Help stop the spread of invasive plants and animals in our waters!

Invasive plants and animals can carry diseases that kill fish, and block waterways and banks interfering with fishing. They can be small and hard to spot so are easily spread on damp clothing and equipment. Read more on plants and animals to look out for. Once established they become extremely difficult and expensive to eradicate, which is why it is so important to prevent their spread in the first place.

Protect the environment and fishing you enjoy by keeping your kit free of invasive plants and animals. 

Guidance for anglers

Whenever you leave the water, remember to Check Clean Dry

Check

Check your gear after leaving the water for mud, aquatic animals or plant material. Remove anything you find and leave it at the site.

Clean

Clean everything thoroughly as soon as you can, paying attention to nets, waders, and areas that are damp and hard to access. Use hot water if possible.

Dry

Dry everything for as long as possible before using elsewhere as some invasive plants and animals can survive for two weeks in damp conditions.

Going abroad?

It's even more important to Check Clean Dry if you're taking your kit abroad to make sure you don't bring any plants or animals back with you. Make sure everything is clean and has been dried thoroughly before you use it again at home.

Check Clean Dry materials

Download free materials to remind yourself and other water users to Check Clean Dry. Contact us to order free hard copies.

Signs / posters

• Coarse angling | Coarse angling (Welsh)
• Game angling 
• Marine angling | Marine angling (Welsh) 
• Coarse angling washdown station
• Clubs and managers of waterbodies 

Leaflets

• Coarse angling | Coarse angling (Welsh) 
• Bulgarian
• Czech
• Dutch 
• French
• German
• Hungarian
• Italian
• Latvian
• Lithuanian
• Polish
• Romanian
• Spanish
• Ukrainian
• Marine angling | Marine angling (Welsh)
• Game angling for tour operators
• Coarse angling for tour operators

Other materials 

• Waterproof sticker
• Report on biosecurity for anglers
• Pocket fold out ID guide

Find a full list of Check Clean Dry materials

Guidance for clubs

There are lots of actions for clubs to help protect the waters they use, why not share these with your club?

Guidance for event organisers

The risk of spreading invasive plants and animals to new water bodies is even higher at events and competitions, where visiting anglers could unknowingly introduce them on their kit, or take them away to their usual fishing spots. View the Angling Event Biosecurity Pack (PDF) and read more on actions for event managers. 

Other ways to help stop the spread

If you would like to do even more to protect your watercourses from invasive non-native species you could:

• Join a Local Action Group working on invasive species management, or get involved in controlling floating pennywort through the Angling Trust.
• Look out for and record invasive non-native species online via iRecord or through a smartphone app. View free ID guides for over 60 species.
• Free online training is available in identification, recording and biosecurity.

Thank you for helping to protect the environment.