Environment Agency aids scheme promoting fishing in West Bromwich
The Environment Agency has stocked a West Bromwich park pool with roach, tench, rudd and bream, to encourage local people to take up angling.
Environment Agency Fisheries team in action
The Environment Agency has stocked the pool in Dartmouth Park, West Bromwich, with more than 2,500 fish as part of an exciting scheme to encourage angling participation in the local area.
The Environment Agency has put in 2,000 roach, 200 tench, 1,000 rudd and 300 bream to rejuvenate the pool and used Christmas trees to create floating fish refuges as habitats and shelter from predator birds.
Environment Agency Project manager, Darin Alberry, said:
The Friends of Dartmouth Park approached us for help to create a scheme to allow local disadvantaged people to take up angling and we were very happy to oblige.
The Friends of Dartmouth Park Angling Club has bought fishing tackle to be loaned out free of charge and are working to gain their fishing coach badges with the Angling Trust. They hope to launch free weekly angling sessions in the spring for disadvantaged people, with other members of the public being asked to make a donation to go fishing on the pool. Everyone will need to have a licence to fish there.
Dave Lowe from the Club commented:
The Environment Agency has done a great job in restocking the pool as the fish population had been decimated by cormorants and other predators. They have also created refuges for the fish which we’re really pleased with and we’re looking forward to being able to offer the free fishing sessions on the pool.
A fishing licence costs just £30 and lasts for 12 months from the day it is purchased, and becomes valid around 30 minutes after buying online at https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences.
Money from fishing licence sales is invested in England’s fisheries and is used to fund a wide range of projects to improve facilities for anglers including; protecting stocks from illegal fishing, pollution and disease, restoring fish stocks through re-stocking, eradicating invasive species and fish habitat improvements. Fishing licence money is also used to fund the Angling Trust to provide information about fishing, to encourage participation in the sport and to manage a voluntary bailiff scheme.
Children under 13 fish for free. Anyone aged 13 to 16 also fish for free, but they do need to have a valid Environment Agency fishing licence. Anyone over 16 must pay for an Environment Agency fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England.