From the Forth to the rest of Scotland: the next chapter for Fish Around

Work is under way to extend Fish Around beyond the Forth, bringing fisheries, guides and places to stay together through a national rollout across Scotland.

The plans build on the experience of Fish Around the Forth and the people who have helped develop it: fisheries, angling clubs, local permit outlets, anglers and those working to protect our waters. The aim is to make fishing easier to find and access, while giving the people who manage it practical support.

Scotland has an extraordinary variety of fishing. Finding out where to go, how to get a permit and what to expect when you arrive can still take some digging. For the clubs, associations and businesses providing that fishing, managing permits and answering enquiries can also take considerable time, often alongside other work or voluntary responsibilities.

The national rollout will bring more of that information and administration into one place. Anglers will be able to discover participating fisheries, check availability, understand the rules and arrange their fishing online. Fisheries will have tools to manage permits, bookings and catch returns, with digital permit checks supporting bailiffs and fishery managers.

The platform is being developed for waters of all sizes, from club waters and hill lochs to stillwater fisheries, river beats and coastal fishing. Each fishery will retain control over its own prices, rules and availability. Local knowledge and the character of each water will remain central to how it is presented.

Connecting fishing, guiding and places to stay

Guides and accommodation providers are an important part of the plans.

A fishing trip often involves more than a permit. You might want a guide to help you explore an unfamiliar river, an instructor for your first day with a fly rod, or a cottage nearby so you can make a few days of it.

The planned development will connect these services with fishing opportunities, helping anglers find the local expertise and accommodation that suit their trip.

Synchronised availability is a key part of that work. For combined bookings, the planned system will check fishing, guiding and accommodation calendars together, showing options only when all the selected elements are available. These features are being developed as part of the rollout.

For local businesses, the aim is to make it easier to reach people already planning to visit and fish in their area.

Building on the Forth’s foundations

Fish Around the Forth provides the foundation for this next stage. The relationships and experience built here will help guide the wider development, with the Forth remaining an important part of the growing network.

The rollout will follow the same not-for-profit approach, with reinvestment supporting the platform, fisheries and wider community benefit. (fisharoundtheforth.uk)

Improved catch reporting and anonymised participation information are also part of the plans, helping fisheries and relevant organisations better understand angling activity and inform management decisions.

Expansion will happen in stages as fisheries join and new features are tested and introduced. We will share updates as the work progresses and more opportunities become available.

Interested fisheries, guides and cottage owners can learn more at fisharound.uk. Fisheries can apply to join the platform, while guides and cottage owners can register their interest in the planned services.From the Forth to the rest of Scotland: the next chapter for Fish Around

Work is under way to extend Fish Around beyond the Forth, bringing fisheries, guides and places to stay together through a national rollout across Scotland.

The plans build on the experience of Fish Around the Forth and the people who have helped develop it: fisheries, angling clubs, local permit outlets, anglers and those working to protect our waters. The aim is to make fishing easier to find and access, while giving the people who manage it practical support.

Scotland has an extraordinary variety of fishing. Finding out where to go, how to get a permit and what to expect when you arrive can still take some digging. For the clubs, associations and businesses providing that fishing, managing permits and answering enquiries can also take considerable time, often alongside other work or voluntary responsibilities.

The national rollout will bring more of that information and administration into one place. Anglers will be able to discover participating fisheries, check availability, understand the rules and arrange their fishing online. Fisheries will have tools to manage permits, bookings and catch returns, with digital permit checks supporting bailiffs and fishery managers.

The platform is being developed for waters of all sizes, from club waters and hill lochs to stillwater fisheries, river beats and coastal fishing. Each fishery will retain control over its own prices, rules and availability. Local knowledge and the character of each water will remain central to how it is presented.

Connecting fishing, guiding and places to stay

Guides and accommodation providers are an important part of the plans.

A fishing trip often involves more than a permit. You might want a guide to help you explore an unfamiliar river, an instructor for your first day with a fly rod, or a cottage nearby so you can make a few days of it.

The planned development will connect these services with fishing opportunities, helping anglers find the local expertise and accommodation that suit their trip.

Synchronised availability is a key part of that work. For combined bookings, the planned system will check fishing, guiding and accommodation calendars together, showing options only when all the selected elements are available. These features are being developed as part of the rollout.

For local businesses, the aim is to make it easier to reach people already planning to visit and fish in their area.

Building on the Forth’s foundations

Fish Around the Forth provides the foundation for this next stage. The relationships and experience built here will help guide the wider development, with the Forth remaining an important part of the growing network.

The rollout will follow the same not-for-profit approach, with reinvestment supporting the platform, fisheries and wider community benefit. (fisharoundtheforth.uk)

Improved catch reporting and anonymised participation information are also part of the plans, helping fisheries and relevant organisations better understand angling activity and inform management decisions.

Expansion will happen in stages as fisheries join and new features are tested and introduced. We will share updates as the work progresses and more opportunities become available.

Interested fisheries, guides and cottage owners can learn more at fisharound.uk. Fisheries can apply to join the platform, while guides and cottage owners can register their interest in the planned services.