A FISHERY on the River Severn has benefited from a major investment.

The Environment Agency has announced nearly £1 million has been spent on 220 projects across the country.

The £925,000 earned from rod licence sales has gone towards the Fisheries Improvement Programme (FIP) (FIP), which has seen the creation of habitats and improvements to access facilities.

In Worcestershire, repairs have been made to the Ripple and Upton fishery, with steps and handrails replaced to make the venue safer.

Heidi Stone, Environment Agency fisheries manager, said: “The FIP is a great example of how rod licence income is being reinvested, resulting in sustainable fish stocks and directly benefiting angling and local communities.

“The programme recognises and invests in a wide programme of work to help maintain, improve and develop fisheries.

“Looking to the future, we will continue to work with our partners, angling clubs and fisheries to identify and deliver high-quality projects, the more people who buy a licence and go fishing, the more we can invest in this way.”

Worcester News: Repairs have been made to the Ripple and Upton fisheryRepairs have been made to the Ripple and Upton fishery (Image: Environment Agency)

Every penny the Environment Agency receives in fishing licence income is reinvested to protect both the sport of angling and England’s waterways.

Since FIP was established in 2015, over 1,000 projects have been successfully completed, with a total of nearly £7 million reinvested from fishing licence sales alone.

The FIP funding is also matched by local partners including angling clubs and fisheries and local trusts.

Over the last year the total match funding, made up of additional cash and in-kind contributions, is estimated to be early £6.3 million.

The Environment Agency works with organisations such as the Angling Trust to make sure projects are carried out to their full potential and have the support they need.

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.

“We support the process by gathering project ideas from clubs and fisheries for assessment by Environment Agency fisheries officers.”

The 2023/24 FIP programme is currently underway, and a variety of new projects are currently being allocated funding.