I
Ian Cloke
Guest
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First, angling unity. The founding in January of the Angling Trust (AT), a body originally conceived to unite the sport's hitherto competing representative bodies, is cause for celebration - but only qualified celebration. At the eleventh hour and with so many organisational, social, political and environmental issues to be addressed, the Salmon and Trout Association (S&TA), the body that represents game fishing, opted out.
Just months before the yearned-for deal was due to be signed, and soon after putting out unequivocal pro-unity messages, the sport's best-resourced and most effective lobby group achieved charitable status, after 100 years of existence without it. On acquiring it, the S&TA suddenly discovered that this status prevented it from pursuing full union with the Anglers' Conservation Association, the National Federation of Anglers and the rest. The S&TA has pledged to collaborate closely with the AT and it very likely will, but still the longed-for complete unity has not been achieved.
First, angling unity. The founding in January of the Angling Trust (AT), a body originally conceived to unite the sport's hitherto competing representative bodies, is cause for celebration - but only qualified celebration. At the eleventh hour and with so many organisational, social, political and environmental issues to be addressed, the Salmon and Trout Association (S&TA), the body that represents game fishing, opted out.
Just months before the yearned-for deal was due to be signed, and soon after putting out unequivocal pro-unity messages, the sport's best-resourced and most effective lobby group achieved charitable status, after 100 years of existence without it. On acquiring it, the S&TA suddenly discovered that this status prevented it from pursuing full union with the Anglers' Conservation Association, the National Federation of Anglers and the rest. The S&TA has pledged to collaborate closely with the AT and it very likely will, but still the longed-for complete unity has not been achieved.