Over £100,000 boost to improve fisheries across Yorkshire including grant for Brighouse Lake

More than £102,000 of rod licence income has been invested over the last twelve months to benefit fisheries and anglers across Yorkshire, as part of the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Improvement Programme (FIP).

Projects supported include creating floating islands for fish and improving angling access facilities so that more people than ever are able to enjoy the sport.

Overall, the Fisheries Improvement Programme has invested nearly £1 million to fund almost 220 projects, in the last year, to enhance England's fisheries. The FIP funding is also matched by local partners including angling clubs and fisheries and local rivers trusts. The total match funding, made up of additional cash and in-kind contributions, is estimated to be nearly £6.3 million.

Paul Slater, Fisheries Team Leader for Yorkshire, said: “Anglers often ask us about how we spend the money raised from the sale of fishing licences. The Fisheries Improvement Programme is a prime example of the wide range of activities this income pays for in order to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries.”

Mark Owen, Angling Trust Head of Fisheries said: “At the Angling Trust we very much support the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Improvement Programme. Funding from anglers’ rod licence income and the resulting work will benefit local anglers and improve fishing opportunities.

“We support the process by gathering project ideas from clubs and fisheries for assessment by Environment Agency Fisheries officers.”

Across Yorkshire nineteen projects, which will positively impact fisheries, angling and local ecosystems, have successfully received funding including fishery improvements to Brookfoot Lake, Brighouse.

£8,000 funding contributed to various fishery improvements across the site for the benefit of the angling club. This included the construction of 25 floating islands, to provide fish refuges at Riley’s Pond, a marginal floating island around Brookfoot Lake, construction of an ‘access for all’ platform adjacent to the blue badge parking spaces below Riley’s Pond and construction of eleven new standard platforms at Airey’s Pond. The funding also contributed to the installation of a silt trap near the outflow from the ski lake into Brookfoot Lake.