EFTTA, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association, continues to set the standard when it comes to providing anglers with details on the exact performance of fishing lines.
Thirteen lines have recently been through EFTTA’s unique Line Test Project, which encourages manufacturers to have their lines examined in controlled laboratory conditions to verify breaking strain and diameter.
Only two passed and can now carry the ‘EFTTA Approved’ logo on their packaging.
Victoria Seymour of EFTTA said: “We will continue to carry out our twice-yearly random line tests until the problem of incorrectly labelled strains and diameters is cleaned up in the market place.
“The response and interest we receive to the Line Testing project is tremendous. People ask us what lines we will be testing and they are particularly interested in receiving information on lines that have the ‘EFTTA Approved’ logo.”
“To date we have tested a total of 171 lines. Eighty-three have been tested randomly and 88 have been voluntarily sent in to be tested. This is extremely positive as it shows how many companies are keen to uphold and adhere to a recognised industry standard.”
The EFTTA Approved logo is the tackle trade’s only official line ‘quality mark’. In the UK, the British Standards Institute has indicated that it is willing to work with the angling trade to create a line test standard and trading standards officers are already investigating several lines.
Jean Claude Bel, EFTTA CEO, said: “This is not an issue that is going to go away – it is getting a high profile now in several European countries.
“We call on all line manufacturers to support the EFTTA Line Test Project. That way, the tackle industry itself can be responsible for developing, setting and policing line standards rather than having an external agency dictate terms.
“Our vision is for the EFTTA Approved logo to be the official line test quality mark for Europe.”
EFTTA will carry out more random line testing before the end of 2008.The results of the thirteen monofilament lines recently tested by EFTTA and publicised on the Line Testing Stand at EFTTEX 2008 in Rome are detailed below:
Line Stated diameter Actual diameter Stated breaking strength Actual breaking strength
Dragon Low Memory, Design Fishing 0.20mm 0.228mm 5.20kg 3.953kg
Color Line clear, Pezon & Michel 0.20mm 0.206mm 3.34kg 3.307kg
Aquaflex Saltwater, JTM 0.20mm 0.209mm 5.400kg 3.470kg
Fluorex Abrasion, JTM 0.20mm 0.207mm 5.400kg 3.553kg
Selene Aquamarine, Europesca 0.20mm 0.212mm 4.5kg 3.241kg
Super Line, Krepton 0.20mm 0.221mm 4.515kg 3.385kg
Cosmos UC-10, Tubertini 0.20mm 0.229mm 4.700kg 4.130kg
TXL-2, GLT 0.14mm 0.151mm 0.9kg 1.556kg
Bayer Perlon, Kamasan 0.20mm 0.203mm 2.0kg 2.385kg
ASSO Ultra, Gruppo 0.18mm 0.193mm 6.0kg 3.336kg
ASSO Dominator, Gruppo 0.30mm 0.324mm 9.8kg 8.853kg
ASSO Double Strength, Gruppo 0.22mm 0.246mm 9.0kg 4.816kg
French Nylon, Fog NS 0.166mm 0.68kg 1.528kg
Twice a year, EFTTA randomly buys monofilament samples from across the world and tests them in an independent laboratory in its innovative Line Test Project.
Once successfully tested, the lines can carry the ‘EFTTA Approved’ logo, which is recognised all over Europe as a mark of quality. It also allows manufacturers to benchmark their products against competitors and helps retailers decide which lines they should stock in their shops.
EFTTA introduced the line testing programme in 2004. Lines are tested in laboratory controlled conditions and indicate the correct diameter and breaking strength on their packaging.
The results are published in international consumer and trade angling magazines and websites, on the EFTTA website www.eftta.com and at EFTTEX each year.
For more information on EFTTA’s line testing project, please contact Victoria Seymour on victoriaseymour@eftta.com or phone +44 207 253 0777.
