New bid to clean up our waters!
A NEW campaign has been launched to help tackle the growing issue of plastic and litter pollution along the UK’s waterways.
With rivers, canals and lakes witnessing more footfall and water users than ever following the lifting of lockdown, the sport’s governing body has now created the Anglers Against Litter initiative as part of the wider the Great British September Clean, which runs from now until 27 September.
The idea is for anglers to take five items of litter home after a session, or to spend five minutes collecting litter after fishing.
Dr Emily Smith, Angling Trust Environment Manager, explained:
“Although the rubbish may not be yours, picking it up can make a huge impact. It will stop it being blown into the water, where it can injure wildlife, or be swept downstream to the sea. It also sets an example to those around you.
“We’re asking anglers to encourage their club or fishery to organise a litter pick.”
Get Involved at: www.anglingtrust.net/get-involved/anglers-against-litter
Anglers collected all of this litter from the banks of the River Frome.
Anglers are not to blame for the litter on our watercourses - Rob Hughes
The scenes on the River Severn around Shrewsbury recently were shocking. Litter everywhere, and people in and out of the river and surrounding fields not caring about any damage they caused.
Shrewsbury Angling Club (SAC) was left to pick up the pieces and clear up the mess, which members did admirably. Not only did they clear up the problem, but they took it a step further and raised awareness of the issue in the local community. The result? Local papers and news agencies picked up on the story, took up the issue with the fine people of Shrewsbury and surrounding areas, and the club was applauded for its good work. The following weekend the banks were left much tidier, with the added benefit that angling was seen to be at the heart of the solution not the problem – for once.
How often does Joe Public look at angling as being a cause of problems rather than a cure? It’s stories like this that make non-anglers look at us with more sympathetic eyes.
We know that the majority of us are involved in angling due to our love for the outdoors, not a complete disregard for it. We are not to blame for most of the litter on our watercourses, especially rivers, but sadly we often have the finger pointed at us.
One length of fishing line gets dropped unwittingly and we’re in the news. How lovely to see us up there for the right reasons. Well done Shrewsbury AC!
Shrewsbury AC members collected and disposed of 39 bags of rubbish.
For more of Hughes’ Views pick up Angling Times magazine every Tuesday!
Time to stamp out bankside drugs and alcohol
IN a week that saw a fishery boss have to pull a drunk angler from his lake, senior figures from within the sport are calling for clubs and venue owners to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards bankside drug and alcohol use.
Darren Bailey, the owner of Pembrokeshire’s Yet-Y-Gors Fishery, revealed that he had to save the man’s life after he fell into the 7ft-deep margins while drunk.
He said:
“Luckily another angler and I saw it happen and we raced over to pull him out of the water.
“There were families and young children on site too, and understandably they found the incident distressing. It quickly became clear by the smell and the amount of empty beer cans that he’d been drinking heavily.
“I hate to think what would have happened had we not been there to help, but it shows that drinking while fishing could have severe consequences. Anyone caught drinking on the bank from now on will be told to leave immediately.”
Anglers drinking on the bank has often left severe consequences
Heavy drinking on the bank is an issue that Barbel Society co-founder Steve Pope is keen to see eradicated from the sport, and believes such a move would help to strengthen the image of angling as a whole.
Barbel Society co-founder Steve Pope is keen to see drugs and alcohol eradicated
“From day one, the Barbel Society has prohibited drugs and alcohol from being brought to the bank and we haven’t had a single issue as a result,” he told us.
“Our fish and anglers have remained safe.
“Excessive drinking, drugs and fishing just don’t mix, and fisheries who don’t enforce a ban are putting themselves, the fish and other anglers at risk. As fishery managers we have a responsibility to make our sport more appealing to families and future generations of anglers.
“By implementing a zero-tolerance policy in this instance we’ll be able to promote the right message and create a more positive image of angling.”
“Our fish and anglers have remained safe”
Steve isn’t alone in his feelings on the subject. When fresh cases of bankside disorder emerged after fishing’s return on May 13, hundreds of anglers took to Facebook to campaign against the issue, using the slogan: “If you’re not fit to drive, you’re not fit to fish.”
Here at Angling Times we think the welfare of the angler and the fish we love to catch is high on the agenda.
A tighter restriction on bringing alcohol and drugs to the bank is surely a step in the right direction.