The advice follows a tragic incident in January in which one angler died after he and a friend got into difficulties when their aluminium boat was dragged under the water at Cromwell Weir on the River Trent.
Since the incident British Waterways has worked in partnership with local fishing clubs and the Angling Trust to review safety at Cromwell. BW has agreed to install additional signage at the site and is planning to install a siren system enabling the lock keeper to warn boats in the danger area immediately below the weir.
Now the two organisations are advising that, whenever fishing on rivers, anglers take extra care to ensure that they go home unharmed at the end of the day. In particular anglers are strongly urged to follow the advice of signage on site to avoid areas, both on land and on the water, which have been identified as presenting potential safety hazards.
Sean McGinley, Waterway Manager for the East Midlands explained:
“The incident at Cromwell Weir earlier this year was deeply saddening and nobody within the angling community wants to see it happen again. Our advice is very simple; when fishing on the river, pay attention to the signage on site and keep away from areas where possible safety hazards have been identified.
It’s also worth speaking to the relevant local angling club – they are great sources of local knowledge on where to get the best catches and any areas where particular care is needed. By taking these simple steps anglers can really enjoy the fantastic angling on the river whilst, most importantly, going home safely at the end of the day”.
David Kent, Director of the Angling Trust said:
“There are fantastic opportunities for angling on canals and rivers throughout the country but we need to make sure that anglers are reminded of simple, common sense measures that they can take to reduce the occasional risks that are involved with any activity involving water. The best way to fish safely is to join a club and to follow the advice of anglers who know the rivers and canals from years of experience.”
