France puts tackle suppliers on red alert over new ‘green’ obligations

Fishing tackle manufacturers in France and any businesses which export goods to the country face paying for the recycling of those products at the end of their life cycle.

As part of its ‘polluter pays’ principal, new legislation brought in by the French Government requires manufacturers, distributors and importers of fishing tackle to manage the end of life of their equipment.

They must pay a financial contribution, which is passed onto consumers, to Ecologic, the state approved organisation responsible for the recycling of end-of-use sport and leisure products – including fishing tackle. The list of items that are affected include poles, reels, landing nets, fishing boxes, disgorgers, hooks, lures, sinkers, floats, line and wire products.