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The charity making life better by water

We're inviting interest for Yorkshire fishery

The management of a commercial fishery near Sheffield is being put out to tender.

Angler Adam Rooney with a carp at Harthill Reservoir

We're inviting our existing and potential new licensees the opportunity to help manage Harthill Reservoir in South Yorkshire.

Harthill Reservoir

We're the largest owner of freshwater fishing rights in England and Wales, renting fishing rights to over 240 angling clubs as well as running a significant commercial fisheries portfolio. We also run the Let's Fish programme, which introduces thousands of young people to the sport each year. Faced with the challenge of meeting the costs of managing an ageing canal network against a backdrop of a significant reduction in government funding, the charity is ensuring it is receiving the best possible value for its fishing rights.

Harthill Reservoir covers over 33 acres. The upper reservoir is stocked predominantly with carp. It is mainly used for specimen carp fishing but also has some specimen tench, bream, pike and roach. The main reservoir is currently undergoing significant engineering works, and the drained sections are to be stocked with match-sized carp early in 2024 once the reservoir is refilled.

We're inviting you to contact us to register interest in tendering. The deadline to submit tenders is 12pm, 4 December 2023.

Proud to manage fisheries

John Ellis, our national fisheries & angling manager, said: “The upper Harthill Reservoir is a wonderful fishery. Essentially a carp runs water, it's not unheard of to catch more than 30 fish in a session, with carp averaging 8lb and some running close to 30lb. We are confident that, following the restocking with the Fishers Pond strain of carp, the Harthill Reservoir fishery will prove extremely popular for club and open matches.

“Fishing is a fantastic way to feel the benefits of spending time outside by the water and we're proud to manage fisheries around the country that offer something for all types of anglers. Many of the fisheries that we own were built over 200 years ago to supply water to the canals – a task they still carry out today. But looking after an ageing network of canals is costly and we’re faced with the dual challenges of a sharp reduction in our future funding from government, and the growing impact of extreme weather. As a charity, we need to make sure we’re getting the best value so we can continue to preserve them for future generations.”

To register your initial interest and to receive further information please email: [email protected]

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Last Edited: 02 November 2023

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