FishNET Learning Hub

It is aimed at supporting all users with an interest in fisheries enforcement and invasive non-native species (INNS) management in fisheries including:

• Anglers who may or may not be members of the Angling Trust.
• Angling Club Bailiffs and Club Committee members.
• Fishery owners and employees.
• Police Wildlife Crime Officers and any other Police staff from Police service across England.
• Angling Trust staff and volunteers.
• Members of Governmental Organisations (GO’s) with an interest in freshwater fisheries enforcement issues, e.g. Environment Agency, Natural England, IFCAs, Marine Management Organisation etc.
• Members of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) with a fisheries enforcement interest or working with anglers to manage invasive species, e.g. RSPCA, Rivers Trust, Canal & River Trust (CRT) etc.
• Water asset owners or managers who manage assets with angling activity, e.g. water companies, CRT, etc.
• Anyone intending upon applying via the Angling Trust for funding under the Fisheries Improvement Programme or Angling Improvement Fund.

The FishNET strategy aims to help you to build knowledge of INNS issues and fisheries enforcement and providing pathways to do so. The strategy comprises three levels of delivery – foundation, intermediate and advanced.

Foundation – the FishNET Learning Management System

Foundation level learning is delivered via an online LMS, comprising a pathway for either the INNS-module or seven enforcement-related modules that you can work through at your own pace. You can do the modules whenever and wherever you want via a smartphone, tablet or personal computer if you have internet access.

Intermediate – Fishery Enforcement Webinars

Once you have completed your foundation training you can then book our Intermediate level via the online Fisheries Enforcement Webinars. These are 90-minute long online webinars set to take place every two months. You can register to attend one to suit you and they will be scenario-based focused on your Foundation training with the opportunity to interact through the webinar to ensure you get the most from the opportunity. The webinars will be run using expertise from the Angling Trust Fisheries Enforcement Support Service and Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers.

You will be asked when registering for a webinar to confirm that you have completed the FishNET LMS training. This is to ensure that those attending will have the Foundation level of training to get the most out of the events.

Advanced – On the bank training for Police officers

This level will provide Advanced training based upon real life scenarios to Police officers dealing with fisheries-related offences and will arrange training and locations around fisheries and clubs to do this.

This training is aimed at Police officers who have ideally completed the FishNET Learning Management System and attended an online Fisheries Enforcement Webinar. It will build upon your learning and cover real-life situations that you may come across as a Police officer with suggestions as to actions you could consider taking.

The training will be delivered regionally by members of the Angling Trust Fisheries Enforcement Support Service and Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers. It will follow a standard programme to ensure consistency of delivery whilst allowing for regional perspectives to be covered as well.

To book a place on one of these events please contact your local Regional Enforcement Support Manager:

North-East   [email protected]

North-West  [email protected]

Eastern England  [email protected]

Midlands  [email protected]

South-West  [email protected]

South-East  [email protected]

Whichever pathway you choose and upon completion of the relevant module or modules, you will be supplied with a certificate of verification.

For those completing the INNS module for Angling Improvement Funding (AIF), this is also accessed through the FishNET portal. On completion, the certificate can be downloaded to support your application. For more information on INNS management and biosecurity please contact your local Fisheries Support Officer.

South-East  [email protected]

South-West  [email protected]

North  [email protected]

Midlands & East Anglia  [email protected]

For those completing the seven enforcement-related modules they will focus on:

• Angling and the law.
• The role of the Environment Agency.
• The Theft Act and the Police role.
• The club bailiff role.
• Crime prevention.
• The Building Bridges project working to educate and integrate migrant anglers.
• Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS).

Once you have completed the relevant modules you will be issued with an online certificate (for either the INNS module or all seven if you select that option), but you can still go back into the LMS if you would like to refresh your memory at any time.  You will also be asked to complete a feedback survey. We ask that you give this serious consideration. It will be anonymous and only take a few minutes to do and will be vital for us to assess the effectiveness of the training provided and how we can develop future training.

All participants wishing to take part in the FishNET Learning Management System training must register by completing the form below. You only need to register once. Once submitted, you will be given access to the modules.

If you have already registered you can access the FishNET Learning Management System here.

You can download a comprehensive list of Learning Management System-linked online resources related to angling, including useful general links, regulatory bodies, and specific module links for learning about angling laws and practices.

Click here to download Learning Management System resources

Is the FishNET LMS really FREE to sign up to and use? 

Yes, FishNET is FREE to register for and complete for up to 6000 people per year. All you need to do is to register above in the ‘Register for the FishNET Learning Management System’. 

Do I need to be a member of the Angling Trust to register for and complete the FishNET Learning Management System? 

No, anyone can register for and complete the FREE online learning at both the foundation and intermediate levels. We have developed the training to try and meet the needs of as wide an audience as possible with an angling enforcement interest.  

What happens when I register for the FishNET LMS training? 

When you first register for the training, you will be asked a number of questions covering demographics, angling background and your motivation to complete the training. Once completed and the ‘Submit’ button is clicked you will be taken to the LMS proper where you will need to provide an email address and be provided with a password that you can change. You can then start completing the modules. 

Do I have to complete all seven modules at once? 

No, the beauty of the FishNET LMS is that you can undertake modules at any time and any place you like and on any device you like. You can also stop whilst working within a module and will be taken back into it when you next log in to the system. If you have more than one email address you use, please ensure you login with the one you first registered with and that you remember your password! 

How long does each module take to complete?  

Each module shows the rough time required for completion but, most of the modules can realistically be completed within 20-45 minutes.  Remember, you can pause and resume working through modules at a later time if required.    

I think I have completed a module, but the system is not letting me move on or is saying I have not completed the module. What can I do? 

The system recognises each aspect of a module that you have completed. You need to ensure that you watch each video in a module from start to finish. We have recognised that some videos have long ending’s showing Angling Trust or other logos and users have tried to move on without watching to the end. We are working to shorten these to improve your experience but, in the meantime, ensure you watch each until the end and the recording stops.  

I cannot always hear what is being said in videos within modules. Is there anything I can do? 

Yes, you could try clicking on the small white box marked ‘CC’ on the bottom right of each video. This will then generate captions for you to read what is being said.  

I am dyslexic or have a friend or colleague who is. Does this mean that I or they cannot complete the FishNET LMS? 

No, it does not. We have worked with Mowbray and identified a screen reader that can be used and works well with the LMS when using the Microsoft Edge browser. You can find this here: FishNET screen reader

If I have an issue with the FishNET LMS who should I contact? 

If you have any issues where you need help please contact us at: 

[email protected] 

and we will try and reply to you as soon as possible.  

Do I get anything to prove I have completed the FishNET LMS training? 

Yes, once you have completed all seven modules you will receive an emailed copy of a certificate of completion that will have a unique reference number just for you. We are currently working with a formal training accreditation service and hope that in the future all FishNET training will be recognised.