In today’s world, timely communication can make all the difference — and the RFCA is embracing that. As representatives of angling clubs, riparian owners, and individual anglers across the Ribble catchment, our goal has always been to keep everyone informed and engaged. Whether you’re a coarse angler or a game angler, we want to be relevant to you. As a small volunteer group we’re limited in what we can achieve alone — but together, that changes. Alongside our quarterly meetings, email updates, Facebook page, and weekly blog posts here at ribblefisheriesca.co.uk, we’re pleased to introduce our newest communication channel.
A New WhatsApp Community for the Ribble Catchment
RFCA committee member Mike Rhodes has set up a dedicated Ribble Fisheries WhatsApp Community – a space designed to bring together angling clubs, fisheries, riverside walkers, volunteer bailiffs, citizen scientists, community groups, and all those with an interest in the Ribble and its waters, so we can respond more effectively to the growing issues affecting our catchment.
Pollution, poaching, and fish welfare concerns rarely affect just one fishery or one stretch of river in isolation. What happens upstream can quickly have consequences downstream – and that affects everyone who values these waters, not just those with a rod in hand. Timely communication and cooperation across the whole community has never been more important.
What Is It For?
The community exists so that fisheries, partners and other stakeholders across the catchment can:
- Share information quickly as situations develop
- Highlight concerns as they arise
- Give neighbouring clubs early warning of incidents that may effect their waters.
The sooner we know about a problem, the better our collective chance of taking action and reducing its impact – and that applies equally to stillwater and rivers.
Why Your Club Should Join
This will only work if clubs are prepared to engage and support one another. The more clubs and members involved, the stronger our collective ability to identify issues early and respond effectively.
WhatsApp groups already work well within many clubs for sharing information quickly — by building on that success we can work more closely together across the entire catchment.
We’d strongly encourage every club to take part, and to invite officers, bailiffs, and members to join. By staying connected and sharing what you see on the bank, we can protect our fisheries and respond to threats before they escalate.
How to Join
Scan the QR code below or use this link https://chat.whatsapp.com/LfdC4NgjqoL3gbKzBzvdgj to join the Ribble Fisheries WhatsApp Community, and please share it with your club’s officers and members.
Once you’re in, don’t forget to join the sub-groups within the community to see pollution and poaching reports being submitted by members across the catchment.
What we need now is simple: get out on the banks and send in your reports.
For more information about RFCA activities visit ribblefisheriesca.co.uk or follow us on Facebook