European Anglers Alliance welcomes two new members during the 2026 General Assembly meeting in Cork (IE)

The General Assembly welcomed the Fédération Nationale de la Pêche en France (FNPF) and the Estonian Fishing Clubs Association (EKL – Eesti Kalastusklubide Liit) as new EAA members, further strengthening the Alliance’s representation of anglers and recreational fisheries across Europe.

Welcoming FNPF and EKL strengthens EAA’s presence and broadens its reach across Europe. These new members will further expand our network, foster new connections and bring together even more people committed to advancing recreational fisheries at the European level,” said Mark Owen, President of the European Anglers Alliance.

European policy and scientific developments at heart of the discussion

During the Sea, Freshwater and Joint Subgroup meetings, EAA members reviewed the main European policy developments affecting recreational fisheries. Discussions covered:

• The evaluation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy,
• Implementation of the revised Fisheries Control Regulation,
• The Water Framework Directive,
• The transition towards lead-free fishing tackle, and
• The EU-funded ProtectFish project.

Members also shared national updates and examples of initiatives aimed at increasing participation in angling, particularly among young people and women. EAA member Danmarks Sportfiskerforbund (DK) presented the impressive results of its “Anglers of the Future” project, which has significantly increased youth participation in angling in recent years.

This year’s meetings also welcomed Dr Harry Strehlow of the Thünen Institute and Dr Kieran Hyder, Principal Recreational Fisheries Scientist at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas). Their participation highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation between the scientific community and angling organisations, whose networks and on-the-ground knowledge can provide valuable insights into anglers’ practices and experiences.

Dr Strehlow also presented the EveryFish project, which aims to better understand how anglers document their catches and use digital fishing applications. EAA members were invited to help connect researchers with anglers and support participation in the project’s survey. Find out more.

Learning from Irish fisheries initiatives

During the GA meeting, representatives of Irish public bodies, including Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency, presented national initiatives supporting healthy aquatic ecosystems, incl. Ireland’s National Barrier Mitigation Programme, which aims to reconnect rivers by mitigating or removing man-made barriers that affect fish migration, water quality and biodiversity.

Participants also received a presentation on the ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ campaign. The campaign encourages anglers and other water users to check, clean and dry their equipment, clothing and footwear to reduce the risk of spreading invasive aquatic species and diseases between waterways.

Watch the campaign’s promo video now via this link: Calling all water users! Check Clean Dry

GA meeting – Reviewing progress & setting priorities

The General Assembly provided an opportunity for EAA members to welcome two new organisations, FNPF and EKL, review the progress achieved over the past year and discuss priorities for 2026–2027. Members also received updates on the activities of the EAA’s various subgroups.

This year also marked the publication of the EAA’s first annual report, highlighting the organisation’s key activities and achievements in 2025.

This report provides an overview of the 2025 General Assembly in Vienna, the activities of the EAA’s subgroups and its representation at the European Parliament. It also highlights the EAA’s work within the Baltic Sea Advisory Council, where Sportfiskarna serves as Vice-Chair on behalf of the EAA and DAFV participates as a member.

The next EAA General Assembly will take place in Denmark in September 2027.

(c) Ruben Bil – 2026 

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