FEATURE | SUSTAINABILITY
www.tackletradeworld.com 37
study, the Impact Assessment, or in
the legislative proposal – recreational
fi shing is included in the scope of its
proposed legislation. This suggests that
recreational fi shing equipment, such
as synthetic monofi lament or braided
lines, are included.
The proposed measures to address
fi shing gear containing plastic include
awareness raising and improved
management through extended
producer responsibility (EPR), where the
environmental costs throughout the
life-cycle of products are incorporated
into their market price. EPR is not new
and is perhaps best known as applied
to waste electrical and electronic
equipment (e.g. televisions.)
The (UK) Anglers National Line
Recycling Scheme is increasingly
fi nding that retailers signing up to
the Scheme are offering customers a
discount on new line (and in some case
other) purchases, to anyone bringing
old line into their store. This is in effect
the start of an EPR system for plastics
in recreational fi shing lines. Rather than
simply talking about what it doesn’t
want to see, the European Fishing
Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) could
perhaps instead start
proactively working
with European line
manufacturers to
develop a workable
EPR system, which is
good for all parts of
the supply chain, from
manufacturers through
to anglers.
TTW: What’s on
fi sh21’s wish list for the
GGGI’s 2019 AGM?
SM: As previously
reported (TTW, May
2018), the tackle
trades – in particular
within the US fl yfi
shing sector – have
become increasingly
active, through
commitments and
initiatives, to protect
target fi sh species
and habitats from
development activities
(esuch as Pebble Mine,
Bristol Bay.) But the
industry has been generally much
less active on the sustainability of
its manufacturing processes and
responsible use of its products.
As a result, we would like to see at
least one major recreational fi shing
tackle manufacturer, ideally with a
global ‘outreach’ (Mustad or Shimano,
for example), join the GGGI. This
could include a commitment to help
identify and develop tools and training
aids to promote best practice on the
responsible use of ‘terminal tackle’
(e.g. line, weights / sinkers and hooks)
– from which recreational ghost gear
could result. This would also include
advice on what to do at the ‘end-oflife’
stage for worn-out terminal tackle
(e.g. placing old monofi lament fi shing
line into a line recycling bin.)
Including recreational fi shing tackle
in the GGGI’s best practice framework
could also provide a valuable global
resource for anglers and tour guides
alike.
REFLECTIONS
Marine and freshwater wildlife
cannot differentiate between ALDFG
arising from either commercial or
recreational fi shing – in reality, both
are potentially deadly. Neither should
we.
Finding solutions to ALDFG is
increasingly seen as part of the
commercial fi shing sector’s so-called
‘social license’ to operate; in other
words, the responsible and sustainable
management of renewable fi sh
resources which are seen as being
under ‘common’ ownership, belonging
to everyone and no-one. Where the
protection of marine and freshwater
habitats is concerned, enjoyed by
hundreds of millions of recreational
anglers worldwide, a similar attitude
and approach should be encouraged.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Our thanks go to the Global Ghost
Gear Initiaitive and World Animal
Protection for inviting fi sh21 to
present at their AGM in Bali, as well as
their generous hospitality throughout
the visit.
You can contact Stuart on all
sustainability topics by email: stuart@
fi sh21.co.uk www.fi sh21.co.uk
The damning eff ects of abandoned fishing nets
FISH21 stuart@fish21.co.uk www.fish21.co.uk
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