Fishing line is a massive problem everywhere. Some councils have some good receptacles for discarded line but that does not address the main problem: birds caught in lines and those that have swallowed hooks with bait on. Fisherfolk snag a
bird and cut the line without a thought of the outcome for the bird and then leave the line lying around. I suspect we have all seen tangled bundles of line on the beaches and lake shores.
ACT Wildlife have many calls each year about swans and other birds that have been victims of fishing line and hooks. Some of the lures have three triple hook bits hanging off them (sorry must be a technical word for those) that get caught in mouths, through
wings and through the bodies of unsuspecting birds.
Makes me so angry. It is one of those animal welfare issues that is never addressed. The same is when dogs tear lizards to shreds and when flying foxes get caught in fruit netting that is the cheap option. Very often results in a slow, painful death.
On Wed, Mar 6, 2019 at 9:02 PM Rod Mackay <> wrote:
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Birds and fishing line
Reading Michael's posting about plastics and seabird mortality prompts
me to put pen to paper about the dangers I have personally seen that
fishing line can pose to birds. This is a bit long so feel free to hit
the delete button, but it does have some relevance to the Canberra
region as well.
I'm just back from a kayak fishing expedition to Tuross and Narooma.
Whilst trolling on the beautiful Wagonga Inlet at Narooma I was
surprised by a flock of perhaps 15 - 20 birds that shot past me low down
at very high speed, no chance to ID them they moved so quickly, but I
assumed they were a species of shorebirds. About a minute later another
flock of similar size came through in similar fashion, about 5 - 6 feet
above the water, coinciding with a huge hit on my line. I turned to land
the "fish" only to find a bird entangled in my line and struggling in
the water.
I managed to get it to the side of the kayak and identified .... a feral
pigeon/rock dove. Fortunately they are not aggressive and it calmed down
so I was able to untangle it from the line, and I expected it to take
flight. But no, it sat calmly on my hand as it re-gathered its
composure. After about 15 minutes I managed to persuade the bird to move
up my arm, on to my shoulder (I'm feeling like Long John Silver at this
point) then on to the landing net, from there on to the front of the
kayak. It didn’t like the slippery deck and joy oh joy it took flight
and travelled the short distance to shore where it sat in the warm
sunshine drying itself. I suspect the reason it hadn’t taken flight
earlier was a mixture of shock and wet flight feathers. Whilst this was
"only" a lowly rock dove it could just as easily been one of the
endangered shorebird species.
Last year I had another "Harry Butler" moment at Bemm River/Sydenham
Inlet when I released an Australasian Grebe entangled in abandoned
fishing line, caught up under overhanging branches. The bird was belly
up in a hopelessly contorted position and had become more entangled as
it struggled to free itself, fortunately it had been able to twist its
neck and get the tip of its beak above the water. Unlike the placid
pigeon, this ungrateful little blighter constantly attacked my gloved
hand as I was trying to release it! And then shot through without a
second glance!
Event no.3 was a great cormorant encountered on the beach as South
Durras, so tangled up it was unable to fly. I tried to catch it but it
escaped into the surf, and whilst it couldn't fly it could certainly
swim - last seen off the headland, future prospects not great.
Finally, right here in Canberra on two occasions I have seen little pied
cormorants tangled up in fishing line, deceased, hanging like paper
kites from trees at Molonglo Reach and Lake BG . So, whilst I don't
think the situation with fishing line would be as bad as with plastics,
the message for we fisher folk (and anyone who finds discarded line) is
to ensure it is disposed of thoughtfully. I have seen receptacles for
unwanted line at several beaches so I guess the message is getting through.
Cheers
Rod M
PS Though the fishing at Tuross and Narooma wasn't spectacular there
were some nice birding moments: emus on the beach at Blackfellows
Point, sea eagles including a juvenile soaring, whistling kite, wonga
and white headed pigeons, eastern curlews, pied oystercatchers,
striated heron, egrets,and that little jewel the azure kingfisher.
Non-avian treats were a close up encounter with a seal in Wagonga Inlet
having a fish dinner, and a diamond python mixed up with someone's
camping gear at the Beachcomber holiday park!
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