LONDON (UK) – With more people coming forward to cast a line and relax in the lap of nature, angling in England is witnessing a post-lockdown boom, said the Environment Agency on Thursday.
Rod licence sales have gone up by a fifth and more than 100,000 people are engaged in angling.
Fishing retailers are also witnessing huge demands for beginners’ fishing kits and tackle since curbs were eased on May 13.
As England slowly marched towards normality, angling was one of the first sports to be allowed to restart.
In England and Wales there are more than 750,000 licensed anglers and the Environment Agency is targeting 1 million by 2025.
“As lockdown restrictions have eased, there has been a boom in licence sales as now, more than ever, people have a desire to get outdoors and escape their daily stresses,” said Heidi Stone, the agency’s fisheries manager.
“Growing evidence suggests that spending time in ‘green’ and ‘blue’ spaces has a very positive effect on our mental health, providing protective and restorative benefits,” said Antonis Kousoulis, director of the Mental Health Foundation.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field