cr*p left on the foreshore

[kieran]

Hi

I wandered down to a well known numbered mark today and collected five different types of line in about as many minutes. The amount of sh1t left behind by people was appalling - including papers, rig packets, bottles beer cans and the like. It's disgusting. If people can not be bothered to bring their rubbish home with them, the least they could do is not leave mono lying around. It kills sea birds through entanglement for starters...

Rant over!

[shamoo0804]

Whilst I whole heartedly agree with you, I dont believe the problem is added to by the members of this forum, those of whom I have met or know are extremely conciencious regarding this issue.

I myself too however am getting a little tired of collecting and tidying other folk's rubbish, I create (and tidy) enough of my own, without having to tend to someone else's

Having fished Wicklow Pier twice in the last month and seen endless amounts of rubbish, its difficult to know what the solution is

The first point I would make is that it's ridiculous to see that Wicklow Town Council do not even have a rubbish bin anywhere along the pier (2 wheelie bins right at the start of the pier, which I suspect belong to the lifeboat station?!). Hardly setting the general public (anglers and a walkers alike) the right example now is it

Also, without heaping undue responsibility onto the shoulders of the tackle shop owners (who earn a living by anglers participation in the sport), would it not be reasonable to expect them to push this issue, display notices etc. (After all is them that's selling the mack feathers to the guy's who leave them lying around everywhere )

In addition to this, I cant ever remember seeing rig packets or other tackle packaging containing any advice/warning notice regarding "tidy" angling.

You only have to buy a packet of cigarettes to see the warnings they have all over them, surely tackle manufacturers/packagers could take up a similar principle

My final point, I see litter wardens patrolling most urban areas, would it not be an idea to broaden their territory, (and perhaps put them on an incentive scheme-something similar to traffic wardens )

Just my feelings on the matter, for what they are worth

[timmy]

Kieran.
I know how you feel.It really annoys me to see that kind of stuff left lying around. I think that it would be difficult for the local authorities to provide bins everywhere that we fish. What is needed is a swift kick up the pants (in the form of a very stiff fine). It is a mindset thing,people just cant seem to get it into their head that they do not have the right to inflict their rubbish on others or on our beautiful places.When you visit the seashore you should leave nothing behind except your footprints in the sand. I have to say though That the younger anglers in the IFSA are a credit to us. I have recently walked venues after juvenile competitions and there wasnt any litter left. Most clubs now have a no litter rule and the youths seem to be taking it on board. Credit where credit is due.
Regards
Timmy

[mga]

Hi

I wandered down to a well known numbered mark today and collected five different types of line in about as many minutes. The amount of sh1t left behind by people was appalling - including papers, rig packets, bottles beer cans and the like. It's disgusting. If people can not be bothered to bring their rubbish home with them, the least they could do is not leave mono lying around. It kills sea birds through entanglement for starters...

Rant over!

I'm with ya on this one. This drives me wild. From the evidence I've seen in different spots, it all points to the so called mack bashers, of various nationalities - balls of cheap fishing line, feather wrappers, Lidl bags, and the list goes on. Last week I even came across the complete packaging from a fishing rod, left at a venue frequented by mack bashers . Now, I don't mean to sound snobbish about this, but if you're buying your fishing rod packaged in a 3ft moulded plastic wrapper with cardboard backing, then I think it's safe to assume it's a particular calibre of angler you're dealing with in this instance.

While these mack bashers may not be 100% to blame for all the trash, and I'm sure there are civic-minded people among them, they are IMO to blame for most of the crap left lying around (at least the stuff I see).

I'm sure the rocks around Black Head are a sight to behold around now, as they usually are this time of year...

[JOHN LYNCH]

Have to agree with you there Hugh, I was down in Kerry head a few weeks ago and there was more beer cans there than I have ever seen before. What comes in has to come out. The stink of piss was almost unbarable, you'd wonder is it worth fishing there at all anymore.

[Chris Mc]

Hi Kieran,

I was fishing Kilteery pier a couple of years ago at about 2am I saw a white dyna pick up driving along the road with a guy standing in the back throwing bags of rubbish over the ditch. I took the reg number and reported it to Limerick County council. He was convicted in the district court 8 months later and recieved a large fine. I spoke with the warden who investigated it and he informed me that he was one of only two wardens for the Limerick county area if the staff levels haven't increased since then I rekon you'll be waiting for a long time for the council to start policing the litter caused by Mack bashers e.t.c.

Also made enquiries as to why many of the bins have been moved or filled in at scienic spots around Limerick and was informed that it was because they were being used to dump domestic waste. As if the scum doing this aren't just going to dump it anyway. As usual penalise everyone for the actions of a few.

[corbyeire]

its the same every year as the weather gets better so does the amount of rubbish

its a malaise of our society as a whole go to any match the stadium is destroyed after anywhere really where people congregate you get the same

its not part of our culture

as a friend once told 1 million koreans packed a square during the world cup there and not one piece of rubbish had to be cleaned up after - they brought it with themselves

i mentioned morriscastle there a few weeks back - glorious weather the bins are full in the carpark - so obvously you just throw it out of your car and around the car park NOT take it home with you

im so sick of it - and then i feel guilty if i dont pick it up after someone else at a mark - how long should i spend doing this

as you all well know some places you could be filling black bags

sickening

[JOHN LYNCH]

Hi Kieran,

I was fishing Kilteery pier a couple of years ago at about 2am I saw a white dyna pick up driving along the road with a guy standing in the back throwing bags of rubbish over the ditch. I took the reg number and reported it to Limerick County council. He was convicted in the district court 8 months later and recieved a large fine. I spoke with the warden who investigated it and he informed me that he was one of only two wardens for the Limerick county area if the staff levels haven't increased since then I rekon you'll be waiting for a long time for the council to start policing the litter caused by Mack bashers e.t.c.

Also made enquiries as to why many of the bins have been moved or filled in at scienic spots around Limerick and was informed that it was because they were being used to dump domestic waste. As if the scum doing this aren't just going to dump it anyway. As usual penalise everyone for the actions of a few.

Well done on reporting the scum that dumped those bags near Kilteery. Glad to see that it lead to a court appearance and a fine. Every little bit helps. For every person that is fined it might put off 100 others doing the same.

I have noticed that in alot of litter / dumping blackspots that councils have errected cameras, these have had good success. Can't see cameras been errected at any fishing marks but I think that there should be at least clear signage stating that it is illegal and punishable by a hefty fine.

[immunecfg]

Nothing beats a plastic bag for putting spent line, packets and other rubbish into and just take it home or to the nearest bin, i always do it, also if i see anyone leave thier Sh*t at thier backside i have a word in thier ear!!!

[Mr_Green]

Hi Kieran,

I was fishing Kilteery pier a couple of years ago at about 2am I saw a white dyna pick up driving along the road with a guy standing in the back throwing bags of rubbish over the ditch. I took the reg number and reported it to Limerick County council.

so thats who that was ...............only jokin

[murnblood]

I Hate to say that I have seen evidence of fishermen not of the armature persuasion leaving rubbish on the beaches.

In the parking area of Ballinoulart I found a Fruit/Veg box full of takeaway tubs.

Now what convinced me this was the waste of a pro anglers was the fact that the waste included peeler crab, lugworm, ragworm, whites, sandeel wrapers, fishbait wrappers, and they all had the consistency of snot.

These items are not what you would usually see the "less experienced" angler have in his arsenal.

[contender]

Have to agrre with murnblood...Its not just mackie bashers that leave rubbish lying about.. yes most of us so called real anglers do take our rubbish away, but others do not.. i recently saw an angler who would throw the first stone leave his rubbish and walk away..Of course after i pointed it out he did remove it, his answer to me was " But there is no bin" I told him to take it home, which he did.

[antbear]

I hate all kinds of rubbish, theres simply no need for it.
I note people in the Spiddal area are now bringing rubbish to burn on the foreshore, that way it is not on their own land and they can't be nailed for it.
Go down to Brandon head and have a look over the edge, unwanted farm materials dumped over the edge, just to save a few bob.

As for bits of fishing tackle, beer cans etc, I do not know any angler who dumps like that. It happens outside mac season too. Whats needed is signs in languages such as Polish and Russian to point out the penalties for this type of stuff.
Look at the mess left around Black Head in Clare. I have been going down there for almost 30 years and its only in the last 5-10 years that's its becoming obscene with litter.

[round_ourway]

I was a waterfoot pier in co.antrim at the start of the month and I have to say the stench of p*ss was unbearable.
These are not mack bashers that use this pier either with rotting rag, mack, squid and sandeel lying about. Also the amount of broken bottles and beers cans. The thing is that there is a bin literally 5 yards from the waters edge.
This pier is one of the most productive fishing locations around the Antrim coast and the disrespect it gets is unreal. I can only ever visit it maybe 4 times a year because of the state of it.

I think its a great idea for the bait companies to promote binning there empties on all there packaging.

[EoinMag]

I'd agree that it's not just inexperienced people, last time I was on Greystones, there was a bag of launce lying about that someone had obviously been using earlier in the day.