Foreword

We are now in a new geological era, the Anthropocene. But some human actions are causing extreme harm to our environment. More and more people are considering what can be done to achieve a 'good Anthropocene'.

Recreational fishing, as the most common daily recreational activity, has important social, cultural and economic values that can contribute to the achievement of a sustainable ecological environment. At the same time, the act of recreational fishing itself poses little harm to nature, "but how can recreational fishing be part of a ‘good Anthropocene’?". It is the question we have been exploring.

This project is being carried out in London, UK and Shandong, China. At the same time we carried out fieldwork on recreational fishing in both countries. During this process, we found that anglers not only enjoy the joy of fishing, but also the peace of mind that nature provides in this recreational activity.

We interviewed the anglers and when we asked "Do you think the river (fishing environment) is clean?" Most of them answered without hesitation, "Very clean!" These answers prompted us to think, "Is the river really as clean as it looks?" Curious, we carried out further research and found that the environment was not as clean as it seemed.

This exhibition is a way of communicating that fishing is a great medium to get closer to nature, and we hope that more people will not only entertain themselves through the act of recreational fishing, but also pay attention to the environment of the water bodies they fish in. We hope that more people will not only be entertained by the act of recreational fishing, but also pay attention to the environment of the water bodies they fish in.