Tackle trade urged to support Commonwealth Games youth celebration

The UK’s Angling Trade Association (ATA) has urged the fishing tackle industry to support the National Celebration of Young People and Angling during the Commonwealth Games.

The national celebration is the culmination of the Let’s Fish Campaign run by the Canal and River Trust (CRT) throughout the year to capture new and returning anglers.

ATA Vice Chairman, Mike Heylin, who was at the event last year, said: “It was one of my best ever days in a lifetime of fishing. Industry people should get along to see what their brands can do to support this incredibly important work for the future of fishing.

“The Canal and River Trust does more than its fair share to grow the market for fishing tackle and create new anglers, as well as supporting the We Fish As One campaign from the Angling Trust.

Heylin also drew attention to the ‘We Fish As One’ campaign being launched by the Angling Trust, the representative body for anglers in England and Wales. 

“The Commonwealth Games initiative from CRT could have been an incredibly important part of that really important campaign, but as yet the Trust has not engaged with any other significant party in delivering that diversity package.

“With real partnership engagement we could all achieve so much more for our disparate communities and for angling.”

The CRT controls in the region of 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, plus reservoirs. The Commonwealth Games will take place in Birmingham, from July 28 to August 8.