Here is he latest guidance in PDF form and text. Click here for PDF.

Following the Angling Trust’s February 11th submission to the Cabinet Office making
the case for a relaxation of travel restrictions and a return to all forms of angling –
including night fishing, charter boat angling and match fishing – we have been having
intense discussions with government officials who are drawing up the new guidance
for the return of outdoor sports and recreation for the next relaxation in the Covid
restrictions due on March 29th.

The Angling Trust is pleased to announce the Cabinet Office and Defra have now
confirmed to us the following from March 29th:

Fishing will remain permitted as outdoor recreation or exercise for up to 6 people,
or in a larger group if everyone present is from the same two households. A
‘household’ can include the support bubble linked to that household [if eligible].

Outdoor recreational activities and exercise may take place at night so you may
fish into or through the night. There are no time limits on outdoor recreation.
However, you may not go on holiday to go fishing or use fishing as a pretext for a
camping trip as overnight stays for these purposes remain prohibited until April
12th (Step 2)

Match fishing will be enabled as an organised outdoor sport from March 29th.
Organised outdoor sports will not be subject to the gatherings limits, but should be
compliant with guidance issued by national governing bodies to ensure
appropriate steps, including risk assessments, are taken to make it Covid-secure
in line with the law. At this stage, these gatherings must only include participants –
not spectators.

Private boat fishing under the Rule of 6 and charter boats operating in accordance
with Covid precautions should now both be allowed. However, where fishing takes
place on a partially enclosed boat (eg with a cabin or lounge area) with the
exception of the skipper, those outside the household support bubble must not go
indoors (except for access to/use of the toilet).

The statutory stay at home restriction will be lifted but the guidance will encourage
you to minimise travel outside of your local area. This means avoiding making
unnecessary journeys, combining trips and avoiding travel at peak times where
possible. People should avoid travelling further than is reasonably necessary to
take part in, or during their activity.

Tackle shops and other ‘non-essential retail’ can fully open at Step 2 (April 12th)
but can continue to offer click/call and collect until this point. Fisheries offering
self-contained accommodation such as campsites and holiday lets, where indoor
facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen at this time.

Throughout, anglers must also ensure they are in possession of a valid fishing
licence, adhere to fisheries bylaws including the close season (March 15 to June
15 for coarse fishing on rivers) and have permission of the fishery owner.

Although the regulations are yet to be published we fully expect them to align line with
both our guidelines and the FAQs published by Sport England today (18/3/21) which
can be found here.

The Angling Trust will update its formal guidelines once we have seen the
regulations and had the benefit of legal advice. In the meantime, and with this
caveat, we advise angling clubs and fisheries to plan on this basis.