Thornhill Angling Club and Brookfoot Lake near Brighouse among those to benefit from more than £100,000 of funding to improve fisheries across Yorkshire

Projects supported include creating floating islands for fish and improving angling access facilities so that more people than ever are able to enjoy the sport.

FIP funding of £2,248.20 was spent on improvements to the angling access and platforms at Pattersons Pond in Mirfield for Thornhill Angling Club. Access bridge repairs and peg upgrades were installed by the club.

Money was also spent at Brookfoot Lake near Brighouse, where £8,000 of various fishery improvements were made across the site for the benefit of the angling club.

This included the construction of 25 floating islands, to provide fish refuges at Riley’s Pond, a marginal floating island around Brookfoot Lake, construction of an “access for all” platform adjacent to the blue badge parking spaces below Riley’s Pond and construction of eleven new standard platforms at Airey’s Pond.

The funding also contributed to the installation of a silt trap near the outflow from the ski lake into Brookfoot Lake.

Paul Slater, fisheries team leader for Yorkshire, said: “Anglers often ask us about how we spend the money raised from the sale of fishing licences.

"The Fisheries Improvement Programme is a prime example of the wide range of activities this income pays for in order to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries.

“The programme is also a great demonstration of our partnership efforts, with many of the projects completed in Yorkshire with the support of landowners, local businesses and fisheries clubs – it’s a real team effort.”

Overall, the Fisheries Improvement Programme has invested nearly £1million to fund almost 220 projects, in the last year, to enhance England's fisheries. The FIP funding is also matched by local partners including angling clubs and fisheries and local rivers trusts.

Mark Owen, Angling Trust head of fisheries, said: “At the Angling Trust we very much support the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Improvement Programme.

"Funding from anglers’ rod licence income and the resulting work will benefit local anglers and improve fishing opportunities.”