Each spring, staff and volunteers from New Smyrna Beach’s Marine Discovery Center goes on a search and rescue mission for fishing line.  Retrieving miles and miles of dangerous mono-filament and braided line that has been left behind by anglers, they clear the discarded fishing line from our waters, shorelines and mangroves. Thankfully they collect and recycle fishing line left by fishermen on Mosquito Lagoon’s bird rookies before a new nesting season begins.

Recently I attended an installment of their Marine Discovery Center PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES titled BIRD RESCUE. Experts from South Daytona Beach’s (Ponce Inlet) Marine Science Center and local bird authorities conducted an informative lecture what to do when they find injured or entangled birds or other animals. Attendees also learned  how to prevent these types of tragedies from taking place.

Each year on the Indian River Lagoon system (Indian River, Banana River, and Mosquito Lagoons), thousands of birds and other marine critters including bottle-nose dolphin and manatee die while entangled in discarded fishing line. Regular fishing line endangers habitat for over 600 years. After hearing the number of birds coming into the animal hospitals (like the Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary, at the Marine Science Center,) due to fishing line injuries, I had no idea of the magnitude of this problem.

The sad part of this story is anglers can stop a large portion of this problem by displaying  a little more common sense and respect for nature.  Fishing line is also dangerous for humans, boat propellers, and other mechanical devices.

It is a fact if you fish there is a high chance you will encounter seabirds, especially pelicans, gulls, terns, and cormorants, from time-to-time. Here are a couple of common sense tips on how you can reduce your impact on their health and survival.

• Do NOT feed seabirds (or bottle-nose dolphin or manatee), regardless of what you think is right or wrong. Feeding teaches bad habits for both parties.
• Look before casting. It is as simple as hesitating your cast and inspecting the area you’re fishing. Look for flying, nesting or perching birds before releasing your line.
• Whenever possible, retrieve discarded fishing line and lures when you find them.
• Use common sense and stay away from bird rookeries and other areas of high bird traffic. If birds are invading your fishing area, remember you live to fish, and they fish to live, MOVE on to the next place.
• Don’t ever, cut loose a bird you have caught with your line. Be extremely cautious to remove all line or hooks from the critter before releasing it, or take the entangled bird to an animal hospital for help.

I just went to eBay and purchased my first spool of Biodegradable Fishing Line. It will be interesting to see if it is what they say it is, “Works great and is much safer for the environment.”