AT membership

Xplorer1 · Nov 16, 2009

Reading, and then responding to, the current Canoeist/AT thread, I suddenly wondered "What kind of anglers join the AT, and what kinds don't?". Older/younger? Coarse/game/sea? Commercial/club water users? Stillwater/river? Wealthy/hard up? Labour/Tory/LibDem/Green/SNP? I couldn't find any demographics on the AT site.

I'm sure we all have opinions (and some may have FACTS!)................

sagalout · Nov 16, 2009

I think it is the media aware. My 85 year old father in law ain't got a clue it even exists.

keora · Nov 17, 2009

Off the top of my head, there's just over a million anglers who buy licences, and the Angling Trust has around 10,000 or so individual members, so the the proportion of anglers who are members is minute.

I imagine the typical AT member is a keen angler with a lot of experience. I don't think anglers who fish just occasionally, with fairly basic kit, are aware of the organisation. Even if they are aware, their response might be "What has the Angling Trust ever done for me?".

Peter Jacobs · Nov 17, 2009

Neil,

I doubt that even the Angling trust themselves have any form of socio-demographic data, or indeed any data relating to even how often a member actually goes fishing.

The reson being that I do not recall having to fill out any of this type of data when joining.

When you think about it though, it would have been very helpful in identifying who has joined, and absolutely priceless when targeting new members.

That said, I know that a lot of people are not too keen on providing personal data, especially in these days of marketing databases etc.

coelacanth · Nov 17, 2009

Xplorer1 said:
Reading, and then responding to, the current Canoeist/AT thread, I suddenly wondered "What kind of anglers join the AT, and what kinds don't?". Older/younger? Coarse/game/sea? Commercial/club water users? Stillwater/river? Wealthy/hard up? Labour/Tory/LibDem/Green/SNP? I couldn't find any demographics on the AT site.

I'm sure we all have opinions (and some may have FACTS!)................

Going off the membership form, the only information the AT will have is fairly basic stuff about age, gender, angling preferences, ethnic origin, any disabilities (whether real or just to join the blue badge club...) and membership of other angling bodies.
Other information could be extrapolated out by using post codes etc., there are probably other statistics on payment methods that can be used to indicate income status, but not sure they'd really want to be wasting resources on this.

J K · Nov 17, 2009

I recently read, on another forum by the way, in a thread about the AT comments such as:

"It's the EA's job, why should I pay twice?"
"I'm not having anyone tell me what to do"
"They're just in it for the money"
"I don't match fish, let them that want to enter Fishomania pay"
"Why should I have to pay twice to enter Fishomania?"

The vast majority still didn't get why the AT is necessary even after it was spelt out to them.

904_cannon · Nov 19, 2009

"The vast majority still didn't get why the AT is necessary even after it was spelt out to them."

Like with most things in this world, the vast majority only ask 'whats in it for me'

Steve Spiller · Nov 19, 2009

Have the Salmon and Trout Anglers joined the A.T yet?
Will they?
Do they need to?
Are they holding the 'Ace' up their sleeves if the sh!t hits the fan? They don't catch and release, coarse anglers do. Coarse anglers catch for sport, game anglers take for the pot. I think they are gonna use that to screw us coarse anglers!

I've joined because I am a serious angler who cares about his sport and the future of angling. I had a very lengthy converstion about this today with a friend of mine, who happens to be a bailiff/tackle shop owner and is in talks with the E.A about the state of the Bristol Avon. But as yet he has not joined the A.T, it was a very interesting conversation.

Ian Cloke · Nov 19, 2009

Dteve, are you refering to the Salmon & Trout Association? If so, they do a LOT of catch and release mate.

Morespiders · Nov 19, 2009

The have a Charitable Trust status, therefore cannot join the AT as a whole, but individual members can join, most likely a third of A.T. members are made up of them already, they boast 100,000 members, makes coarse fisherman look silly.

S-Kippy · Nov 19, 2009

I belong to a Trades Union at work.I'm not a die hard or commited Trades Unionist so I am happy to pay my fees so that those that are can represent my interests better than I can. I belong to the AT for largely the same reasons...I'm just not one of those people who "does" things and lobbies etc so I am happy to support the AT so that those who are can represent me. Lazy logic if you like but it works for me.

Union membership costs me a not inconsiderable sum pa as its based on salary. In fact it costs me more than my main club membership and rod licence...and because I fish for sea trout thats a full migratory licence. The AT membership by comparison is barely more than one months Union fees.

Dare I venture that most of us wouldn't dream of NOT being in a Union at work...especially now...but as anglers how can we NOT be members of the AT ? Its not perfect.,..neither is my Union...but who else is going to represent me ?

That's why I joined and why I will stay a member until something better comes along.

alan whittington · Nov 20, 2009

S-kippy,ive been a union member all my working life,they have done very little for me in all that time,if thats what ive got to look forward to i would rescind my membership now mate.

S-Kippy · Nov 20, 2009

Alan

I understand what you're saying & I dont disagree.I've paid an awful lot of money in union fees over the years and I though my union isn't completely useless whether that's been good value for me personally...probably not...but at least there is someone representing me & that I like.

I feel the same about the AT.....to support them is about all I can do as someone who wants somebody else to do the arguing for them. I'm prepared to give them a chance because I'm too lazy to do it myself and there is nobody else.

Personally I think its only a matter of time before angling is subject to a serious attack...and I mean serious not skirmishing.We will need all the representation we can get when that happens

alan whittington · Nov 20, 2009

I know its a strange analogy but i liken the majority of anglers to 'Dillon' in 'magic roundabout',about as laid back as it comes and as apethetic as hell,its a shame they all go as the riverbank would be a better place without them.Sorry about that rant over.

chris_fox · Nov 20, 2009

Class - Middle
Politics - Middle
Earnings - Good
Personality - A bit 40ish
Fishing - All types ...... I haven't match fished though and I have NO snobbery about it either
View - AT is absolutely the right thing

I am used to paying a fee to sports board for any sport. If you are in a golf club you pay to the county and national union. Rugby was the same and I sure league football is.

You know what if I pay for another 40 years and never need them then so be it. But someone will and they will need our support ..... through the Trust.

I am also over stating the point. I need the Angling Trust ..... they represent my sports best interests mostly even though I am not aware of it.

alan whittington · Nov 20, 2009

Carl,have you the books and every thing the trust has done or is about to do written in front of you,for as a member i havnt and so i cant say the trust is everything i need or wish for,i just pray that it succeeds and goes from strength to strength,there are a lot of anglers like me out there hoping this is going to work,but the jury is still out at this time.

Cakey · Nov 20, 2009

Ive tried to get my mates to join and they come out with the same arguements about paying twice ,the goverment should stop pollution etc etc
but one came up with a brill idea he said why aint the companies that use water ways and could possibly have an accident in one way or another made to take out insurance first

The bad one · Nov 20, 2009

Cakey said:
Ive tried to get my mates to join and they come out with the same arguements about paying twice ,the goverment should stop pollution etc etc
but one came up with a brill idea he said why aint the companies that use water ways and could possibly have an accident in one way or another made to take out insurance first

I think they probably do Cakey!
But isn't insuring against them not sorting out the problem (In-house Environmental Systems: Pollution control) they may have?

Shine · Nov 20, 2009

I got a club newsletter today. Inside it was an form to joined AT.
Another club I'm a member to you don't even get a newsletter.

Bill Cox · Nov 20, 2009

I would hazard a guess that the people who join are in the main the people who look at the bigger picture and care about the sport they are in. The people who dont join are apathetic, inward looking, selfish or stupid or any one of the aforementioned.

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