Support Fish in Need (FIN) This Christmas

As we approach Christmas — a season of goodwill and reflection — I wanted to highlight one of our most precious yet often overlooked natural resources: our freshwater fish.

In an age of increasing pollution, excessive water extraction, and growing predation pressures, many UK fish populations face enormous challenges. That’s why I was proud to help establish Fish in Need (FIN) in 2021, a conservation and education charity created by a group of passionate fish lovers.

FIN’s mission is simple but vital: to revive, rescue, and restore fish populations across the UK. The charity supports initiatives that improve freshwater habitats, reintroduce species where appropriate, and expand public understanding of the fish that inhabit our rivers, lakes, and ponds — and how we can protect them.

Since its launch, FIN has backed several significant environmental projects, including:

• Preservation and breeding of true DNA Crucians
• Protection of a rare, true line of wild carp
• The River Og restoration project, working with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
• The Kennet Hatchery initiative, focused on boosting fish stocks impacted by invasive crayfish

These projects are already making a meaningful difference — but there’s much more to be done.

If you’re able, please consider supporting FIN by donating here:
👉 https://www.fishinneed.org.uk/donate-to-fish-in-need

It’s a charity well worth supporting for anyone who cares about the future of our rivers and the fish that depend on them.

FIN was founded by a dedicated team of enthusiasts and experts, including John Bailey (renowned angling writer and broadcaster), Paul Whitehouse (actor and comedian), Simon Clark (former City lawyer), Professor Mark Everard (author and sustainability specialist), Kirsty Hewitt (public health expert), and myself.

This Christmas, let’s give something back to the waterways that give us so much.