Background

About The Ulster Angling Federation

The Ulster Angling Federation is the representative body for game (trout and salmon) angling clubs in Northern Ireland.

We have a membership of around 60 clubs with a total individual membership of some 8,000 anglers. The Federation represents anglers in discussions with Public Bodies, Government and other NGO’s and has been in existence since the 1930s. We are represented on a wide range of committees to ensure the concerns of anglers are heard.

24 unpaid directors drawn from the ranks of member clubs administer the Federation. Board meetings are held monthly and a part time Development Officer and part time assistant secretary are employed. Fees paid from the member clubs fund both these positions.

The Federation seek funding opportunities for clubs to facilitate improvements to their waters; for example improved access for disabled anglers, improved habitat for fish and invertebrates including spawning gravels, and other fish habitat improvement measures.

Local Angling Associations have worked extremely hard for many years to conserve, protect, and enhance not only the fishery on rivers but the entire river environment, for the benefit of local people and increasingly, visitors. Countless (voluntary) man-hours and hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent to improve rivers and associated fisheries: these Associations continue to provide a self-financing and voluntary community-based effort to look after the rivers. A huge effort is now underway to protect and conserve the trout and salmon – many sea nets have been retired and strict limits on rod catches have been brought in.

The Pricewaterhouse Coopers Report of July 2007 for DCAL on the social and economic value of angling in NI, states that all forms of angling in NI support some 780 full time equivalent jobs, and are worth some £40m p.a. to the NI economy, mostly from game angling. If this jobs/economic benefit is to maintained and enhanced, the provision of good water habitat is absolutely vital for our fisheries

The DCAL study highlighted the impressive record of angling in promoting a healthy, outdoor activity with an almost unmatched record in eliminating sectarian influences. Angling Associations are now responsible for selling considerable numbers of day tickets to visiting anglers and are generating considerable interest in NI among anglers from outside the area. It is therefore important that proposals which may jeopardise this community activity should be subject to reasonable assessment, and this is the driver for the submissions by the Federation to Planning proposals, major road schemes, hydroelectric schemes, etc.