Are fag butts harmful to fish?

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

Fishermen warned ‘no butts’

Fishermen are being urged not to throw their cigarette ends into the water after researchers claim that they are harmful to fish1.

The warning comes ahead of National Fishing Month, 16 July until 14 August, which is aimed at encouraging more families to have a go at fishing whatever cultural or social background they may be from.

Cigarette butts release a number of toxic chemicals when they are mixed with water such as arsenic, cyanide, heavy metals and other dangerous substances, which can kill fish and pollute the environment.

In light of these findings, Smokefree North West is asking the angling community to dispose of their cigarettes in a responsible manner.

Many anglers are known to enjoy smoking whilst fishing, particularly during long sessions with little activity. But leaving behind rubbish such as cigarette ends are potential deadly to fish and other wildlife commonly found around fishing areas.

Andrea Crossfield, Director of Smokefree North West said: “When people talk about the dangers of smoking, they usually focus on the health risks, but cigarettes have a massive impact on the environment too and it is important that those discarding cigarette butts are more informed so that they understand the consequences of their littering.

“Discarded cigarette butts can often be confused as food by fish, which can cause choking and digestive problems and contaminate the water which eventually kills the fish.

“We all need to make an effort to keep our waters clean to ensure fish stay healthy and that fishing locations continue to be pleasurable for everyone to enjoy. We would advise anglers to always throw their cigarette ends into a nearby bin.

“Smokers who are concerned about the impact of the 4000 toxic chemicals in tobacco on their own health may want to consider free, tailored quitting support from their local stop smoking service. For information and support visit http://www.smokefree.nhs.uk or call 0800 022 4332.”

The study, published in the journal Tobacco Control, represents the first to show that chemicals from cigarette butts are toxic to marine and freshwater fish species.

[TF_dirkdiggler]

Had this discussion before,
I thought the rule was take only photographs leave only footprints?
Where do you draw the line with litter then?
The odd fag end?
Used t bags?
Used meat tins?
Discarded line?
Faeces etc etc.
In my view when you leave your peg at the end of the day it should be the same if not tidier than when you arrived.
And don’t even get me started on the stupidity of smoking.

[TF_squeeky roller]

yes don’t chuck you’re ciggy butts in the lakes as it makes them soggy and hard to smoke… :rolleyes:

[TF_Gary the gudgeon]

Smokers are the dirtiest and most selfish creatures on earth, almost every commercial building now has discarded dog-ends littered outside like a badge of filth, many smokers do not discard their butt ends with any responsibility but just litter their surrounding areas. How sad it is that a law had to introduced to stop them polluting the general publics atmosphere.

[TF_Smed]

ive found many fag ends when gutting/spooning trout ive caught!
even in the remotest of places where ive not seen a soul all day!!

disgusting!

[TF_sillysod]

i just use a empty drinks can,put em in there then in the bin easy.

[TF_squeeky roller]

@Smed wrote:

ive found many fag ends when gutting/spooning trout ive caught!
!

are you saying a ciggy butt is better then either a dry or wet fly ??

[TF_piperpilot]

No worse then litrally tons and tons of ‘Meat’ ‘Pellets’ ‘Groundbait’ ‘Boillies’ Etc! Etc!! Etc!!!. Ask yourself just how much bait!!! goes into the average commercial lake every day of the week and 365 days of the year,

[TF_Serious Sam]

Everyone is so quick to put the boot in to a minority as smoking is no longer fashionable, once the health nazi’s get smoking banned the next target has to be drinking – hope you’re all prepared to give up your beer !

[TF_dirkdiggler]

o.t.
my friend works in an environment where up to 90% of the problems are caused by alcohol abuse i reckon any sane person would like to see either or of the anti social blights on society curtailed.
to see someone die horribly as a direct result of tobacco or alcohol use is truly a ghastly thing.
the next time your having a totally self indulgeant puff on a cig just imagine all the people you love watching you die in a hospital bed slowly and horribly in front of them 20 or 30 years before your time.
are fag butts harmful to fish? i’d say they’re a lot more harmful to the people who can’t stop smoking them.

back on topic.

[TF_Serious Sam]

That may be but there’s a little thing we used to have called “free choice” which s being gradually eroded away by the nanny state.

I’m not joking about the alcohol, I’m sure smoking will be banned sooner or later and to my mind alcohol is a much bigger blight on society and that will be tackled next, like smoking they’ll just make it so expensive people have no choice but to cut back or give up.

Once smoking and drinking is out of the way it’ll be obesity next, probably fine fat people so they’re too scared to eat.

In 50 years tie we’ll have a super clean, super healthy population of miserable robots – thankfully smoking will have killed me by then . . . .

[TF_squeeky roller]

@dirkdiggler wrote:

o.t.
my friend works in an environment where up to 90% of the problems are caused by alcohol abuse i reckon any sane person would like to see either or of the anti social blights on society curtailed.
to see someone die horribly as a direct result of tobacco or alcohol use is truly a ghastly thing.
the next time your having a totally self indulgeant puff on a cig just imagine all the people you love watching you die in a hospital bed slowly and horribly in front of them 20 or 30 years before your time.
are fag butts harmful to fish? i’d say they’re a lot more harmful to the people who can’t stop smoking them.

back on topic.

oh please !!…life can be depressing enough without chirpy happy people like you..its people like you that stopped people like me enjoying a ciggy with a pint down the pub..if you’re breathing in some ones smoke at least have the decency
to thank them or better still give them money towards the cost of the cigarettes after all you’re breathing in their smoke on which costs..why should you get it for nothing ? and if you moan about its not you’re choice…well the answer is quite simple…don’t breath …bloody do gooders.

[TF_dirkdiggler]

i beg to differ it isn’t people like me that stopped you having a pint and a cig down the pub.
as i recall you can stand outside in the rain if you like and also i’d say it’s more like tesco et al selling beer for next to nothing plus greedy breweries killing pubs.
if you like to stink like an ashtray and argue for death so be it and as for the not breathing quip you’ll be there a lot sooner than i will.

[TF_piperpilot]

Everything has Risk!! Smoking/Drinking/Driving/Fishing/Flying/Walking/Crossing the road the list is endless and without the risk element involved even the most mundane day to day task would be mindnumbingly boring and would mankind move forwards without any RISK. Personally I very much doubt it,

[TF_squeeky roller]

@dirkdiggler wrote:

i beg to differ it isn’t people like me that stopped you having a pint and a cig down the pub.
as i recall you can stand outside in the rain if you like and also i’d say it’s more like tesco et al selling beer for next to nothing plus greedy breweries killing pubs.
if you like to stink like an ashtray and argue for death so be it and as for the not breathing quip you’ll be there a lot sooner than i will.

who say’s ?….you could trip over as you step off a curb as you’re just about to cross the road land awkward hit you’re head fracture you’re skull have a bleed on the brain and its curtains for you…hit by a bus..electrocute you’re slef whilst putting up a shelf..trip over you’re fishing stuff hit knocking you’re self out at the same time and landing in the lake..

[TF_feeder]

soon would not be able to f##t by the lakes without getting told your not allowed to. 😮 :p 😀

[TF_GLEBE1]

People have been told not to chuck their fag butts into the lakes at Mallory, think about it, when I smoked I could get through 20 in a match if there was 10 other smokers doing the same and they all chucked theirs into the lake that had a wind on it, they would all end up in the end peg, sat and sun that’s 400 stinking fag butts potentially bobbing up and down.

Who wants to fish in an ashtray, and if the fish do eat them they can’t be doing them any good either bunging them up or poisoning them.
A perfectly reasonable request for a fishery owner imho.

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

Dirkdiggler nobody knows how long they have left !!!!!!!

[TF_sean178]

@Gary the gudgeon wrote:

Smokers are the dirtiest and most selfish creatures on earth, almost every commercial building now has discarded dog-ends littered outside like a badge of filth, many smokers do not discard their butt ends with any responsibility but just litter their surrounding areas. How sad it is that a law had to introduced to stop them polluting the general publics atmosphere.

please dont hate us.
after all, where would the £10.5 BILLION tax revenue, earned from the sale of tobacco products in the uk (2009 – 2010), come from if we all gave up the evil ciggies ??

as for us being dirtiest and most selfish creatures on earth …. i for one am quite a clean person, i shower regularly.
i treat the mrs to flowers on a regular basis, never hog the duvet and ALWAYS share my sweets

[TF_Waveney One]

@dirkdiggler wrote:

o.t.

to see someone die horribly as a direct result of tobacco or alcohol use is truly a ghastly thing.

back on topic.

As presumably you have never seen it to watch someone die of any disease is a horrible thing I can assure you. However at the end of the day we all do.

[TF_Waveney One]

@sean178 wrote:

please dont hate us.
after all, where would the £10.5 BILLION tax revenue, earned from the sale of tobacco products in the uk (2009 – 2010), come from if we all gave up the evil ciggies ??

If all the blurb put about by the anti’s is correct and smokers knock 10 years on average off their lives think of all the pension money saved as well! More billions!

Believe it or not, it isn’t only smokers and drinkers who take up hospital beds either. The longer you live the chances are the more time you spend in hospital, going to the doctors, social services, free prescriptions etc.

Strange but true, even non smokers die. In doing so a large number end up in hospital for some time before they die. Costing exactly the same to look after as the smoker. Perhaps smokers will die quicker once there (bad breathing etc. and take up less time in hospital so another saving for us there.

Apart from that, smokers are generally much happier and pleasant people because they are not are not worrying what will happen next, oh, I just remembered, that is pot not tobacco!

[TF_dirkdiggler]

@Waveney One wrote:

@dirkdiggler wrote:

o.t.

to see someone die horribly as a direct result of tobacco or alcohol use is truly a ghastly thing.

back on topic.

As presumably you have never seen it to watch someone die of any disease is a horrible thing I can assure you. However at the end of the day we all do.

Mmm two years ago i held my 67 year old father in laws hand whilst he died of lung cancer DIRECTLY due to smoking cigarettes.
Even when he was told he was dieing from the disease he still couldn’t stop.
The last cig he smoked burst his lung, the subsequent ambulance trip to hospital looking into his terrified eyes was very sobering.
He was a really top bloke and i miss him dearly.
So yes i do speak from experience.

[TF_sean178]

@Waveney One wrote:

Apart from that, smokers are generally much happier and pleasant people because they are not are not worrying what will happen next, oh, I just remembered, that is pot not tobacco!

careful….. that almost sounds like you are knocking the use of legal substances, like tobacco and alcohol, but advocating the use of “POT” …. lol

[TF_Waveney One]

I wouldn’t advocate smoking any substance, legal or illegal. It is a silly and very expensive habit that people should not be encouraged to participate in. However the witch hunt that now exists against a minority of people would be not be allowed to exist against any number of minorities. Often using spurious facts, like the cost to the NHS etc. and forgetting the obvious counter arguments.

Live and let live has always been mu philosophy in life and more people should adopt it.

Watching anyone die in any circumstances is not a pleasant thing and no worse if it be brought about by lung cancer or any of the other cancers, bowel, breast or liver cancer. It happens unfortunately.

May we all be spared the pain and distress not only to ourselves but our families and have a speedy end at some indeterminate date long into the future .

[TF_Smed]

pretty good example on how a post can get blown whayyy out of propotion!
original post says are fag butts harmfull to fish not humans?
think what hes trying to say is just dont chuck em in the water!

[TF_Gavin]

Haven’t read the previous replies but the long and short of it is even if they aren’t harmful they shouldn’t be slung in as it’s still littler! I HATE sitting down at a peg where the nearside cover is full of dog-ends.

[Anonymous]

this just about sums this up realy,lol
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[Author]

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