Fishing Line Can Be Deadly for Brown Pelicans, Other Wildlife

I’ve seen first-hand that fishing line kills. That’s my photo of the blue heron hanging from a tree. It was heart-breaking to see.

Following is a recent release from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about the threat that line poses to wildlife, especially brown pelicans. After you read it, go to the Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program website. And make sure that you read a couple of the listings under “Entanglement in the News.” They provide graphic evidence that monofilament and other fishing-related debris are lethal.

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In Florida, fishing is an important part of our lifestyle as well as the economy. However, this enjoyable activity sometimes can lead to problems for birds and other wildlife, such as sea turtles and manatees. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists, monofilament fishing line and fishing hooks that are improperly handled or discarded can entangle these animals, leading to injury and even death.

The brown pelican is one species that is especially impacted by monofilament line. These birds frequently spend time looking for an easy meal at piers and other fishing hotspots. They are often hooked accidently as they try to grab bait off an angler’s line. Discarded monofilament line can wind up hanging from trees, piers and other structures, and can ensnare these birds. Once entangled, pelicans can have a difficult time flying and feeding.

“We often find pelicans that died as a result of monofilament line entanglements hanging from trees and other vegetation,” said FWC regional biologist Ricardo Zambrano. “These birds often suffer for days before succumbing to injury or starvation.”

Here are some simple things you can do to help protect brown pelicans and other wildlife:

•  Properly dispose of monofilament line. If you have unwanted line, store it safely and securely until it can be placed in a recycling bin.
• Don’t leave fishing line unattended, as pelicans may be tempted to steal your bait.
• Avoid casting near trees, utility lines and other areas where your line may get caught.
• Check your tackle frequently for frayed line that may easily break.
• Do not feed pelicans or other wildlife, since it encourages them to approach fishing boats, piers and anglers. If available, use fish-scrap repositories. If they are not available, discard your fish scraps in a garbage can or at home.

If you do accidentally hook a pelican, you should avoid cutting the line. Gently remove the hook if you feel confident you can do so without causing harm to yourself or the bird. If you cannot safely remove the hook and line from the pelican, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. For a list of wildlife rehabilitators in your area, contact any of FWC’s five regional offices or consult the Wildlife Rehabilitation Information Directory. 

Everglades Devastation a Warning for Fisheries?

Python swallowing an alligator.

Pythons are wiping out wildlife in the Florida Everglades.

Here’s an excerpt from an article in the Tampa Bay Times:

“In a report published Monday, a team of scientists said they found that between 2003 and 2011, the areas where pythons had proliferated saw a 99 percent decrease in raccoons, a 98 percent drop in opossums, a 94 percent drop in white-tailed deer and an 87 percent falloff for bobcats. And that's not the worst of it.

“‘We observed no rabbits or foxes,’ the report noted.

“The bottom line: ‘In areas where pythons have been established the longest … mammal populations appear to have been severely reduced.’"

Of course, pythons are an exotic species that should not be in the Everglades. They are present because of the federal government’s failure to competently regulate the exotic pet industry.

Just add water and you get an idea of what could happen to our fish and other aquatic species because of exotic carp, snakeheads, gobies, and other invaders.

Granted, the snakehead is the only top-level aquatic predator so far --- as is the python on land --- but exotics can wipe out natives through means other than eating them. They can take over habitat and gobble up all of the food. They can introduce disease. In rare cases, they even can interbreed, weakening the genetic integrity of natives.

The truth is that established populations of invasives can have consequences that we can’t even contemplate until it’s already too late.  

More Money, New Initiative to Save Everglades

Can we save the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee that feeds it? I certainly hope so. Thus far, we've spent many millions, as well as wasted few, with little to show for it.

They are proving much more difficult to restore than they were to nearly destroy. We drained the Everglades to encourage farming, ranching, and development and, in the process, destroyed the natural flow and unique fish and wildlife habitat. We turned bountiful Okeechobee from a lake into a manmade impoundment to prevent flooding and, in stabiizing water levels, killed aquatic vegetation, encouraged harmful algal blooms, and eliminated its natural flushing.

Now U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with private landowners, conservation groups, and others to develop a new national wildlife refuge and conservation area to "preserve the community's ranching heritage and conserve the headwaters and fish and wildlife of the Everglades."

Intent is to protect and improve water quality north of Lake Okeechobee, restore wetlands, and connect existing conservation lands and important wildlife corridors. About 150,000 acres in the Kississimmee Valley south of Orlando would be involved.