Revenue from angling contributes a staggering £1.4 billion annually to the English economy, supporting up to 27,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Within the local towns and communities such as Matlock, Darley Dale and Cromford which surround the Derbyshire Derwent, this income is estimated to be hundreds of thousands of pounds, running into millions through the wider Derbyshire area.
As the local economy starts to get back on its feet, local income from anglers will be more critical than ever. Anglers support local pubs and hotels, shops and restaurants not to mention the fishing clubs and fisheries.
Anglers also raise vast sums of money to be spent on conservation and habitat measures through their annual rod licences, which in turn fund employment in the conservation sector. The latest figures show 21 million pounds generated from rod licences which are administered by the Environment Agency. The money raised from Rod Licences is re-invested in conservation and habitat improvement on our waterways.
Locally, the Environment Agency has partially funded fish passes on the Derwent, helping migratory fish navigate the river, resulting in the successful spawning of Atlantic Salmon for the first time in hundreds of years.