National Fishing Month (NFM) is an Angling Trades Association initiative designed to be a celebration of angling in all its forms. Held in August each year to maximise engagement during the holiday period, NFM promotes the benefits and wellbeing fishing can offer by promoting and adding value to angling-based activities and angling events nationwide. Aimed at all abilities and across all social groups, its purpose is to offer ease of access to and engagement with the sport of angling over a sustained period. Find out more at www.nationalfishingmonth.com

National Fishing Month is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to try angling. To take advantage of the many angling opportunities happening this summer, between Saturday 28 ^th of July and Sunday 3 ^rd of September (inclusive), find out what’s going on and how you can get involved in fishing at www.nationalfishingmonth.com

National Fishing Month offers the experience of going fishing together with a work colleague, family member, partner or just some friends. With the pressures of modern life, physical health and mental wellbeing are more important than ever. A days fishing is the ideal way to unwind and recharge your battery, whilst being active at the same time. Find out more at www.nationalfishingmonth.com

A celebration of fishing like never before is on the cards at The Game Fair this summer, with the opportunity for everyone to experience our Get Into Fishing concept with big brands and top celebrities.

For the first time in 2023, with support from the UK’s angling trade, the Angling Trade Association will kick-start National Fishing Month with the Game Fair event at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.

Whether you are a keen angler or have never picked up a rod before, there will be something to keep you entertained and get you involved in the sport at the spectacular event, being held at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, from Friday to Sunday, July 28 ^th to 30 ^th.

Supported by the Angling Trades Association and its members, Get Into Fishing at The Game Fair will welcome TV celebrity and comedian Paul Whitehouse from Gone Fishing and Jim Murray from the Crown on the Sunday while River Monsters star Jeremy Wade will be present all weekend, chatting and signing books. They will be joined beside the beautiful estate lake by other well-known anglers including Marina Gibson, John Bailey, Hywel Morgan, Scott Mackenzie, Ian Gordon, and a host of other experts, all eager to pass on their tips and advice through demonstrations and talks.

Have a go at fishing with coaches from the Canal and River Trust who will help you catch your first fish in the lake. Try fly casting with expert tuition from AAPGAI’s experienced instructors, plus fly tying lessons and a whole host of fun games and activities.

You’ll be able to try – and buy – tackle from brands including Shimano, Pure Fishing brands including Hardy, Greys and Shakespeare, YETI, Eagle Claw, Reuben Heaton, Dinsmore’s and many more.

Visit one of the many associations and organisations that provide access and inspiration around fishing including Angling Trust, Tackling Minds, the Anglers National Line recycling scheme, Fishing for Heroes and many more.

Come and see what swims in our rivers and lakes in the Environment Agency fish tank or take a look over some incredible fishing boats. Find out more about managing fisheries with the Institute of Fisheries management (IFM) and find out about careers in the industry and college courses.

Children under eight go free and there’s free parking too, while Environment Agency rod licence holders can claim £5 off their ticket by booking online at www.thegamefair.org

The Game Fair event will kickstart both National Fishing Month and this summer’s Take A Friend Fishing initiative. You can find out more about the Game Fair angling content at https://thegamefair.org/attractions/fishing/ with the full range of Game Fair attractions also available to those attending the Get Into Fishing event https://thegamefair.org/attractions/

ATA chairman Andrew Race said: “Angling Trades Association are delighted to be supporting this fantastic event at Ragley. We are determined to create more events and more ways to get more people into fishing. We know many more people want to get outdoors and start fishing, and we anticipate that the have-a-go area on the lake will be booked solid this year with support from our trade members and associations.

“Every year National Fishing Month sees thousands of newcomers try the sport throughout August, but demand can outstrip supply so the more access points to fishing there are the better. And we wanted to recreate that informal manufacturer-customer connection that we value so much at angling events for non-anglers who want to find out more”.

John Cheyne, Head of Communications at the Angling Trust added “Game Fair special guests Paul Whitehouse and Jim Murray are active supporters of the Angling Trust’s Anglers Against Pollution Campaign and Fish Legal’s work to promote and protect healthy rivers. This is an unmissable opportunity to hear about their passion to get anglers and a wider public audience more involved too, how Paul’s TV appearances and Jim’s Activist Anglers initiative have brought angling to the masses, and all the volunteer opportunities we offer to protect our wonderful waterways.”

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Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalFishingMonth
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There are many stakeholders involved with angling who support the national Fishing Month initiative.

Angling Trades Association: Anna Santoro – info@anglingtradesassociation.com 0333 5779970

Environment Agency: Tom Sherwood – tom.sherwood@environment-agency.org.uk 020 302 59782

Angling Trust: James Roche – james.roche@anglingtrust.net 07791 786 251

Canal & River Trust: Ammarah Gordon – ammarah.gordon@canalrivertrust.org.uk 0750 399 2692

Find out more about the benefits of angling as a pastime and how to get into fishing this summer with National Fishing Month – www.nationalfishingmonth.com  

National Fishing Month (NFM) is an Angling Trades Association initiative supported by members of the ATA, the Environment Agency, Angling Trust, Canal & River Trust and many other angling based organisations. National Fishing Month provides improved awareness and access to the sport of angling for anglers, non-anglers and lapsed anglers who want to develop their journey into fishing. Find out more at www.nationalfishingmonth.com

The Angling Trade Association (ATA) is the recognised body and voice of the UK angling trade aiming to unite the industry, promote and protect our beloved sport. Its mission statement “To promote, represent and protect the angling trade” ensures that the ATA is involved in all aspects of the angling industry. The ATA works to promote growth in the UK angling industry through long term investment and cooperation with all major stakeholders. If you are involved in the angling trade and want to contribute to that growth, take a look at www.anglingtradesassociation.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/anglingtradesassociation

The Environment Agency works to create better places for people and wildlife and support sustainable development. We are responsible for regulating major industry and waste treatment of contaminated land water quality and resources fisheries inland river, estuary and harbour navigations conservation and ecology. We are also responsible for managing the risk of flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, and the sea.

The Environment Agency works with businesses and other organisations to manage the use of resources, increase the resilience of people, property, and businesses to the risks of flooding and coastal erosion, protect and improving water, land, and biodiversity improve the way we work as a regulator to protect people and the environment and support sustainable growth and encourage sales of rod fishing licences. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency  

The Canal & Rivers Trust No other charity brings so much free, open, and accessible blue and green space to the doorstep of so many. With your support, we can continue our work.

We care for a 2,000-mile-long, 200-year-old network of canals, rivers, reservoirs, and docks because we believe that life is better by water.

Our story as a charity is rooted in the history of the waterways themselves. Our vision is to have living waterways that transform places and enrich our lives, for today and generations to come.

The Trust was launched in 2012, taking over the guardianship of British Waterways’ canals, rivers, reservoirs and docks in England and Wales – and heralding the next chapter in the renaissance of the waterways. We work hard to maintain their legacy, and, together with our volunteers and communities across England and Wales, we’re also transforming them into spaces where anyone can come to feel happier and healthier. A back garden for almost nine million people across the UK, today our waterways provide opportunities for boating, angling, cycling, walking, paddling or simply surrounding spending time in nature. Visit https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

The Angling Trust is recognised by the Government as the National Governing Body for angling in England and a partner with Visit Wales and NRW to promote Fishing in Wales. It is a member-based organisation made up of anglers of all disciplines providing a united front to represent, grow and protect our sport. By becoming a member of the Angling Trust you are helping to protect the waterways you fish in and the fish which live in them, ensuring their health and protection for future generations.

By joining, you help us to invest in participation initiatives to introduce more people to fishing. Whether you compete in coarse, game or sea matches, on commercial or natural venues, locally, nationally, or internationally, as a member of the Angling Trust you have access to Britain’s biggest and best competitions programme. To find out all about the Angling Trust visit www.anglingtrust.net

Take A Friend Fishing (TAFF) is an Angling Trades Association initiative designed to encourage engagement with the sport of angling. TAFF provides the opportunity for existing anglers to take a friend fishing on their licence during certain designated times of the year. A simple registration process is all that is required, to help someone experience the wellbeing and outdoor benefits of fishing as a pastime. www.takeafriendfishing.co.uk

TAFF is run in association with the Environment Agency and supported by Angling Trust, Canal & River Trust and many other angling organisations. TAFF opens up the world of angling to people from all age groups and communities, giving the opportunity for anglers and non-anglers alike, at all levels of ability, the chance to get into fishing or back into fishing after time away.

Take a Friend Fishing offers more opportunity than ever to get out fishing with a friend or family member during our extended summer campaign in 2023 and give someone a new experience for your summer holidays.

Take a Friend Fishing continues to grow in 2023 with its biggest campaign window yet, giving you more weekends, and more opportunity to create long-lasting friendships and memories by going fishing with a friend.

Take A Friend Fishing registration will go live from 1 ^st July, so you have plenty of time to plan that fishing trip with a friend.

To access the Take a Friend Fishing initiative this Summer between Saturday 29 ^th July and Sunday 3 ^rd of September (inclusive), existing fishing licence holders can register for a FREE one-day fishing licence from the Environment Agency at www.takeafriendfishing.co.uk and take someone they know fishing.

Simply visit  www.takeafriendfishing.co.uk/register-free-friend-fishing-licence/ select the date of your fishing trip, enter some basic information about you and your friend, and away you go!

The free fishing licence will be sent with a confirmation email, so please remember to have your fishing licence and both people’s email addresses plus a few other details handy when you pre-register to Take a Friend Fishing.

The TAFF extended summer programme gives the biggest window of opportunity yet to anglers, non-anglers and those thinking about reconnecting with the pastime they once enjoyed.

This year, we want even more people to get their backside bankside and Take a Friend Fishing to show them just how easy it is to get into angling and experience the benefits of time out in nature. To relax and engage with nature and the outdoors is a rewarding experience especially with a friend. With a free one-day fishing licence from the Environment Agency worth £6.50 (coarse and non-migratory trout) or £12.60 (salmon and sea trout).

Getting outside in the countryside is a great way to be together with family and friends and angling is the perfect fit for staying active outdoors, especially if you are staying in England or Wales this summer. There are many fisheries near to where you live that are perfect to visit for a catch-up with a friend during a quick Take a Friend Fishing trip together. Find out about where you can fish safely at www.takeafriendfishing.co.uk/#faqs

Half terms, National and family holidays all provide opportunities for us to unwind, be with friends and interact with the environment around us. Taking a friend or family member on a fishing trip is a great way to spend time outdoors. Escaping modern life to build friendships, create lasting memories and just enjoy some time next to the water, is the ultimate in relaxation. Find out which fisheries, retailers, trade brands and other organisations are running

special offers for Take A Friend licence applicants during TAFF.

Understanding about close seasons, is like having the right fishing licence, it’s an important and essential part of becoming an angler and just like learning the rules of any sport. ‘Close seasons’ are times of the year when you can’t fish for some types of fish on certain types of water. For example, you cannot fish for coarse fish on any river in England and Wales on 15 ^th March right up until 15 ^th June. That means that the Easter Take a Friend Fishing dates coincide with the annual close season for coarse fish on rivers, so you need to consider a canal or stillwater for your fishing adventure in that period.

You might be able to fish for salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout on some rivers during the coarse fish close season on rivers using certain types of lures and baits –  local fishing byelaws to check what you can do in your area and remember too that some privately owned bodies of water can have their own close seasons. If you are new to fishing and want to try it during Take a Friend Fishing, but are confused by this, the best thing to do is ask the angler you are going with, and make sure you both understand what the close season on rivers mean – it’s all explained here on the Environment Agency web site.

You will normally need a valid Environment Agency fishing licence if you are aged 13 or over and fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England (except the River Tweed), Wales, and the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland. An annual fishing licence only costs £33.00 for up to 2 rods to fish for coarse fish & trout. For a salmon and sea trout licence it’s £86.10.

Licences are free for juniors aged 13 to 16 years of age. Concessionary, short term and three rod coarse fishing licences are also available. Visit www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence to buy one online. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

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Facebook: www.facebook.com/TakeAFriendFishingTAFF

Instagram: www.instagram.com/takeafriendfishing  

Angling Trades Association: Anna Santoro – info@anglingtradesassociation.com 0333 5779970

Environment Agency: Tom Sherwood – tom.sherwood@environment-agency.org.uk 020 302 59782

Angling Trust: James Roche – james.roche@anglingtrust.net 07791 786 251

Canal & River Trust: Ammarah Gordon – ammarah.gordon@canalrivertrust.org.uk 0750 399 2692

An angler can take a friend fishing at any time during the summer TAFF campaigns between 29 ^th July and 3 ^rd September (inclusive) – enjoy a break from everything and experience the health and wellbeing benefits of fishing – register FREE at www.takeafriendfishing.co.uk

Take a Friend Fishing (TAFF) is an Angling Trades Association initiative run in association with the Environment Agency and supported by the Angling Trust, Canal & River Trust and many other angling organisations. TAFF makes it easy for an existing angler to take someone they know fishing. This work is supported by the Angling Trades Association and Environment Agency rod fishing licence income and helps to introduce thousands of people to fishing each year. Find out more at www.takeafriendfishing.co.uk

Andrew Race, Chairman of the Angling Trades Association (ATA), added “After the success of Take a Friend Fishing in 2022, I am looking forward to building momentum again in 2023 with an extended programme. Take a Friend Fishing is capable of making such a difference, not only to the long-term development of angling recruitment, but also to people’s lives. Angling is a proven therapy both mentally and physically and it knows no boundaries in terms of ability, age, sex, or background.

Heidi Stone, Environment Agency Fisheries Partnerships Manager, “Fishing with family members or friends is a fantastic way to spend quality time together whilst also enjoying all that nature has to offer. Take a Friend Fishing is a brilliant campaign that allows anglers of all levels of ability to improve their skills, or simply give fishing a try – and I’m proud to again be supporting this initiative that makes this great hobby more accessible for all.”

John W Ellis BSc (Hons) FIFM National Fisheries and Angling Manager Canal & River Trust, said “Canal & River Trust is delighted to be working alongside the Angling Trade Association to support the Take a Friend fishing initiative in 2023. Our Trust is responsible for looking after over 2000 miles of canal fishery and over 70 reservoirs. Over 8 million people live within 1000 metres of one of our fisheries and nearly 50% of the population within 5 miles of one. We will be encouraging members of the 250 angling clubs who rent water from us to help their club grow membership by taking a friend fishing with them for a day.’

Clive Copeland, Head of Participation at the Angling Trust, said “With hundreds of Get Fishing events this June to September and Take a Friend Fishing too, there’s an opportunity for children, families and existing anglers alike to get into the swing of fishing, spend time together by the water and make this a special summer to remember.”