At the start of the 1990's, despite having a history of fishing on the Dart for nearly a century, the Association owned only one small piece of its fishing and had a very insecure future, relying mainly on annual rentals to secure fishing for its Membership.
This was at a time when the competition and demand for recreational facilities was growing and the demand for fishing was placing ever higher premiums on rental. Faced with this challenge and thanks to the huge generosity of its Membership as a whole, the then Committee set about the task of securing fishing rights into the future. As a result of its initiative, the Association has now been able to secure the freehold riparian rights of much of its fishing and has acquired long leases on other major parts. As a result the Association has now considerable financial assets and security. It still has remaining debt from loans taken out to buy some of the freehold. It sets its annual subscription at the lowest possible level, so as not to disenfranchise on financial grounds any Member, whilst at the same time it ensures the Association's ability to pay off this debt and remain viable.
The Association is extremely grateful to some of its Members, who continue to make available to the Membership as a whole, parts of the river that are individually owned by those Members.
Looking to the future, the Association's existing debt, incurred in acquiring riparian rights, is scheduled to be cleared by 2012. The Association Committee is firmly committed to acquiring for its Members additional fishing rights on the Dart, should these become available at the right price.