Become an Activist Angler – join Jim Murray’s campaign to protect our lakes, rivers and oceans

The Angling Trust and Fish Legal are supporting an initiative led by actor, angler and environmentalist Jim Murray to empower and educate anglers on how they can make a difference and protect their local waterways.

Activist Anglers encourage anglers to be more active by working together to hold polluters to account and effect real change while also offering anglers the tools they need to become activists on the waterways they love.

Working closely with the Angling Trust and Fish Legal, Activist Anglers aims to offer opportunities to volunteer and support campaigns to protect our environment.

Activist Anglers was created through Jim’s love of fishing which opened his eyes to the immense challenges our waterways face as well as inspiring him to act where he could. Jim is an avid supporter of Fish Legal, an organisation that uses the law on behalf of its members to fight polluters and others who damage or threaten the water environment, and secure compensation to restore waters.

Jim, whose TV roles include playing Prince Andrew in The Crown and Stephen Hart in Primeval, said:

“It has never been timelier for our vast angling community to rally together to protect and fight for the future of our waterways. A single person can make a real difference. A little drive and passion translate into a lot of action, and that is what is needed now more than ever to demand the government’s attention in order to effect the change in policies that is so urgently required.

‘When it comes to successful and tangible results in fighting pollution in our rivers and oceans, Fish Legal are probably THE most important organisation out there right now. I urge all anglers to support them and the Angling Trust by getting more involved in the conservation of our waters in a bid to make them clean again.”

John Cheyne, Angling Trust Head of Marketing and Communications, said:

“Jim’s passion for our sport and his commitment to defending our precious aquatic environments is inspiring. We are proud that he has chosen Angling Trust and Fish Legal as partners in this work and share his determination to encourage every angler to become an Activist Angler.”

Ways in which anglers, clubs and fisheries can get involved include:

• Carry out regular testing of rivers by enrolling your club in our Water Quality Monitoring Network project.
• Pledge to support our Anglers Against Litter initiative and take part in litter picks.
• Volunteer to help protect the environment by assisting our Environmental Officers at organised events to clear invasive non-native species.
• Train to become an angling coach and share the joy of fishing with the next generation of anglers.
• Protect our waters from poaching and fish theft by becoming a Voluntary Bailiff.
• Support the work of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal be becoming a member. Click here to join.

Click here to find out more