Why join the NFSA?

We don't remember a time when we have not fished. We all grew up knowing that fishing in the sea was free. We could to go to the local beach and catch fish. Today we can still go to the beach but there are people who would like to stop us; we can catch fish but they are not plentiful and they are not very big. Many are too small to take home for tea.

The stark fact is that this could get worse, much worse. Our access to the beach, the pier or harbour could be stopped and fish even more difficult to catch because there will be less of them left in the sea.

To prevent this we need you to join the NFSA. We are working extremely hard on your behalf to prevent your access to beaches and bait beds being curtailed and fish stocks reduced even further. Our aim is to force the government to regenerate our publicly owned fish stocks so that bigger ones will be there again.

Is this fanciful? No, it is not, thanks to the work of David Rowe our Chief Executive and a small, dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly on your behalf. They frequently giving up a day's work or more to meet with civil servants, members of parliament and others to promote and protect angling from those who wish it would fade away.

We are making sure the government knows that recreational sea angling is important to more than a million men, women and children, including the disabled.

Fishing News, the commercial fishing industry's newspaper, frequently mentions our achievements - proof that we are standing up for your rights and winning battles.

Lack of funds is holding us back as we fight to permanently secure the future of recreational fishing. The only income we have comes from you. That is why I am asking you now to join the NFSA.

Join now from the membership page (go to...) and you will help protect your fishing for the future and that of the enthusiastic youngsters just starting out as recreational anglers. Not joining is not an option.

What are the NFSA aims for the future of angling?

The work of the NFSA is split into four areas each with its own Working Group and all are committed to securing a better future for sea angling.

Membership Services (MS) – The immediate aim is to achieve a larger individual database and as this develops we can also develop a better package for the angler and it is planned to provide special offers on tackle, clothing, publications, holidays and insurance services etc that in the past have only been available to larger organisations such as RSPB, WWF and others.

Conservation and Access Group (CAG) - Fish to catch - The small but dedicated Conservation Group has achieved much over the past two years and your support is needed in order that they can continue and expand their work.

The declining catches of anglers is well publicised and without fish or fishing venues, there will be no sea angling. Once the NFSA have sufficient funds, the first priority will be to employ a full-time person to be responsible for the Conservation and Access Issues. The CG will be able to lobby more effectively to ensure that the Recreational Angler is better represented within the UK and Europe and their needs and demands are addressed. This cannot be done effectively by the present staff, who along with a few volunteers, produce vast numbers of papers and correspondence on the ever increasing number of issues being raised.

We must raise the whole profile of sea angling and promote its socio economic importance and there has never been a better time to move the whole cause of sea angling forward. The NFSA have prepared submissions for the Common Fisheries Policy Review and the final decisions will be made in Brussels early next year, and these will have a huge influence on the future of the fish stocks and sea angling.

In the meantime our small team is addressing issues that include bait digging, restrictions on anglers' activities either by way of access or angling opportunities and they will continue to take on projects as resources permit.

Education and Training (ET)

Education & Training Group Members David Rowe; John Brooks, Tony Newson, Jo & Phil Hyde.

Since 1999 all work in connection with Education & Training has been carried out jointly with the three major bodies of all three disciplines, coarse, game and sea, working under the banner of Joint Angling Governing Bodies which since incorporation in April 2007 has become the Angling Development Board (ADB).  The Angling Development Board consists of two directors from the National Federation of Anglers (NFA,) the Salmon & Trout Association  (S&TA)  and NFSA  and it is chaired by an independent Chairman David Moore.   The ADB has been very pro-active in the development of safe working practices and coaching schemes for all of those working with children and vulnerable adults. We believe that accountability and propriety in all aspects, including child safety, are paramount. We have also worked to ensure that clubs, organisers and coaches are themselves protected from inappropriate risk and liability. The JAGB Child Protection Policy has been acclaimed throughout sport and along with its accompanying Implementation Guide has set standards for other sports to achieve. This document is now being reviewed and the board is confident that it will maintain that standard.

Working Safely with Children The NFSA welcomes the opportunity to provide guidance to clubs on working safely with children and a number of clubs have played host to the ADB Angling Development Officers, who have made presentations on this topic.

Good Practice in Child Protection Workshops Following on from this the ADB have run numerous child protection workshops for its 500 plus qualified instructors from the three disciplines, but we recognise that there are many people working with juniors within their own clubs who should be afforded the opportunity to attend a workshop. We would like to think that eventually at least one club official from every club working with young people will have attended such a workshop.

Inclusion of angling is the first group of sports to have an accredited qualification and is a commitment to the future of angling!

National Team & Competition Group (NT&CG) - The NT&CG formed just under 2 years ago brought together a number of keen and knowledgeable sea anglers to work on various matters. Part of the Group’s activity remains selecting the various England sea angling teams for National and International Championships. The NFSA Selectors, chosen from the NFSA Standing Committee, have been joined by a number of co-opted advisors who specialise in particular disciplines (beach, boat, juniors and casting etc) and continue with their mission: “For England to enter international sea angling championships with teams to win, and which compromise good ambassadors and excellent sports persons”. In addition, the Group has begun to select various squads so that those “up – and – coming” anglers can demonstrate and improve their skills and become recognised and eligible for selection. However, there is much other work now being undertaken by the NT&CG. Firstly, guidelines for conservation-led ‘measure and return’ matches have been formulated and distributed to interested competition organisers, and these are proving very popular. Secondly, the ‘match pack’ has been completed and is now available from Head Office. Finally, with additional funding, the NT&CG can take forward the work laid out in the Whole Sport Angling Development Plan, including, developing team coaches and managers; developing the under 16 and under 21 years of age youth teams who enter Home National and World Championships; expanding the Club Team Championship; introducing a National Small Boats Championship; and instigating, recruiting and developing NFSA Youth Talent Scouts.