BRFC Committee Members 2025
The volunteers, scientific advisors and regional representatives who adjudicate British rod-caught fish records.
Chairman
Mr. Stephen Mardlin MBE
A lifelong coarse angler, Stephen has competed in matches as well as pleasure angling, and represented the Royal Navy and UK Armed Forces.
Before his tenure as BRFC Chairman, Stephen chaired both civilian and military sport associations, where he championed organisational modernisation, governance strengthening and pathways for angler development from grassroots to national representation.
Professionally, Stephen had a 33-year career in the Royal Navy, rising to the rank of Captain. As a Logistics Officer he led strategic transformation programmes, complex operational projects and multi-disciplinary teams — experience he brings to the governance responsibilities of the BRFC. Following military service, he is a director in the NHS, currently the Hospital Director for the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital and Sussex Eye Hospital.
Beyond angling, Stephen currently serves as a Trustee of three charities: The Fisherman's Mission; Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove; and The Ulysses Trust — contributing governance experience to charitable causes that support the deep-sea fishing community, older people, and cadets and reserve forces respectively.
Stephen holds an MBA and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA). His leadership on the British Record Fish Committee reflects his commitment to transparent governance, evidential excellence and the promotion of angling heritage within a modern voluntary sporting body.
Secretary
Mr. Nick Simmonds
Nick has been fishing since the age of five. His roots are in coarse fishing but along the way he’s added fly fishing for trout and sea species to his repertoire and for a while owned a boat which he used for sea angling around Poole.
More recently, Nick has visited the Caribbean to fish for flats species and has been well and truly bitten by the bonefish bug.
He is a committee member and Membership Secretary for a local angling club.
Nick has worked in a variety of industries, ranging from banking to boatbuilding, and most recently worked with the Angling Trust for thirteen years before retiring in 2025 from the role of Membership Manager.
Nick is just the third Secretary to the BRFC since its formation in 1957, having taken on the role in 2013.
Committee & Advisors
Biographies for the members below are still being written up.
Scientific Advisor (Marine Fish) — Natural History Museum
Mr. Oliver Crimmen
Biography coming soon.
Scientific Advisor (Marine Fish) — Natural History Museum
Mr. James Maclaine
Biography coming soon.
Scientific Advisor (Freshwater Fish) — Environment Agency
Mr. Nigel Hewlett
Biography coming soon.
Marine Specialist & Ireland Representative
Mr. David Craig
David has been a member of British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee since 2015
David was born within a stone’s throw of the North Channel and has been fishing from a very young age, initially sea fishing but then progressing into game and coarse fishing through his teenage years. He would describe himself as a pleasure angler who just likes catching fish but has also fished competitively representing Ulster in the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers Interprovincial Championships and Northern Ireland Civil Service in CSSC National Finals.
After graduating with a BSc from Queens University Belfast, David has worked over 40 years as a Plant Health Scientist within the Northern Ireland Civil Service, in Nematology, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology.
He has been Regional Organiser for Civil Service Sports’ Council (Northern Ireland region) plus chairman and secretary for NICS Game Angling Club and secretary for NICS Sea Angling Club as well as a member of several local angling clubs.
David has a keen interest in the natural environment, particularly with recording biodiversity. He has been involved in elasmobranch tagging programs for Inland Fisheries Ireland and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. He was also a member of the Local Government led Marine Science Group and was a committee member of the East Antrim Marine Alliance plus a consultee on local Marine Protection Zones.
Marine Specialist & Wales Representative
Mr. Richard Poole
Biography coming soon.
Marine Specialist & Channel Islands Representative
Mr. Tim Froome
Biography coming soon.
Freshwater Specialist
Mr. Paul Coulson
Biography coming soon.
Marine Specialist & Isle of Man Representative
Mr. Andrew Dugdale
Biography coming soon.
Freshwater Specialist
Mr. Will Barnard
Biography coming soon.
Marine Specialist
Mr. Mat Mander
Biography coming soon.
Freshwater Representative
Mr. Andy Petch
Andy developed his passion for angling at an early age, fishing a small tributary of the River Arun in Sussex alongside his three brothers..
Armed with a Woolworths Winfield rod and reel, which he still owns and uses today. This was where his lifelong interest in freshwater angling began. Those early experiences introduced Andy to a wide variety of freshwater species and, importantly, the unique excitement of catching a new personal best. He understands first-hand the anticipation and raw excitement that comes with landing a fish bigger than anything caught before.
That enthusiasm continues today, with Andy still pursuing new PBs across the lakes of the South East. His lifelong passion for angling, and his appreciation of what a significant capture can mean to an angler, makes his interest in record fish a natural extension of his own fishing experiences.
After a 21-year career as a wholetime firefighter, Andy moved into the angling sector and now works for the Angling Trust as Fisheries Funding Manager. His role brings him into daily contact with anglers, angling clubs and fisheries from across England, giving him a broad understanding of the sport and of the experiences and achievements that matter most to anglers.
Freshwater Representative
Mr. Paul Edwards
Paul has recently been appointed President of the International Fly Fishing Association (IFFA), working to strengthen international cooperation and promote excellence within competitive fly fishing.
He previously spent several years as Chairman of the Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association (WSTAA), where he modernised communications, improved safeguarding standards, and supported youth and disability participation across Wales.
Paul remains committed to making angling open, welcoming, and accessible to all.