Anglers in Staffordshire are being asked to take extra care after the county topped a national table for injuries to wildlife caused by fishing litter.
The RSPCA have made the plea during National Fishing Month after figures revealed the number of reports nationally of issues because of old lines, weights and barbed hooks rocketed by 97%.
A total of 1,245 calls were made about about fishing litter across England andWales throughout 2022, with around half of those calls made between June and September.
Staffordshire was the region with the highest number of incidents, with 75 calls made to the animal charity.
The RSPCA’s senior scientific officer, Evie Button, said:
“This seasonal, summer leap in the number of calls about wild animals injured by fishing litter is a real cause for concern.
“Animals like swans, geese and even hedgehogs are swallowing lethal fish hooks or piercing their beaks, or their wings or legs are getting tangled up in fishing line.
“They’re suffering all sorts of awful injuries, sometimes with tragic consequences.
“Our inspectors and officers are working hard to rescue as many of these stricken animals as they can. Thankfully, many can be saved but they may require a lot of care, treatment and rehabilitation. Others aren’t so lucky and sometimes their injuries are just too severe for them to survive.
“It’s tragic for animal lovers like us to see the effects of this discarded litter, especially when there is such a simple solution; clear up your litter – whether it’s fishing-related or general – and take it home with you.
“We’re particularly concerned that this rise in angling litter injuries may be due to new and inexperienced anglers taking up the activity, as most experienced anglers are very responsible when it comes to wildlife and taking care of their equipment – so it’s more important than ever to get the message out there.”
Evie Button, RSPCA
