Over £58,000 invested in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk fisheries
It's part of multi-million pound investments across the country
Over £58,000 has been invested in fisheries in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk over the last year.
Across the country, the Environment Agency's Fisheries Improvement Programme (FIP) invested over £1.3 million, which was matched by partners including local angling clubs and fisheries.
The funding has been used to enhance fisheries, boost fish stocks and make improvements for anglers, angling facilities and the environment.
As part of the £58,000 of investments made locally includes £10,000 to set up a new fishery at Lifted Lakes near Harwich for military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder in Essex.
The Environment Agency is working in partnership with iCarp and will include treatment rooms, shower facilities and fishing platforms.
The venue is also intended to be used as a base for treatment and future mental health research
Other projects included improvements to the Booton Clay Pit lake which was overrun with water solider, a rare plant which grows in ponds and lakes.
Another eight projects also benefited from the FIP funding, they include installation of toilet facilities and improvements to access at Hadleigh and District Angling Society, the building of two accessible angling platforms at Scole Nature Trails Trust, and an in-depth research program on the movement of sea trout and eels in north Norfolk.
Heidi Stone, Environment Agency Fisheries Manager, said:
"All of the projects we fund must demonstrate benefits for anglers. The Fisheries Improvement Programme allows us to identify and invest in work supporting a local, sustainable future for angling.
“The programme is also a great demonstration of our partnership efforts, with many of the projects completed with the support of land owners, local businesses and fisheries clubs – it’s a real team effort! The more people who go fishing, the more we can invest."
Roger Handford, Environment Agency Senior Fisheries Advisor said:
"Anglers often ask us about how we spend the money raised from the sale of fishing licences. The Fisheries Improvement Programme is a prime example of the wide range of activities this income pays for in order to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries."
The Environment Agency is asking other clubs and fisheries to get in touch about projects they would like to see undertaken.