Just occasionally, anglers get their tackle hooked up on underwater obstructions and line gets broken. Looking at the picture of the lure embedded in the swan, I cant imagine that it was disgarded intentionally. More likely snapped off and the unfortunate swan got caught up in it. It’s not always possible to get near enough fouled up tackle to retrieve it before the line snaps anyway. With the cost of tackle as it is, most anglers would do what they could to recover it anyway. And which “experts” think that freshwater anglers are regularly using 40lb line anyway? What a stupid statement! Real shame the swan got tangled and happy that its recoverred but I really do not think that there are an army of anglers up and down the country intentionally throwing away their kit in this way. The bird could have quite easily got caught up in anything from an old moped to multiple shopping trolleys, prams and anything else that non-anglers throw in. Can’t wait for the next headline – Shoppers urged to clean up and stop deliberately throwing their used trolleys into the waterways!
The majority of british anglers care greatly for the environment they enjoy their pastime in – thats why they do it. This is just another case of the media having to give anglers a bad name.

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40lb line? Just about the only thing you would catch on a freshwater venue with that strength line is a swan; fish wouldn’t go anywhere near it.

I concur with the above posters; anglers are in the majority very concerned about conservation.

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