MPs from the All Part Parliamentary Angling Group joined members of the Angling Trust to treat a group of youngsters to a day’s angling at College Lake, Hampshire, as part of their drive to encourage parents to take children fishing during the summer holidays.
Charles Walker MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Angling, said: “My son James and I had a fantastic time down on the lake and I can honestly say there are few things I’d rather be doing than taking my children fishing and helping them learn about wildlife and nature. I just wish more parents would take the time to go fishing with their children. There are a host of great schemes and projects out there for beginners, so it really couldn’t be easier.”
Martin Salter, head of campaigns at the Angling Trust, added: “It is always great when youngsters catch their first rod-bending fish and we hope that the experience will ignite the same lifelong passion for our sport that still burns inside us older anglers. Young people have a lot of other distractions in this day and age, but simple, outdoor pursuits like angling have been proved time and time again to be good for health and well-being and for gaining a greater understanding of the countryside and the environment.”
This summer there are a host of projects and events which offer opportunities to discover the joys of fishing, including the Angling Trust’s ‘Get Fishing’ campaign, Get Hooked on Fishing’s ‘Family Fishing’ initiative and National Fishing Month, run by the Angling Trades Association. Children aged between 12 and 16 can now get a free Environment Agency rod licence to fish in stillwaters, canals, rivers and streams via www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence.
