Open letter to all Broads Anglers.

Since it’s formation back in 2000, BASG has provided a supporting framework for anglers who fish the Broads, with 5 figure investments of public money providing support and facilities for all anglers to enjoy, what is the UK’s largest inland fishery. Back in 2018 BASG realised that set against the austerity cuts in public funding and grants, BASG needed a new approach to sustain this enjoyment and has spent the past 3 years exploring all options supporting this.

The Board of Directors have discussed its direction, capability to deliver and engagement with Broads Anglers since June 2022 and its members agreed at a general meeting held on the 24^th January that it could no longer meet and deliver these objectives.

All attempts to engage and obtain specific outcomes from both its members and in general the Broads Angling community has failed at all levels. The only positive seems to come from the people and industries surrounding angling rather than the anglers themselves. This has led to a level of frustration for the few that are engaged and any attempt to suggest any form of payment for angling services is meet with scorn.

So after attempting to place Broads angling on a more secure and sustainable footing, this has just turned into an impossible mission and therefore anglers will get what they deserve, which is little. Don’t be surprised when on your next trip, you find angling access is removed and replaced by other activities that pay their way.

Recommendation

The Boards recommendation was that BASG has a new set of aims and objectives, which are more about strategic direction, than delivery of services.

• Identify the needs of Broads Angling and demonstrate how these can integrated in to National and Local strategies to ensure angling opportunities are protected and developed
• Define the requirements of a Broads fishery service working in partnership with the Environment Agency to ensure this is delivered.
• Promote the engagement of the Angling Community into citizen science initiatives within the wider Broads Management
• Develop and maintain strong, reliable and credible communications between the statutory bodies and the Angling Community
• Address and resolve conflict between the Anglers and other Broads users
• Promote and create opportunities for new anglers to enter the sport, including under represented groups

No nominations for new Directors were received to take BASG forward and a 2^nd proposal from the Directors to adopt a more strategic direction and outcomes was unanimously agreed by it’s members.

So I would like to thank all the people who have supported us over the last few years as we attempted to place Broads Angling on some form of sustainable footing. Sadly this seems a step too far for some to take and like most things today, the market will determine the outcome.

Kelvin Allen

BASG Chair and Director

25^th Jan 2023