Water quality annual report sparks surge in media interest

The Angling Trust’s first annual report into the state of England’s rivers has received widespread media attention from national, regional and broadcasting outlets.

The report summarises the findings of our Water Quality Monitoring Network volunteers and highlights both the progress and hurdles in tackling pollution. WQMN is a key part of our Anglers Against Pollution campaign which highlights the challenges our rivers face and what anglers are doing to address these issues.

The Guardian were first to break the news, with their report highlighting the systemic issues contributing to river pollution across England, and called for increased regulatory oversight and action to address sewage and agricultural pollutants. 

The Northern Echo focused on the River Swale in North Yorkshire. Ron Wood, Chairman of Gilling West Fly Fishers and Richmond and District Angling Society said in the article that both clubs were actively involved in the Anglers Against Pollution campaign and “we are deeply concerned about the poor state of our local rivers and the effect it is having on the fish stocks, birds and wildlife.” 

BBC South East and ITV Meridian both brought attention to the situation on rivers in Kent and featured Ian Tucker and Derek Reader of Royal Tunbridge Wells Angling Society.

Ian commented: “We are getting readings sometimes, quite often, more than 10 times what it should be and that is quite sickening. With the phosphates and the sunlight, we get this horrible algae growing. We just didn’t realise how bad it was.” Derek added: “We’ve seen the results of the testing, and we’ve had the testing verified. We went up to Green River Farm, where the outlet is, we measured above, around, and below the outfall there and got some pretty alarming results.” 

The WQMN report serves as a critical call to action for policymakers, environmental agencies, and the public. As the report circulates, generates more media stories, and discussions unfold, the Angling Trust continues its mission to advocate for protecting and restoring England’s waterways, ensuring they can be enjoyed by anglers and communities alike for years to come. 

Our Anglers Against Pollution campaign is supported by Orvis.

Click here to read more about the report and download a copy.