A FORMER Reading West MP is celebrating after landing himself a top new job.

Martin Salter has been welcomed into his new job as National Campaigns Co-ordinator for the Angling Trust just five months after returning from a fishing sabbatical in Australia.

The former parliamentary angling spokesman published a landmark report during his year down under - Keep Australia Fishing - about the challenges facing the recreational fishing sector, and his new, part-time post will involve campaigning, fundraising and political lobbying, as well as driving up membership of the Trust.

Mr Salter said: "After an 18 month break to re-charge my batteries, it's great to be back and fighting for fishing.

"I am particularly grateful to Mark Lloyd at the Angling Trust and Naidre Werner at the Angling Trades Association for giving me the opportunity to put my skills, experience and contacts to good use and for the benefit of the sport we all love.

"My first job is to recruit some high profile ambassadors to help me raise the profile of the Angling Trust so that it can become a really strong and powerful voice for recreational fishing and the environment.

"I'm particularly keen to get some effective outcomes from the current Defra review of cormorant predation which has caused so much damage to fish stocks."

The former Labour councillor, who held the Reading West parliamentary seat from 1997-2010 before standing down, added: "I will also be the main point of contact with my former colleagues on the All Party Parliamentary Group on Angling and will be developing and helping to implement a wider angling and fisheries campaign strategy for 2012."

Fisheries minister Richard Benyon added: "Over the years I have built a healthy respect for Martin's knowledge and passion for angling.

"I look forward to working with him in his new role and to seeing more people of all ages on our river banks and lakes."