Angling is a great activity for all ages but there are some legal and safety issues that should be considered to follow. The topics given are not an exhaustive list and individual participation will provide issues that could affect your welfare.

What is Weil's Disease? (Lepta Spirosis). Weil's disease is an infection carried in rats urine which contaminates water and banks of lakes, ponds and rivers. The disease which is notifiable is serious and requires hospital treatment. Symptoms start 3 to 19 days after exposure to contaminated water. Early symptoms are similar to 'Flu'. A few sensible precautions; • DO cover with waterproof plaster or gloves all scratches, cuts, sores and breaks in the skin. • DISINFECT any wounds as soon as possible if they occur whilst at the waterside. • ALWAYS wash your hands or cover food with a wrapper before you eat. • NEVER put your hand to your mouth after immersion in river water and never place bait or fishing line in the mouth. • DON'T touch any dead animal, especially rats. • NEVER leave food, ground-bait or bait on the bank-side. • ALWAYS take home your rubbish

When fishing rivers and still waters from the bank, consider the following; • ALWAYS tell someone where you are going if fishing alone. • CARRY some form of identification including home telephone numbers. • BEWARE of slippery and overhanging banks and never fish the approaches to weirs, bridges and locks. • BEWARE when wading, of fast currents and never wade in coloured water - always use a wading staff • DO NOT discard tackle and litter as they are a danger to others especially wildlife. • TAKE your litter home. • ALWAYS remember: Safety when fishing is a matter of common sense. • DON'T take chances: Never assume accidents only happen to other people.

• NEVER go out alone until you are fully experienced. • MAKE sure someone knows where you are and roughly how long you will be away. • ALWAYS check the state of the boat and that the anchor and rope are adequate and carry a torch and a whistle. • ALWAYS wear a life jacket. • NEVER stand up to fish • NEVER fool around.

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) provides information and a download leaflet on 'Angler Safety. Angling_Guide_Updated May13.pdf (energynetworks.org) Every year contacting overhead power lines causes electric shocks, severe burn injuries and sometimes death. Anglers can inadvertently put themselves in danger by fishing too close to the overhead electricity network. The lines kill an average of two people each year. Many others receive serious injuries. Power lines normally have yellow 'Danger of Death' notices fitted to the poles or towers supporting them. To ensure your safety, all overhead lines should be treated as electric power lines and considered dangerous. The signs to look out for showing high voltage cables are in the vicinity:

The following information provides some awareness to the dangers and designed to help prevent these events recurring: • Because rods and poles containing carbon fibre conduct electricity, they are particularly dangerous when used near overhead electric power lines. Remember that electricity can jump gaps and a rod does not even have to touch an electric line to cause a lethal current to flow. • Many overhead electric power lines are supported by wood poles which could be mistaken for telegraph poles. These overhead lines may carry electricity up to 132,000 volts. • The height of high voltage overhead electric power lines can be as low as 17 ft and they are therefore within easy reach of a carbon fibre rod or pole. Remember that overhead lines may not be readily visible from the ground. They may be concealed by hedges or by a dark background. Make sure you "Look Out" and "Look Up" to check for overhead lines before fishing begins. • In general, the minimum safe fishing distance from an overhead electric power line is two rod/pole lengths from the overhead line (measured along the ground). • When pegging out for matches or competitions, organisers and competitors should, in general, ensure that no peg is nearer to an overhead electric power line than 30 metres (measured along the ground). • Finally, remember that it is dangerous for any object to get too close to overhead electric power lines, particularly if the object is an electrical conductor, e.g. lead cored fishing line, or damp fishing line or rod.