Last season nearly one million rod licences were sold, and the Environment Agency (EA) pumped every penny of the near-£22 million raised back into the sport.
The figures were revealed in the Agency’s Annual Fisheries report, in which it outlined exactly where rod licence income generated from April 2021 to March 2022 went.
According to the report, more than 625,000 coarse fish were ‘supplied and stocked’ into stillwaters and rivers and almost 41,500 rod licence checks took place, from which 726 successful prosecutions for evasion were made.
FIND A FANTASTIC NATURAL WATER STOCKED WITH LICENCE INCOME IN OUR WHERE TO FISH GUIDES.
Other highlights included work to improve the passage upriver of migrating species at 41 sites through the creation of fish passes or the removal of man-made barriers/weirs, and habitat improvements along 602km of rivers.
“A big thank you to everyone who bought a fishing licence,” said Heidi Stone, partnership manager of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Natural Environment team.
“This income helps us to maintain, develop and improve fisheries and angling opportunities all over England.
“Keep on fishing, renew your rod licence, and help us carry on the great work!”
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