Barbel Society
…as society signals its biggest revamp in history
reinvented – full story
THE coming river season is set to be the best-ever for barbel fishing as one of the sport’s most popular organisations announces the biggest revamp in its history.
With just a few weeks before the start of the river season on June 16, bosses at the Barbel Society have exclusively revealed plans to modernise their group in order to help stock more fish, improve habitats, strengthen their voice and boost membership.
Taking on more new waters, building partnerships with clubs and groups and lobbying to further protect the species are just three new measures the society is planning to modernise the group.
The move comes following a rejig at the society, which has seen specialist Lawrence Breakspear, a founder member, along with our columnist and Barbel Society ambassador Des Taylor combining to take the society into the future.
The 600-plus member-strong group also wants to enhance its ability to listen to the needs and ambitions of its members.
“Our membership is our greatest asset. We have a healthy membership base and need to build on that and become more influential,” said Lawrence.
“The creation of Barbel Society ambassadors will hopefully enhance our recruitment at national and regional levels.
“It has always been a society of the people, so there is no criteria for membership. Whether you are a diehard barbel specialist or a guy who goes once a month, we have all got one thing in common.
“As well as this, we also want to show people how to catch more barbel and enjoy their time on the bank with organised, tailor-made events.”
As part of the new plans, the society also wants to see more pressure put on groups and institutions whose job it is to look after the habitat of barbel.
“I would like to see the society become a lobbying group that looks after the interests of all river anglers,” Lawrence continued.
In order to achieve some of its aims, the group will also be working more closely with other organisations and clubs.
Chairman Steve Pope added: “We definitely want to get involved on more rivers.
“Rivers like the Kennet are suffering badly and we need to know exactly why, so we can align ourselves with what the Predator Action Group (PAG) does.
“We will be working more closely with angling clubs as we have permit-sharing schemes with several clubs and associations, plus we want to develop this concept further and perhaps take on some more waters in the future, other than the three stretches we already have,” Steve said.