Rochdale & District Angling Society receives £4,000 funding boost to improve access at Trows Lane waters

The Rochdale & District Angling Society has received a £4,000 funding boost this year, thanks to the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Improvement Programme.

The Fisheries Improvement Programme projects cover both rivers and still waters and, as well as benefitting anglers, help protect a wide range of species including coarse fish, trout and eels.

Over the last year, around 220 projects have received investment, in order to protect fish stocks, provide new angling platforms, and improve accessibility so more people than ever are able to enjoy the sport.

The society's Trows Lane waters in Castleton, which has six fishing lodges, is one of 19 projects in Greater Manchester to have received funding, which will go towards making the banking of the Nursery lodge and the Starch lodge more accessible.

Damian Chadwick, treasurer of the Rochdale & District Angling Society, said the funding will go towards a £20,000 estimate to level the banking of the two lodges, which is collapsing.

He said: "We'll be levelling it to make it more accessible for everyone with better paths and better pegs [where you sit to fish].

"We host groups like the local charity Tackling Minds who we've had a partnership with for two years, and a large proportion of our members are over the age of 65."

 

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Damian added: "The Environment Agency has supported the club with a number of projects over the last few years, including a similar grant last year and a big project which shut one of our lodges for four years.

"We're hoping to encourage more members to the club, including juniors and other groups. We have over 400 members and everyone has equal ownership because we're a not-for-profit organisation. Anyone is free to come down and have a look."

Heidi Stone, Environment Agency Fisheries Manager, said: “The Fisheries Improvement Programme is a great example of how rod licence income is being reinvested, resulting in sustainable fish stocks and directly benefiting angling and local communities.

“The programme recognises and invests in a wide programme of work to help maintain, improve and develop fisheries.

“Looking to the future, we will continue to work with our partners, angling clubs and fisheries to identify and deliver high quality projects, the more people who buy a licence and go fishing, the more we can invest in this way.”

Rochdale and District Angling Society was founded in 1912 and is one of the oldest member-run fishing societies in Rochdale.

Originally the waters were mill lodges and used as part of the manufacturing process in the mill attached to the site. The waters stock various types of fish and accommodate different styles of fishing.

All funds generated through membership fees are invested back into the club – for example, stocking, maintenance and running costs.

For more information on becoming a member, please visit: https://trowslane.com/2023-new-memberships/