This article is part of a series dedicated to the presentation of angling association across Europe. For this article, we introduce the EAA member from Italy: Alleanza Pescatori Ricreativi (APR) – Recreational Fishermen Alliance.
Alleanza Pescatori Ricreativi was established in Parma in 2010. The association aims to defend the interests of recreational fishers from all across the Italian peninsula. After years of divisions of recreational fishers, the creation of APR aims to make the voice of anglers heard in fisheries management in a more united way.
APR gathers individual fishers but also clubs and various associations. It is striving against the impoverishment of fishing resources in the Mediterranean and wants to strengthen a shared fishing management which goes beyond conflicts between users and individual interests. APR also aims to bring science into the discussion and find the right balance between the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
For instance, APR is particularly engaged in a better and fairer management of bluefin tuna. The association
recently complained about the closure of the bluefin tuna season for recreational fishers on 18 July. Illegal catches and unbalances in favour of commercial fishers are two topics at the heart of APR’s agenda. The association is bringing proposals in the discussion, for instance with the recommendation to switch from a daily to a seasonal bag limit for bluefin tuna.
Alleanza Pescatori Ricreativi is also aware of the many benefits that recreational fishing brings to society. It notably brought them to light in the
“Casting for Recovery” project that APR has set up in Italy. Created in the United States, this initiative has been developed worldwide and aims to help women recovering from breast cancer surgeries through the practice of fly fishing. In May 2019, five patients spent a weekend in the wonderful environment of the Aveto Regional Natural Park (near Genoa). APR hopes to organise new sessions soon and keeps collecting funding for them.
APR tries to strengthen the feeling of community amongst Italian recreational fishers by providing them with relevant news through a
newsletter and posts on
social media. These tools communicate information related to the latest Italian and European policy developments and fishing regulations, and more recently news on the lockdown during which recreational fishing was not allowed in Italy between early March and May 2020.