RSPCA warns anglers to protect Essex wildlife this summer
There's been a rise in wildlife injuries through fishing litter
A charity has warned anglers in Cambridgeshire's to protect wildlife from fishing litter this summer amid a rise in reports.
Last year, 22 calls relating to injured wildlife through angling litter in the county were made to the RSPCA, which received 1,245 calls across England and Wales in 2022.
And a summer rise in reports of animals injured by discarded fishing litter has prompted the charity to warn new and inexperienced anglers.
The calls reported wildlife being injured by litter including old fishing line, weights and barbed hooks which almost doubled over the summer.
Evie Button is a senior scientific officer at the RSPCA:
“We are concerned because that’s a lot of calls and a lot of animals that are injured and, in some cases, very badly injured by this litter,” she said.
“But it’s something that is a simple problem to solve by people being more careful.”
The RSPCA is making the warning as National Fishing Month takes place throughout August, with the chance of people taking up outdoor activities like fishing for the first time.
Ms Button said the number of calls related to angling litter has consisted of a large amount of litter-based reports.
But although the jump in reports could be linked to new or inexperienced anglers, she has some advice.
"It's an easy thing to do and it's so important"
“They’re not perhaps familiar with the precautions they need to take in areas where there’s wildlife and sadly, we think this lack of experience might be leading to this increase in fishing litter being discarded,” she said.
“We want to get the word out to people who might be thinking of trying fishing for the first time to think about actions that you can take to help prevent wildlife from being harmed.
“That can be things like making sure your old fishing line is recycled and making sure you’re keeping track of your hooks and not leaving your bait unattended.”
Ms Button added: “Even if it’s not your litter but picking up that litter and taking it out of the environment, it’s an easy thing to do and it’s so important to help prevent injuries to wildlife.”