The Board

Hello All

During the last 6-7 years, I have been making an effort to become a more environmentally friendly fisherman, in a humble attempt to do my part to help the planet and minimize my footprint. But I am now wondering, if I can do more, than I already do, to step up my efforts.

Here are some of the things I already do:

I try to buy the best tackle possible, so that it lasts as many years as possible. I also try to only buy tackle that can be repaired later on, rather than exchanged or discarded.

I maintain my tackle according to the manufacturers instructions, so it will last longer.

I never use fluorocarbon as fishing line, and instead rely on nylon.

I of course take my trash with me, and if I find trash from others at the places I fish, I take it with me, if possible.


My question is now, what more (if anything) can I as a mere mortal fisherman do?

/Bendix

Nice list Bendix!

I release just about everything I catch. Fish barbless hooks of course. Fight the fish hard. Handle them for as short a time period as possible and with many species no more than 2-3 seconds air time.

I don’t eat animals and I don’t have children – mainly because I think eating animals unhealthy and children are annoying But both also happen to be very good for the environment

I don’t live in a country that recycles*, despite the West shipping their “recycling waste” here, which I find somewhat baffling (just burn it at home!). Out of sight out of mind I guess. However I do try to get at least one extra use out of plastic bottles, bags, just about everything really. It’s difficult to make changes in this regards but even one snow drop can cause an avalanche... or something like that.

Sometimes it’s very easy to give up but that’s not really an option. I’m in the middle of fitting out the boat with recycled wood and bamboo. It’s going to look awesome.

Cheers, Paul

*while they don’t recycle packaging, fixing things is quite common here and usually easy to do. Countless times I’ve had my electric thruster motors “modified” by local mechanics to give them an extended life. I actually think repaired items have more character.

Great post, Bendix.

I do most of the same mentioned.

Ive ditched any single use plastics if possible - so sandwiches are packed in reusable containers, or washable cloth type bags that are available now. I use/ supply reusable cleaned aluminum drink bottles for thoes I fish with instead of traditional bottled water. No one has a problem with that at all.

On the gear front my fishpond pack is made from recycled commercial fish nets I believe. That's cool. Also SA are now packaging their leaders and such in papery biodegradable packets instead of plastic. I'm sure there are others out there doing the same. I only buy 100m spools of nylon not the silly 30m ones.

Only small things but it all counts.

Cheers, Tom.

Hi again

@Paul

I agree with the catch and release, and I do release most of my catches, and take as good care of them as I can. However, every once in a while, I do take home a Trout or Salmon for the dinner table, but I limit it to perhaps 3-5 fish per year. I also crush the barbs on my hooks. So I’m with you on this point!

@Tom

The deal with drinking bottles is a good point! And I forgot to mention this on my list, but I off course have a couple of good quality drinking bottles, that I fill with drinking water for a fishing trip, and reuse them. I try to avoid soda bottles and cans, but if I do bring them, I off course recycle them when I get back home.

The thing about leaders and tippet material I also agree with, and I have noticed that more and more companies have started to supply them in paper bags, that can be recycled, which I think is great!

Another thing I have noticed over the years, is how often the plastic bags that many items come in, is not used properly. What I mean is, that often a plastic bag will only have one item in them, despite the bag having room for 3-4 of those items (eg leader material and the like). Why not fill the bag up with more, and then simply sell it for a little more money?
This is particularly true for a lot of lures and other things for spin-fishing, where the companies use a ridiculous amount of plastic, that simply gets thrown away... All this, so the lure will “look cool” on the wall of the shops, so people will buy them. I really don’t like this trend!

/Bendix

Since we started selling flylines with the option to buy with a plastic spool and cardboard box, or without, no one has bought it with.

One of the most annoying things I have to deal with here in SE Asia, is the need to bag everything. Buy a lighter or a canned drink, and it will be plastic bagged, every time. Buy a bag of crisps – it will be bagged! I always have to say no bag thanks, it’s in a bag! But there are 32 million other people in this country. It will change. I’m looking forward to the day when we have to separate our bins.. in ten years.

When I was a kid we used to recycle glass bottles. Now every drink comes in a plastic bottle.

I mostly filter the lake water. I haven’t got ill from this although I have noticed I’m a lot more hairy. Guests I bring bottled or tap water. The last thing I want is a guest getting crook and saying it was the water. Having said that Platypus and Lifestraw seems to work extremely well.

Cheers, Paul