Room for optimism but no complacency

‘KEEP Calm and Carry on Fishing’ read the headline in your October 16 issue, and I applaud Chris Haydon’s positive outlook for the future of fishing in the face of an apparent drop in rod licence sales.

We shouldn’t bury our heads in the sand, but there is still a lot to be optimistic about in angling. Being pessimistic will only make more problems for us, and slow down the great strides we could be making. Government at last seems to be realising that the health and social benefits of angling can actually save the country money because a physically and mentally fitter workforce has a link to increased national output.

Introducing newcomers to the sport still poses the single biggest obstacle to moving us forward, as the world changes and digital technology fills our youngsters’ heads. High living costs and cash-strapped parents working longer hours all go towards making it a tough challenge.

It never used to be this difficult. Ron Brooke, Lymington