The board of Långåfisket in Härjedalen appeals to the Swedish Lifesaving Society, Sweden's municipalities and Sport Fishermen on immediate measures to prevent fatal accidents that occur during sport fishing.

summer 2023 four anglers died by drowning while fishing in Härjedalen. That's four too many. Unfortunately, it has happened before and not only in Härjedalen but in several places around the country. Unfortunately, drowning offers will return this year; some with a fatal outcome.

This is completely unacceptable but preventable, says Helge Jonsson, chairman of the Långå fisheries management association in western Härjedalen. It is possible to simulate a sequence of events where anglers, under safe and controlled forms, get to experience realistic events and accident risks during sport fishing. That's when you understand the threats in the water. Water knowledge, awareness, behavior and use of the right equipment save lives!

A common reason is a lack of knowledge about what happens when you fall over while wading. Waders can be a death trap, especially for those without a life jacket. A second-quick course leads to drowning. Sometimes with the same fate for those who come to the rescue and rescue. The tragedy is a fact.

-There are three actors who have the knowledge and resources to run a campaign with information and realistic exercises that save lives, says Helge Jonsson. That is why Långåfisket directs its appeal to the Lifesaving Society, who have the knowledge, Sweden's municipalities that own pools to practice in and to Sportfiskarna with 60 000 members as useful avenues of contact.

Practicing falling into the water under controlled conditions is part of training and insight into what is happening. Knowledge of the function of clothing in the water can best be understood through practical testing under safe conditions. One place where it can be implemented is in municipally owned baths.