Press release

Fishing licence money funds Severn Rivers Trust 'tool bank'

The selection of tools will be available for use by local angling clubs and volunteers for small habitat and fishing access projects.

The River Severn

The River Severn

The Environment Agency, through its Fisheries Improvement Programme, has provided a wide selection of tools to help fishing clubs improve river habitats and access to fishing.

A wide range of hand tools including saws, hammers and spades make up a ‘tool bank’ which will be managed by the Severn Rivers Trust. Local angling clubs and volunteers can borrow the tools for small habitat projects. A number of habitat days will also run to show clubs techniques for creating natural habitat features to benefit fish.

Ieuan Davies, from the Severn Rivers Trust said:

We’re delighted to receive these tools, and we’ll be opening up a loan based system to allow angling interests in the River Severn catchment to borrow and use them for their projects.

We hope having access to these tools will allow a diverse set of improvement works to be carried out, and we will be happy to back up this resource with advice from our in house experts, as well as links to volunteer helpers where needed. We look forward to engaging with locals, volunteers and anglers on a wide range of fisheries improvement projects.

Fisheries experts from the Environment Agency and the Severn Rivers Trust work in partnership to give angling clubs and volunteers advice on how to improve habitats, but often small improvements that can really make a difference don’t go ahead because people don’t have access to tools and materials.

Ed Noyes, Fisheries Technical Officer from the Environment Agency said:

We’re pleased to be able to use Fisheries Improvement Programme money, which comes directly from fishing licence sales, in this way.

Access to the tool bank will help fishing clubs and volunteers carry out low cost, small improvements which across the whole Severn catchment will really enhance the environment for many species of fish.

The tools can be hired by contacting the Severn Rivers Trust.

For more information on tools or training days please contact the Severn Rivers Trust on 01886 888394 or admin@severnriverstrust.com

Published 29 January 2018