Microplastics

In light of the findings and concern about microplastics what’s the feeling of anglers who artificial bait

Feelings? None really.

Yes I do occasionally lose a plastic lure but that is insignificant to the amount of plastic litter I collect from the bank.

As anglers are not chuckling thousands of them into the water as someone that uses cosmetic products are I don't see a problem with them.

I've never lost a 'plastic' bait in many, many years. I believe that otherwise it would probably be 'recycled' in the normal way or, more likely spat out as 'not food'. Remember that carp tend to hoover up just about everything including large stones and eject some 98+% as inedible through their gills/mouth (depending upon size). It's generally only the bits with a hook attached that catch them out.............

According to National Geographic.

The single largest source of ocean microplastics is synthetic wearing apparel
most people don't even think of their clothes as being made of plastic.

The Angling tackle that we use isn’t even mentioned in the list of the worst polluters.

But just because we are not in the list we should still be trying to find alternatives; and be doubly sure that we dispose of the plastics that we use properly which most of us do anyway.

On the subject of line; a group of sea anglers in Sussex started this off in 2018 (see link below)

< Anlrs >

Keith

Keith M said:

(see link below)

Click to expand...

The joys of living in the sticks - nearest is 48.7 miles away............

As others have said, we all have to make the effort to do our bit. However, the genie left the bottle a long time ago around this subject and even if we totally stopped using micro plastics now I cannot imagine how long it would take for the planet to recover.

Unfortunately, from what I see scattered around the countryside when I'm out walking, not to mention the cr*p I see left on the banks of waters I fish by seemingly 'caring' anglers, is truly amazing. Walkers, who by definition (you would think) are likely to be countryside loving folk who care about the environment still seem to find it okay to dump plastic drink bottles/ sandwich wrappers along public footpaths. I've seen them do it!!

As anglers we all buy items in plastic containers of some sort, simply because that is how they are packaged. That doesn't mean we cannot make every effort to dispose of them in the correct manner. I sort mine and stick it in the 'reusable' bin or take anything big to the local council tip. Ours still only manages to reuse 50% of that bought in by the public, but a lot better than it was 20 years ago!!



ps I do have to wonder why folk go to the coast and actually allow children to swim in the sea these days........................

The biggest problem is single use plastics, anglers don't throw their lures after use.
There's a use for multi use plastics at the moment, at least for now.