Angling Trust Team England Fly Fishing

AT TEFF have now received final confirmation that all 2020 Fips-Mouche Championships  have been cancelled. The schedule will restart next year, with the same programme as 2020.

Fips-Mouche Championships document: COVID – postponement of championships 2020

40th FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships

This event, due to be held in the Kuusamo and Taivalkoski regions, Finland, has been postponed to next year, and will take place from August 10th to 17th, 2021.

You can follow developments on the competition website here>>

26th FIPS-Mouche European Fly Fishing Championships & 1st FIPS-Mouche World Ladies Fly Fishing Championships

These events have also been postponed to next year, and will be held at Stop-Elvdal and Rendalen in Norway, from the 5th-11th July, 2021.

You will find more information for both competitions on their website here>>

6th FIPS-Mouche Masters World Fly Fishing Championships

This event, for competitors aged over 50, to be held in Zábřeh, in the North Moravia Region of the Czech Republic, has now also been postponed to 2021.

You will find the Masters World Championship website here>>

Currently, the only 2020 International Championship not to be cancelled is the 2020 Bank International in Wales, scheduled for October. A final decision on whether or not this will go ahead will be taken in the first week in July.

Angling Trust submits new plans to get match fishing permitted under COVID-19 rules

The Angling Trust reports: The Angling Trust has been working with leading anglers and fisheries in the match fishing community to gain agreement for competitions to resume in compliance with the Government’s guidance on organised gatherings and sporting events.

Riverfest organiser Dave Harrell, England internationals Steve Ringer and Dean Barlow and Lindholme fishery boss Aaron Grantham are amongst a group of highly experienced match fishing enthusiasts who have been working with the Angling Trust to deliver robust new guidelines to bring competition fishing in line with COVID-19 procedures which, it is hoped, will secure the necessary agreement from Government to allow match fishing to resume as soon as possible.

The current Government guidance states:

The limit on gatherings – no more than two, unless members of the same household – means that it is unlikely to be possible to organise amateur events or competitions at this time. The Government is clear that sports participation should be restricted to participants exercising by themselves, or with members from their same household, or a minimum of two metres apart from one member of another household, observing social distancing guidelines. Venues are advised to display signs to this effect. The police have been given powers to enforce these measures.

Some fisheries have argued that because angling competitions can be arranged without any form of gathering of more than two persons and that individual competitors will always be at 2 metres distance, it is possible to comply with the Government’s coronavirus guidance. The Angling Trust are seeking formal clarification from the Police and Government and have submitted the new best practice guide for match fishing in support of their case.

The Angling Trust best practice document has been presented to Sport England and the Government.

Jamie Cook, Angling Trust’s CEO, said: “We committed to move from phase 1 to phase 2 of our plan as quickly as practically possible. Whilst sports are restricted to participation with no more than one other individual we are confident that angling competitions can be conducted within social distancing guidance and as a result we have worked with the match fishing community to present a blueprint which can offer a compliant return to competitive angling.”

“The Government state that it is unlikely it would be practical to organise amateur events or competitions under the current restrictions. However, we believe we have shown how this is safely achievable and are working on behalf of competition anglers of all disciplines.”

Angling Trust Best Practice Document: WWFA-Competitions-2

The Angling Trust reports: Competition fishing: As public gatherings/events are currently banned by the Government, competitions are not permitted as they would be in breach of legal requirements under COVID-19 legislation. This is legally enforceable and by holding competitions, fisheries and clubs risk fines for themselves and participating anglers. In addition, committing a criminal offence will invalidate insurance policies.

The Angling Trust will continue to press for competition fishing to be allowed in further easing of lockdown restrictions, provided it is safe to do so and fully compliant with Government guidelines on containing COVID-19.

The Angling Trust has produced Phase One Guidelines for Individual Anglers, and for Clubs & Fisheries, on how to start fishing safely again.

Phase One Guidelines for Individual Anglers: Phase-One-Individual-11

Phase One Guidelines for Clubs and Fisheries: Phase-one-guidelines-Clubs-Fisheries-16

The Angling Trust reports: The Angling Trust has given a warm welcome to the announcement today (May 10th) by Prime Minster Boris Johnson that recreational fishing looks set to resume in England on Wednesday, May 13th.

The Prime Minister announced the resumption of ‘unlimited outdoor sports’ from Wednesday providing they are conducted alone or with members of the same household and that social distancing rules are followed at all times.

A government source confirmed that “outdoor exercise includes angling, golf, water sports and tennis providing social distanced from Wednesday.”

The decision to include outdoor activities such as angling in the first wave of newly permitted activities followed weeks of intense advocacy and lobbying by the Angling Trust which unified the angling community like never before and saw over 8,000 individual emails sent to MPs and dozens of articles in the regional and national press in support of a safe return for angling.

The Prime Minister is making a full statement to the House of Commons tomorrow and the Angling Trust will be seeking clarification about the reopening of tackle shops and confirmation of any restrictions on how angling should be practised during the next phase.

Reacting to the news, Angling Trust CEO Jamie Cook said: “I couldn’t be more pleased to see the hard work of the Angling Trust and our supporters delivering such an outstanding result for everyone who loves to go fishing. We have demonstrated to the satisfaction of government that angling can be permitted as a safe, healthy, beneficial outdoor activity and why it can take its rightful position at the front of the queue as restrictions are relaxed.”

Angling Trust Policy Chief Martin Salter said:  “There is still work to do to get the tackle shops open and to provide good advice to fisheries, angling guides and coaches but it looks like we are there and it’s no longer a question of When We Fish Again but ‘where are we going fishing on Wednesday?”

The Angling Trust has today published further Phase One Guidelines for clubs and fisheries to help them prepare for the resumption of angling on their waters on May 13th.

You can read the latest government advice here>>

The Angling Trust reports: The National Governing Body for recreational fishing in the UK – the Angling Trust –  is campaigning for angling to become one of the first permitted outdoor activities when ministers review the coronavirus lockdown restrictions on May 7th.

Fishing is one of Britain’s most popular pastimes and has long been known to be beneficial to mental wellbeing. With the current crisis in mental health caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Angling Trust have proposed how fishing could be safely permitted as soon as it is appropriate for measures to be eased.

A report entitled ‘When We Fish Again’ has been submitted to Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and the Fisheries and Sports Ministers. It sets out the means by which recreational fishing could be permitted and draws on experience in other European countries including Germany, Holland, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Norway where angling has been allowed to continue under certain conditions during the pandemic with significant benefits to both wellbeing and the economy without having a detrimental impact on their efforts to combat COVID-19.

The recreational angling sector is estimated to be worth over £4bn to the UK economy and experience from across Europe indicates that this contribution has grown significantly where angling has been permitted under lockdown. On May 4th angling is set to resume in Belgium and many countries have now announced timetables for a lifting of restrictions on activities such as fishing that allow social distancing to be maintained.

The Angling Trust report recommends a phased resumption in line with the government’s own criteria and identifies a number of other reasons why angling should be an early candidate for consideration including:

• being a largely solitary sport where self-isolation occurs naturally
• proven benefits for mental health and physical wellbeing
• appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds and engaging able-bodied and disabled participants alike
• the majority of the population live within 5 miles of a waterway minimising the need for significant travel
• evidence that non-contact outdoor activities will not increase infection rates
• a reduction in pressure on other public open spaces

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has already confirmed to MPs that ministers are actively considering how low risk outdoor activities like angling and golf might be permitted in the first phase of any easing of restrictions.

The campaign has attracted the support of prominent figures within the angling community and senior MPs.

Angling Trust CEO, Jamie Cook said: “We have demonstrated that angling in the UK could be permitted as a safe, healthy, beneficial outdoor activity and why it should take its position at the front of the queue when restrictions are reviewed…”

Martin Salter said: “Angling is the ultimate social distancing activity as large crowds and successful fishing don’t mix and most anglers tend to crave solitude…”

Summary Report: When We Fish Again – When-We-Fish-Again-Report-13

Full Report to Government Ministers – FULL-REPORT-TO-GOVERNMENT-MINISTERS-FINAL

5 Nations Fly Fishing Championship

Because of the uncertainty regarding travel and accommodation requirements, the 5NFFC 2020, due to be held in Ireland from the 15th to 19th July this year, has been cancelled, and will be re-scheduled to a similar time in Ireland in 2021.

The Angling Trust has created a dedicated resource hub for anglers, clubs, fisheries and other angling organisations.

Go here>> for the dedicated area for individual anglers. All the Angling Trust’s latest guidance around staying safe whilst fishing, as well as updates around the hundreds of events and competitions managed by the Angling Trust which have been impacted by COVID-19.

Go here>> for the dedicated area for angling clubs and other organisations. All the Angling Trust’s latest guidance for clubs, fisheries and other organisations, plus details about the Angling Trust support team who are dedicated to working with angling organisations to access funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

40th FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships

This event, due to be held in the Kuusamo and Taivalkoski regions, Finland, has been postponed to next year, and will take place from August 10th to 17th, 2021.

You can follow developments on the competition website here>>

26th FIPS-Mouche European Fly Fishing Championships & 1st FIPS-Mouche World Ladies Fly Fishing Championships

These events have also been postponed to next year, and will be held at Stop-Elvdal and Rendalen in Norway, from the 5th-11th July, 2021.

You will find more information for both competitions on their website here>>

6th FIPS-Mouche Masters World Fly Fishing Championships

This event, for competitors aged over 50, to be held in Zábřeh, in the North Moravia Region of the Czech Republic, has been postponed to the 28th September – 4th October, 2020.

For more details, go to their website here>>

Due to the current Covid-19 virus outbreak, the AT TEFF Executive have agreed the following courses of action:

2020 River Qualifiers and National Final

The outstanding River Avon, Ure and Dee Qualifiers are cancelled and entrants will receive a refund of the entry fee. A refund process will be set up next week. The Rivers National Final is also cancelled. The Qualifier and National Final programme will restart when circumstances allow. The River Itchen and Test Qualifier results will stand.

2020/21 Rivers Home Internationals

As the 2020 Rivers Home International has been cancelled, the 2020 team will be rolled over to compete in 2021. The outcome of the delayed Qualifier and National programme (as per above) will form the Team to fish in 2022.

In light of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and its impact on this year’s Loch-style Internationals, the AT TEFF Executive has taken the decision to ‘hibernate’ this year’s events.

This means that the Loch-style teams due to fish in Spring and Autumn 2020 will roll over to 2021. Whether this is at the same venues is yet to be decided. This action means that this year’s Loch-style qualification process has been cancelled.

As and when further information is available, it will be posted on this website.

AT TEFF Executive