This weekend the UK government is due to lay out it’s Road Map to easing the Covid-19 Lockdown. While concentrating on getting the population back to work and opening schools, it is expected that limited social activity, including sports, that naturally enjoy social distancing, such as pleasure angling and certain forms of shooting, will be permitted from the middle of May.

Citing several European countries such as Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Ireland, that did not ban fishing, with no measurable increase in transmission of Covid-19, the UK’s Angling Trust has submitted a 15 page consultative document to the Government on the benefits of angling. Apart from the social and mental well being benefits to anglers, the angling industry is worth £4 billion to the UK economy, which the Government would find hard to ignore, as it attempts to regenerate income to the Chancellor’s rapidly emptying coffers.

The Angling Trust expects an upsurge in interest in the sport, as did Holland with a 30% increase in permit sales during it’s Covid-19 restrictions. This will not be a case of carry on regardless. Fishing matches will remain banned, along with all other large gatherings, it being difficult to maintain social distancing at the draw and weigh in, while many matchmen share transport to and from venues. With one angler per vehicle, travel is likely to be limited to a radius local to an angler’s home, say 5 miles, which will also restrict fishing for many. For myself, both of my fly fishing rivers are over 10 miles away, as are several good lakes, which will mean missing the Mayfly hatch and the best of the early tench fishing, but beggars can’t be choosers.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has advised it’s members not to take part in any form of shooting during the Lockdown, apart from those involved in essential pest control to protect crops and livestock. Their advice is to obtain a letter from farmers and landowners requesting their presence, to avoid any difficulties if stopped by the authorities with guns in their vehicle. Again social distancing must be maintained, not difficult in a 100 acre field. For my own safety, I prefer to shoot alone, while all my permissions are for me only. BASC advise pest controllers to inform the local police of when and where they will be working, obtaining a reference number. This does not always work though, a few years ago, when working with a couple of ferreters in a local park before dawn, a dog walker reported us, resulting in a visit from the local constabulary, despite a reference number. I had my Firearms License and permission from the council with me and they were soon on their way.

As we come out of this pandemic, it is hoped that personal freedoms will return, while responsible sportsmen will continue keep within the rules, to prevent an upsurge in Covid-19 infections until a safe vaccine is proven.