Fishing qualifications for pupils

Pupils would learn casting techniques and fish biology

Children across Scotland could soon gain qualifications in subjects related to fishing.

The idea has come from Angling for Youth Development (AFYD) - a group set up to encourage young people to take up the sport and keep them out of trouble.

The charity is currently trying to get its courses accredited so the young people involved have something to show after completing the lessons.

Youngsters would learn about things like fish biology and water chemistry.

The qualifications could also include topics such as the history of angling, casting techniques, water safety and angling and wildlife law.

AFYD believes that good anglers need to have a knowledge of science, geology, geography and natural and social history.

Angling's one of those sports that there's a practical side and there's an academic side too Grev Humphrey Tayside Police

About 80 youngsters currently take part in courses run by the charity and it has a large waiting list.

Speaking at the banks of the River Tay in Kenmore, John Stewart, one of AFYD's founders, said: "It's given them a great amount of enjoyment.

"It gets them outdoors, it gets them away from the television, it teaches them how to appreciate what's round about them, whether that be in the water or whether it's on the land.

"I remember when I was at school - the usual history and maths and English - they were boring, but now they can get out in the countryside and they can learn about the water and the habitat."

Enjoying lessons

AFYD was started by police officers in Strathclyde as a way of giving youngsters some focus, and has since spread to Tayside.

Project officer Grev Humphrey, from Tayside Police, said: "Some kids will drop through the net because they're not academic; some kids will excel at the academic side but when it comes to the practical skills side they don't participate.

"Angling's one of those sports that there's a practical side and there's an academic side too.

"Each kid can be gauged on their achievement equally whether they're a particularly good angler when it comes to the skills side or whether they're more of an academic at it."

And local children seem to be enjoying the lessons.

One told BBC Scotland: "It'd be good for the jobs that I want to do 'cause I want to be a gamekeeper or a ghillie when I'm older."

A fellow pupil added: "If it's something that you enjoy you might as well do something that is for your qualifications."