voluntary and statutory management.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

41

CATCHWISE AND THE SEA ANGLING DIARY Catchwise delivered the first on-site survey of recreational sea angling in England and Wales since 2012. With our partners at Cefas and Substance, the Angling Trust conducted a nationwide study to further understand recreational catches and the socio-economic importance of the sector to inform sustainable fisheries management. Alongside the Sea Angling Diary, we empowered anglers to record catches in real time, feeding directly into fisheries monitoring and management. With Esmée Fairbairn support, we have increased participation, improving the quality and breadth of data available for evidence-based policy, alongside strengthening confidence in the project's outputs, as the data from both Catchwise and the Sea Angling Diary largely align.

These tools ensure recreational anglers are central to monitoring and research while providing actionable insights for sustainable fisheries.

42

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

Influencing Marine Policy and Strategy The Angling Trust has been active in shaping national and regional marine policy throughout 2025. Our engagement has included attending the National Marine Park strategy launch, signing onto collaborative advocacy with Wildlife & Countryside Link, such as our letter to Ministers on the Marine Recovery Fund, and our own correspondence with Ministers on Marine Spatial Prioritisation and ecosystem-based fisheries management. We also participate in the UK-EU TAC annual briefing, representing recreational fisheries in discussions on shared stocks.

“Good marine policy depends on strong evidence and strong partnerships.

We are building both.”

Hannah Rudd

We submitted a detailed response to several marine policy consultations, including on the UK Marine Strategy and proposals to implement bottom-trawling bans across the UK’s Marine Protected Area Network. Partnerships are integral to our work and so our support included W&CL submissions on offshore wind compensation and promotion of the 30by30 report at the Wild Summit. Looking ahead, we have begun collaborative working on a bycatch report for 2026.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

43

PARLIAMENTARY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT The Angling Trust continues to work with policymakers and political stakeholders to ensure recreational anglers are represented across legislative and advisory forums. Key parliamentary responses included: •

APPG Ocean Enquiry on Sustainable Ocean Policy

•

APPG Outdoor Recreation Enquiry on Access

•

APPG on Fisheries regarding the Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund

Monitoring parliamentary activity and targeted advocacy ensure the recreational angling community maintains a strong voice in policy and legislative discussions.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

44

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT With the support of Esmée Fairbairn, the Angling Trust is able to plug a critical resource and representation gap for the recreational fishing sector, which is now formally recognised as a key stakeholder in UK marine management under the Fisheries Act (2020). This support allows us to ensure that the voice of recreational anglers is heard in decisions that shape sustainable fisheries and the health of our seas, while also safeguarding the social and economic value of angling for coastal communities.

In 2025, this role has been more important than ever. Scientific advice continues to be overlooked in setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs), with some quotas exceeding recommended levels, creating a pressing need for sustainable fisheries advocacy. The Angling Trust has focused its efforts on pollack, mackerel, and cod, while maintaining a continued emphasis on bass, advocating for precautionary management in line with improved scientific advice. By providing evidence-based recommendations and promoting best practice, we work to ensure that fisheries are managed sustainably and equitably, so that both fish stocks and coastal communities can thrive.

45

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

We continue to play a central role in the UK Government’s Fisheries Management Plan programme. In 2025, the Bass Management Group has been a focal point for the Angling Trust where we represent recreational anglers alongside other stakeholders. Through this group our work has included leading the delivery of best practice handling guidance, opposing proposals to reintroduce a drift net fishery, and collaborating with commercial and conservation partners to ensure fisheries are productive, sustainable, and resilient.

Beyond bass, the Angling Trust has maintained an active presence across fisheries management forums, including: •

Responding to public consultations on the Skate & Ray Fisheries Management Plan

•

Shaping the upcoming Wrasse Complex and Seabream Fisheries Management Plans through their respective Working Groups

•

Working alongside Southern IFCA on their Black Bream MCZ management consultation

•

Collaborating with Sussex IFCA to implement their Hand Gathering Byelaw

Our engagement also spans broader marine governance initiatives, including participation in the Coastal Partnership network, review of the Environmental Audit Committee report on governing the marine environment, and collaborative advocacy on the Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund. These activities reinforce the Angling Trust’s pivotal role as a trusted and informed voice for recreational fisheries, bridging gaps between science, policy, and the community.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

46

CASE STUDY: BLUEFIN TUNA The Angling Trust continues to play a leading role in England’s catchand-release recreational bluefin tuna fishery. Through evidencebased advocacy and angler engagement, we promote catch-andrelease best practice, ensuring that recreational activity is conducted safely, ethically, and in a way that protects the long-term health of the species. In 2025, we have worked closely with anglers, charter operators, and regulatory bodies to provide guidance on handling, and continue to advocate for science-based management alongside strengthened enforcement and training for participants. This work not only safeguards an iconic species but also strengthens the credibility and legitimacy of the recreational bluefin fishery, which is a vital lifeline for coastal communities.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

47

Practical measures to support sustainable recreational fisheries have remained a core priority for the Angling Trust in 2025. The Pollack Pact was promoted widely, with Fisheries and Seafood Scheme-funded descending devices distributed to 85 charter and private boats, helping reduce mortality of released fish and demonstrating how simple, evidence-based interventions can have an immediate conservation impact.

Education, outreach, and the promotion of best-practice handling continue to be central to our approach. Anglers are guided on species-specific techniques for bass, pollack, sharks, and bluefin tuna, ensuring that fish are returned safely to the sea, maximising survival and supporting healthy stocks. Voluntary catch reporting, integrated through the Sea Angling Diary, remains a critical component of delivering sustainable, world-class recreational fisheries, providing the data necessary to inform management decisions and scientific advice.

The Angling Trust also provides targeted support on regulatory measures, including guidance on local byelaws via its Marine Regional Network, such as the newly introduced Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) byelaw in the Sussex IFCA district, helping anglers understand legal requirements and promoting compliance alongside sustainable practice.

These initiatives illustrate how evidence-based citizen science, policy advocacy, and practical fisheries management combine to deliver tangible benefits for fish populations, recreational anglers, and coastal communities. Education and outreach remain pivotal in embedding these practices, ensuring that sustainable recreational fisheries continue to thrive both now and in the future.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

48

Promoting Recreational Sea Angling and Community Engagement

BUILDING A CONNECTED VOLUTEER NETWORK 2025 saw the relaunch of our regional sea angling network. This aims to bring sea angling communities around our coast together, supporting them to have a stronger voice in local fisheries management, promoting the health and wellbeing benefits of sea angling, and working with local stakeholders to improve the economic contribution sea angling can make to often deprived coastal communities.

This network has achieved tangible outcomes, including: •

Advocating with Cley Parish Council on a proposed local angling ban, resulting in an extension to the swim zone and improved understanding of angler needs

•

Facilitating communication between local clubs, RNLI, and councillors, fostering collaboration previously absent in the community

49

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

CHARTER BOATS Charter boats make a major contribution to the economy of coastal communities, providing employment and income, alongside allowing sea anglers to be able to enjoy the sport they love. Their knowledge of local fisheries and their understanding of the local marine environment have also meant they are a vital part of research programmes, including research on bluefin tuna, pollack, and black bream. Yet, too often, they are an ignored sector of our fishing industry when it comes to fisheries management.

Thanks to the support of the Seafarers charity, we were able to secure funding for a Charter Boat Officer to develop a range of initiatives to strengthen engagement with the charter boat community. These include establishing a dedicated Facebook page to facilitate communication, introducing monthly drop-in meetings, and enhancing visibility through Angling Trust social media channels.

In collaboration with CEFAS and the Professional Boatmen’s Association (PBA), we have been working to identify charter boats operating across the United Kingdom. Engagement with these operators is ongoing, supported by the circulation of a sector-wide survey providing valuable data and insights into the current state of the charter boat sector.

Outreach activity has included visits to Weymouth to meet local skippers, attendance at the Tuna Championships in Falmouth, and hosting an all-female tuna angling event, which received national media coverage via the BBC. We have met with various Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) and attended PBA meetings, further developing networks and strengthening relationships within the sector.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

50

Looking ahead, a series of additional in-person engagement events are planned for spring 2026. This will build on the direct support already provided skippers by assisting in the clarification and amendment of a harbour recreational policy, ensuring that it does not require dual licensing by both the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and local harbour authorities. In addition, we are progressing with the development of an enhanced Angling Trust membership package tailored to the needs of charter skippers.

Through the Charter Boat Officer, we are working to ensure the views of charter skippers are represented within key fisheries management discussions, including the Pollack Pact, Bass Management Policy, and the ongoing Tuna Working Group.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

51

CONNECTING WITH BROADER STAKEHOLDERS Through the Marine Regional Network, we have leveraged existing sea angling contacts to engage wider organisations, including Police Sport UK Sea Angling Section, Army Angling Federation, Civil Service Sports Council, and the Sea Anglers Match Federation (SAMF). These connections have enhanced the Angling Trust’s capacity to address local issues and expand outreach.

Consultation with Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) ensures that recreational angler voices are present in discussions on conservation initiatives and byelaws. Field engagement has included visits to boat clubs, youth teams, tackle shops, and meetings with conservationists and local skippers, broadening awareness and fostering partnerships.

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Through the Get Fishing campaign, the Angling Trust introduced young people to sea angling, promoting skills, confidence, and social inclusion. A recent event on the River Wear in Sunderland engaged nine young anglers, linking them with experienced coaches and project leads and demonstrating how recreational angling can support wellbeing, positive activity, and community cohesion.

The young people were not only able to learn some of the skills needed to be a good angler, but also about how to protect the welfare of the fish, fish biology, and the importance of a clean and healthy marine environment.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

52

Developing Recreational Sea Angling YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Esmée Fairbairn support has been pivotal in enabling the Angling Trust to leverage additional funding, strengthen volunteer networks, and expand policy engagement. Combined with other philanthropic and statutory support, this has maximised the impact of each investment, delivering measurable outcomes across sustainable fisheries management, social inclusion, and community engagement.

Esmée Fairbairn’s support has been instrumental in enabling the Angling Trust to: •

Protect marine fisheries through robust citizen science and evidence-based advocacy

•

Promote recreational sea angling as a sustainable, socially valuable activity

•

Develop networks and partnerships that amplify angler voices, influence policy, and engage communities

With the core support of Esmée Fairbairn, we have also unlocked additional funding to diversify and strengthen our time, including: •

Seafarer’s Charity: funding a Charter Boat Officer

•

Waterloo Foundation: supporting a Marine Policy Officer in Wales

•

Fishmongers’ Company: providing match funding to support pollack collaborations

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

53

LOOKING AHEAD In 2026 and beyond, the Angling Trust will continue to place recreational anglers at the centre of marine monitoring, ensure sustainable fisheries remain a priority, and expand programmes that deliver social, wellbeing, and educational benefits across coastal communities. With continued Esmée Fairbairn support, citizen science, advocacy, and engagement networks will be strengthened, further embedding recreational sea angling as a force for sustainable marine management.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

54

ACTION ON SALMON

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

55

The Atlantic salmon is one of Britain’s oldest native species and remains deeply woven into the country’s heritage, culture, and sense of identity. Each year, its journey back through Britain’s network of rivers continues to support local communities and economies. Often seen as a symbol of environmental health, salmon reveals much about the condition of our rivers and oceans, reminding us of how closely our own wellbeing is tied to that of the natural world. Their ability to live in both freshwater and the open sea, combined with their extraordinary migrations, allows salmon to carry nutrients and bridge the gap between marine and river ecosystems. In this way, they not only sustain life within these environments but also enrich human life—through the environments they sustain, the livelihoods they support, and the enjoyment people find in fishing and being close to nature.

Sadly, Atlantic salmon populations are in free fall. The 2024 England and Wales Salmon Stock Assessment is dire, with most rivers at or near the lowest levels in recorded history. Without swift and effective action, there is a genuine risk that these remarkable fish could disappear from many of our rivers within our own lifetimes. This is why Angling Trust remains entirely committed to reversing the decline of Atlantic salmon.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

56

SSTAG The Salmon and Sea Trout Advisory Group (SSTAG) was first formed in 2022 to better understand, reach, and represent game anglers across England. This group is comprised of regional game angling associations which must meet strict criteria to be eligible to join, such as being a constituted body with elected representatives. This is to ensure that the opinions given by association representatives reflect the views of their members. SSTAG meetings are held with government officials in attendance, allowing for crucial dialogue and transparency between game anglers and government. In 2025, the SSTAG reached a fantastic milestone. With three new regional associations joining, the group now has representatives from every corner of the country covering every major principal salmon river in England.

Such comprehensive coverage could not have come at a better time, as the Environment Agency (EA) began an informal consultation on new byelaws for salmon and sea trout fishing.

Historically, byelaw implementation has been a major source of tension among the game angling community. However, the SSTAG has facilitated such constructive and open discussion with the EA, they now feel comfortable holding an informal byelaw consultation to first understand the views of the recreational angling community.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

57

SSTAG representatives took these proposals back to their members, hosting workshops, and taking surveys to record anglers' sentiments.

The angler engagement was hugely successful, with almost 700 individual survey responses and each regional association presenting their own statement. This is vital work, informing the EA so byelaws better reflect the needs of salmon and anglers, but also in helping anglers to buy-in to new protection measures knowing they had a role in their design.

This is not the only high-level representation the SSTAG has seen in 2025. Some SSTAG members became observers of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation. This allowed them to take part in this year's annual meeting held in Cardiff, feeding into high-level discussions about the future of international and national salmon conservation.

Lastly, the SSTAG members are not only desk based, but on the ground doing crucial work to protect Atlantic salmon and their spawning grounds. The Lune & Wyre Fisheries Association has been perfecting this with their spawning beck restoration on the River Lune. With a focus on cost effectiveness, climate change mitigation, and catchment level benefits, their work has been highly effective, seeing increases in the numbers of spawning salmon and sea trout. While this is fantastic news on a local level, this work needs to be delivered at scale and pace across the country. Through the SSTAG, those leading the work on the River Lune have been travelling the country, sharing their experiences and knowledge with all who will listen. This showcases the strength of such a group, taking local knowledge, and amplifying it.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

58

WE NEED TO PROTECT WHAT STILL HAS A CHANCE.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

59

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO PROTECT OUR WATERS

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

60

Campaigning to improve the environment for fish and support for our fishing is always busy, with actions needed on multiple fronts. None more so than since the change of government in 2024. New policies, new legislation, new consultations have come at us thick and fast.

To ensure we can keep abreast of all the changes that are happening both within government and within the regulators we work in a series of coalitions. This allows us to pool the expertise from across a range of organisations, often allowing us access to information and expertise we do not have but which is vital in fighting for fish, fishing and the environment.

Here are some of the coalitions we have been working with across 2025.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

61

Blueprint for Water and Wildlife and Countryside Link Blueprint for Water is part of the Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition of nature conservation groups. The Angling Trust was one of the founding members of Blueprint for Water. In 2025 we acted as one of the vice-chairs of the coalition and chaired its advocacy subgroup.

Across the year our work with Blueprint allowed us to support our work and evidence submitted to the Independent Water Commission, provide detailed input to the water companies business plans, and responded to a range of detailed technical consultations ranging from changes to pollution permits to assessing the methodology the Environment Agency use to review water company performance. It also allowed us to hold regular meetings with Defra, the Environment Agency, Natural England, and Water UK. Other areas of work through Wildlife and Countryside Link have included: •

Through the marine group we have collaborated on a 30 x 30 progress report, engaged with Ministers on the UK Government’s Marine Spatial Prioritisation Fund and Marine Recovery Fund.

Working collaboratively with other organisations in the marine group we have made progress with respect to fisheries bycatch advocacy and prohibiting damaging fishing activities within Marine Protected Areas.

•

With the chemicals group we have been pushing for the government to update its chemicals regulations (called REACH) to keep it in line with changes made across Europe and to take more action to control what are called “forever chemicals” or PFAS that do not break down in the environment and can have serious impacts on fish as well as human health.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

•

62

Working with the Invasive Species Group we have been pushing the government to do more to tackle invasive species impacts in our aquatic environment and to increase the level of funding for checks at our borders to prevent the import of invasive species.

Missing Salmon Alliance We have continued working with the Missing Salmon Alliance on research projects and actions to protect wild Atlantic salmon. Our two biggest 2025 events were: •

The Wild Salmon Connections international conference at Fishmongers’ Hall, London, in January 2025. Its goal was to activate an urgent, renewed international focus on wild salmon, inspiring action to secure thriving wild salmon at the heart of healthy ecosystems. The conference brought together experts and indigenous community representatives from across the Atlantic salmon’s range and secured addresses by government ministers from the UK, Norway, and Scotland.

•

The annual meeting of NASCO (North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation) took place in Cardiff in June. The Angling Trust joined other members of the Missing Salmon Alliance and sister organisations from the US, Canada, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden to form a united NGO group pushing for more action to protect salmon both in member state countries and on the high seas. This enabled us to engage directly with government delegations from all the signatory governments to NASCO.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

63

Fisheries Coalition When it comes to addressing the conservation priorities for our aquatic environment there are many different interests. For us it is to ensure that the environment is clean and healthy to support wild fish, to protect their spawning grounds, to allow their migration, and to create environments in which they can thrive.

To ensure the voices of fish are heard within the broader discussions around what our rivers, lakes, and seas are for, and what the conservation priorities should be, we led the formation of a fisheries coalition in 2025. Its purpose is to bring together our scientific knowledge and our on the ground experience, with our campaigning and advocacy expertise for the benefit of wild fish.

Coalition members include Wildfish, the Wild Trout Trust, GWCT, the IFM, AST, and the Test and Itchen Association.

CaBA Chalk Stream Group As part of the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) the Angling Trust was one of the founding members of the chalk stream group which produced the multi-sector chalk stream strategy in 2022.

In 2025, we took on the role of chairing the NGO Group and across the year have focused on supporting the production and publication of a progress report on the chalk stream strategy (it’s a mixed picture), pushing the government to do more to protect chalk streams (which they have failed to do after dropping their commitment to produce their own chalk stream recovery plan), and fighting to secure greater protection for chalk streams through the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill, securing amendments in the House of Lords in support of chalk streams (passed by the Lords on 27th October 2025).

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

64

Project White Hart The Angling Trust supported the launch of Project White Hart in 2025.

The project aims to halt the imminent extinction of the irreplaceable English chalk stream Atlantic salmon and put them on a path to sustainable, long-term recovery. During its first phase it is building a coalition of local and national partners, united by a shared vision for thriving chalk stream salmon and safeguarded, resilient habitats. It is working to embark on a full audit of the Test and Itchen rivers to understand the interventions needed to protect and improve their chances of recovery.

Project White Hart is led by the Test & Itchen Catchment Management Partnership and Wessex Rivers Trust. The Angling Trust is a supporting partner along with activist and angler, Jim Murray MBE – Project White Hart’s Founder, Atlantic Salmon Trust, Ben Goldsmith, Blue Marine Foundation, Charles Rangeley Wilson OBE, Catchment Based Approach (CaBA), Environment Agency, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Hampshire River Keepers Association, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Paul Whitehouse, Robert Plant, Southern Water, and Test & Itchen Association.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

65

In Europe The Angling Trust is a member of the European Anglers Alliance, an umbrella body based in Brussels lobbying the European Parliament and the European Commission. It consists of national angling organisations from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland & Slovenia. Our head of Fisheries; Mark Owen is the current President. We campaign in both the marine and freshwater areas to improve the sustainability of fish stocks and are very active lobbying in relation to the Marine Sustainability Framework Directive and the Water Framework Directive. We are supported by MEPs who agree with our objectives and hold two Recreational Fisheries events in the European Parliament that are well attended by both MEPs and senior Commission officials, this autumn the topic is on the plight of the Baltic Salmon.

The European Anglers Alliance are founder members of the Living Europe Rivers Coalition which includes WWF (EU Policy), Wetlands International, The Nature Conservancy and the European Environment Bureau. Our focus is on campaigning to defend and improve the Water Framework Directive. In the past we have achieved considerable success in mobilising public opinion through petitions to prevent the re-opening of WFD and this year we are campaigning to save the improvements to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive that came into force at the beginning of this year and prevent member states from including WFD in the Environment Omnibus in December which would threaten the whole existence of WFD with the removal of ‘One Out All Out’ and extend legal deadlines by many years.

Campaigns & Environment Impact Report 2025

66

FIGHTING FOR FISH, FISHING AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

Thanks to the generous support of: