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Fishing to return to Attenborough Nature Reserve following Angling Trust intervention

Anglers in the Midlands are celebrating the prospect of the return of fishing to the famous Attenborough Gravel Pits alongside the Trent near Nottingham.

This followed the outcome of a successful meeting last month between Angling Trust CEO Jamie Cook, Head of Policy Martin Salter, Nottingham Anglers’ Association (NAA) Secretary David Turner and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust CEO Paul Wilkinson.

The Angling Trust challenged the published automatic presumption against angling on the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s other nature reserves and received confirmation that angling could take place on sites where operational conditions allow. Also on the agenda were the circumstances around the termination of the licence to NAA who have been fishing the Attenborough reserve for over 20 years.

The Angling Trust first had the issue raised in Parliament back in June when the news broke that the club had been left with no choice but to leave the 380 acre site in the face of onerous conditions placed on anglers and large reduction in those few areas where fishing was to be allowed.

However, all sides have now agreed to sign up to the joint statement which paves the way for fishing to resume at Attenborough from June 2023.

The news was warmly welcomed by Bob Roberts, the River Trent specialist and fishing columnist, who said:

“Hats off to the Angling Trust for securing angling access at Attenborough Gravels when it was looking like a lost cause. Local anglers should be grateful that NAA are Trust members as without their expertise, professionalism and backing it’s unlikely they would have succeeded.”

Martin Salter added:

“Given the huge threats to our environment from pollution, abstraction and over development we need everyone who cares about nature and the countryside pulling together and that clearly includes both anglers and members of local wildlife trusts. There is no place for anti-angling sentiments in public bodies and it was good to have this clarified by the top team at the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.”

Click here for the joint statement

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