About Fish Legal

Fish Legal (initially the Anglers Co-operative Association and later the Anglers’ Conservation Association) was set up by enlightened anglers over 70 years ago. They were not prepared to see their fishing destroyed with impunity by polluters.  Their vision was that through joining together and pooling their money they could fund an organisation with the expertise and financial strength to support members in taking legal action against those who damage our rivers, lakes and waterways.

Fish Legal has successfully fought everyone from rogue farmers to multinational corporations on behalf of its members.  

Over the seven decades of our existence we have built up not only a large fighting fund that allows us to take on the biggest polluters but also a unique expertise and an enviable reputation.  

We have a long track record of winning pollution cases against companies large and small and allowing compensation to be put where it is most needed – to the angling clubs and fishery owners affected, so that they can restore their waters.  We have only been able to do this thanks to the loyal support of our members.

Our work not only holds polluters to account, but also deters would-be polluters because they know that we have the expertise and funds to pursue them through the courts if need be.  Ours is a genuine co-operative organisation that draws its strength from a wide membership to protect each and every member. 

We are a membership organisation that works for and on behalf of its members and does not work for profit.

Our work is not simply reactive. We work proactively to help avoid pollution and anything that might damage our water environments. 

• We will monitor government agencies responsible for waterbodies to make sure that they are fulfilling their duties; 
• We will influence planners to make sure that the interests of the environment are considered where there may be potential damage; 
• We will challenge water companies where their operations might threaten the water environment; 
• We will fight to prevent public bodies hiding environmental information about the damage being done to our rivers, lakes and coasts. 

In England, all this legal work is complemented by the Angling Trust’s campaigns and lobbying activities.

If you believe in protecting  the rivers, lakes and seas that you care about, then please take the one step that can make that protection real by joining Fish Legal.