CATCH ’EM YOUNG
With numbers of young anglers in the UK declining, schemes are being trialled in schools to inspire a new generation
Fishing in schools
“Some of the kids think sharks and octopuses live in their local river”
FISHING is something that most of us fell in love with as kids after summer days spent exploring the mysteries of our local rivers and ponds.
Nowadays, though, electronic distractions like iPhones and PlayStations mean that fewer and fewer children know much about the outdoor world, never mind trying to catch a fish.
An initiative called Action for the River Kennet (A.R.K.) is doing something about that by taking fish – quite literally – into the classroom. Anna Forbes, project officer at A.R.K., told us more:
“We go into primary schools in the River Kennet catchment area with a tank containing the eggs of brown trout,” she said.
“These eggs then hatch, and the children take care of them by monitoring water temperature and maintaining the filter to replicate the environment of a chalk stream.
“The kids absolutely love it, and I think some of the teachers enjoy learning just as much as they do.”
One of the main aims of the project is to increase knowledge and awareness of the iconic River Kennet, as many of the pupils have no idea what species of fish live in their local river.
“Some think that sharks and octopuses live there, while others don’t know if it’s made of salt or fresh water,” Anna revealed.
“We teach them not only about fish, but also invertebrates and water voles.”
Just under three months after the fish have hatched, the children release their trout into the Kennet.
“By now, they are conscious and caring of their local river,” says Anna. “They can walk past the spot where they released their fish for years to come and think ‘that’s where my trout went, I wonder how they’re getting on?’ It will give them a lifelong fascination with the river.”
A.R.K. isn’t the only project that has had success with fishing in schools. Easington and District Angling Society in East Durham is running such a successful programme that local kids and their parents are knocking on its door asking if they can go fishing!
“Our club has a great relationship with the community here in East Durham, and we have lots of local schools that are interested in using our waters,” club secretary, Steve Arnaud, told us.
“The kids that come here don’t even have to fish if they don’t want to. We’ve got one group coming to do construction work on our ponds. Most of them don’t know anything about fishing, but by simply letting them see our waters the idea of catching fish is sparked in their minds.”
Liam Kelk, from Worksop, Notts, has
also been doing his bit to encourage young anglers after taking over the annual match at his daughter’s school.
An algal bloom in the local pond, where the match was once held, meant that it hadn’t been fished for years
“My eldest daughter mentioned in school that I was a match angler,” Liam said.
“When the head teacher found out he asked me to take it over. I was more than happy to accept, and the Kiveton Waters sports complex in Sheffield very generously let us use one of its lakes for free.
“The kids had a brilliant day, and big tackle companies kindly put together goodie bags as prizes, as well as giving a rod to the top three in the match. It was such a success that I’m running the match again on June 18 this year.”
With the success of these projects it seems that the future of fishing may not be so dim after all.
You never know, maybe one day children will prefer to spend their days gazing over a river or pond rather than squinting into tiny screens. We can but hope...