Wednesday 15th January 2014 All the Latest News Stories This Month from the Angling Trust and Fish Legal Angling Trust Voluntary Bailiffs Make Shocking Discovery On 1 April 2013, during Operation CLAMP DOWN, targeting illegal angling during the coarse close season, Voluntary Bailiffs of the Voluntary Bailiff Service's Angling Watch 3 were patrolling the River Thames at King's Meadow, Reading, with Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer Mick Cox. During this patrol, what appeared to be illegal set lines were found - but upon inspection two handguns and an automatic weapon were found attached and hidden in the river. > Read more Salmond Urged To Get A Grip On Salmon! The representative body for all anglers, the Angling Trust, has called on Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond to get a grip on policy concerning Atlantic salmon following a string of decisions in Scotland which all threaten to damage wild fish stocks.  The Trust has called on its members to support a petition, which has already gained nearly 20,000 signatures, challenging the recent re-opening of a commercial net fishery targeting spring salmon, one of the most threatened stocks, and calling on the government to reverse the decision. > Read more Angling Trust Remains Committed to Rescuing and Returning the Severn Seal to the Sea The Angling Trust has confirmed that it intends to continue seeking a humane relocation of 'Keith' - the seal stuck in the River Severn freshwater system for nearly two years. We remain entirely committed to working with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue animal rescue charity to safely rescue and remove the mammal from the Severn - both to ensure that the seal comes to no harm and protect vulnerable and fragile freshwater fish stocks. > Read more Looking For a Paid or Voluntary Role in Angling? The Angling Trust and Fish Legal are currently looking to fill one paid and two voluntary positions in the finance and governance areas of the organisation. If you have financial and/or governance experience, please have a look at the vacancies page on our web site for more details of these new roles. >Read more Great Membership Benefits! Insurance worth £14.99, 15% off Pallatrax bait and products, 15% off outdoor kit from Cotswold Outdoor, savings on Toyota vehicles, reduced prices on self-inflating life jackets, entry to Angling Trust matches and competitions, regular e-updates, two magazines a year, money off books, magazines and tackle, discounted fishing and more! We have been able to negotiate a unique package of benefits for individual members - full details on our website at www.anglingtrust.net/offers As our membership grows, we will increase the number and value of our member benefits. Please encourage a friend to join by forwarding them this email. Recommend a Friend and Win £35 Worth of Bait or Lures Simply recommend a friend to join the Angling Trust and be in with a chance to win a Dynamite Bait Pack or your own choice of lures from www.agmdiscountfishing.co.uk - both of which are worth £35. Complete and return the form on page 56 of The Angler, our membership magazine which we posted to you before Christmas. See your magazine for more details or check out the brand new online version here! Free Scarf/Neckwarmer worth £5.99 Orders over £25 get at our webshop now recieve a FREE Angling Trust embroidered neck warmer/scarf worth £5.95! Order now... www.anglingtrust.net/shop Fish Legal News Read all the latest Fish Legal news HERE See you in Court: Permission granted for Fish Legal’s Judicial Review of Natural Resources Wales Fish Legal received permission from the High Court in Cardiff for a judicial review of Natural Resources Wales decisions related to environmental damage at Llyn Padarn. Now a High Court judge will see whether the decisions were unlawful. Llyn Padarn is a lake in Snowdonia which is home to rare arctic char, under threat from the sewage network and treatment plant run by Dwr Cymru/ Welsh Water at Llanberis. To read our last press release click HERE. EU Judgment Paves Way for Water Industry To Come Clean On Dirty Secrets The public’s ‘right to know’ what is dumped into our rivers received a welcome boost just before Christmas. The Court of Justice of the European Union issued a judgment on important questions of EU law related to public access to environmental information held by the privatised water and sewage companies in the UK. This judgment came out of Fish Legal's ongoing case at the UK's Upper Tribunal which aims to overturn the Smartsource decision in 2010 that denies the public access to environmental information about water companies’ activities, such as sewage pollution. >Read Fish Legal's press release Fish Legal Member Club Wins Battle with MoD The Oakhanger Angling Club in East Hampshire has resisted an ultimatum from the Ministry of Defence that it must spend thousands of pounds on unnecessary health & safety improvements or lose its fishery. Kingsley Pond, in the Bordon military training area, has been fished by the club for years under a licence agreement. Fish Legal argued that the MoD’s new requirement was in breach of contract. The Ministry ‘re-considered’, and a reasonable compromise, reflected in an improved new licence, has now been reached. Competition News... Read all the latest competition news HERE Fish 'O' Mania XXI 2014 is Here - Enter NOW! The much anticipated online entry Fish 'O' Mania XXI 2014 opened at 9.00am on Tuesday 14th January and closes at 4.00pm on Tuesday 4th February. Entry therefore is not on a first come first served basis and is available for a three week period. Tickets are £25 per qualifier venue. To download entry instructions for competitors click HERE. To enter Fish 'O' Mania XXI click HERE. Winter League Survey We are conducting a survey to gather opinions and ideas from match anglers, clubs, fisheries and Winter League organisers to see how we can improve this competition and attract new anglers and teams to join. Please take a few moments of your time to give us your thoughts. Participants will be entered into a free prize draw to win £300 of vouchers to spend at Nathans of Derby. 1st Prize - £150, 2nd Prize - £100 and 3rd Prize - £50. > Read more The survey will close on 31st January 2014 and winners drawn and notified once the survey has closed. New Auction Helps Support Angling Trust Team England Fly Fishers The Angling Trust Team England Fly Fishing Auction gives you the chance to bid for guided fishing by some of England’s top internationals, including John Horsey, Phil Dixon, John Tyzack, Simon Robinson, Graham Pearson, Nick Halstead, Scott Nellins, Terry Phillips, Andy Taylor and Stuart Crofts. > Read more Meet Us At The Big One 2014 The Big One 2014 will be the UK's Largest Fishing Show and Tackle Sale. Come and meet us at Farnborough Airfield, GU14 6AZ on 22nd and 23rd Feb 2014 for all the latest news from the Angling Trust, to meet a host of Angling Celebrities and find tackle bargains galore. > Read more on The Big One website Please Tell A Friend About Our New £2.50 Monthly Payment Option Angling Trust Membership For Just £2.50 a Month! See details below...