What's the thinking behind this?

[kingtin]

Just got to thinking about my last trip to Palmy. There was only 4 boats there and there was bits of polystyrene everywhere. We passed heaps on the way past Mermaid too.

Now I can buy four of those little poly floats for 2.60 The line threads down the centre and is stoppered by a stick of plastic..easy as to change depth of bait and they are big enough to carry a full pilly. I am in the process of finding an alternative (thin dowel or similar) to the plastic stopper as this can fall out and isn't degradable, although I've only ever lost one. The larger floats are 2 bucks each and will carry a small mullet or gar. The only time I lose 'em is if I am broke off. If the float surfaces later then it is more likely to be picked up by someone simply because it is a bona fide float.

I am led to believe that fishos use bits of poly 'cause they break off in the fight and don't prevent the leader coming into the rod tip as a stoppered float may. This can be negated by the floats that I use that don't have stoppers and if you can set the stick into the centre of the float so that your line pulls through easily by hand, they will not obstruct when winding all the way in. They are dirt cheap so why do folk stick to bits of poly and balloons, which are a hazard to marine life?

When shark fishing in the past, I have used 3 litre milk bottles as floats with a split ring strapped to the handle and a running line through the ring, stoppered by a large swivel to main line. This allows the bottle to drop right down to the wire leader and in no way hinders the handling of the trace. If they break off, they can be retrieved or even if not retrieved, although environmentally unsightly, are not as hazardous to marine life as rubber and bits of poly that can break up. They also don't pop when rubbed against the wire trace. Why then do folk use balloons that can burst and poly that can break up and be swallowed by marine life?

Not having a go at anyone, but just trying to understand why folks do it as it doesn't make sense to me when our practices are under constant scrutiny. If debate about it can be beneficial to the environment, then the purpose of this thread is served.

Think on this, The use of lead in weights has been banned from many waterways in the UK, and prior to substitutes being found, ledgering was sometimes banned altogether. If our practice of float fishing is found to be environmentally unfriendly, then the same thing can happen here.

kev

[Matthias]

Does the poly hurt the fish if they eat it? It prob just passes through.

Pete.

[kingtin]

Does the poly hurt the fish if they eat it? It prob just passes through.

Pete.

I'm thinking more of marine life such as turtles, dolphins etc. There was a news report recently that showed an array of items removed from dead marine life (mainly turtles) Poly, plastic, and rubber were the main culprits and there was a lquantity of balloons recovered and even a whole thong. I cringed at the time 'cause I got to thinking whether the marine biologists involved would put those balloons down to kids playing on the beach, escaped balloons dropping from the skies, or to fishos.

Those who saw it may be able to clarify more, but I'm sure it said that turtles were unable to pass these items for some reason.

kev

[roz]

Recently saw some footage of what was found in the gut of a dead turtle.

It contained over 20 seperate pieces of plastic.

I've been miles out to sea and picked out plastic shopping bags from the water, along with bits of styrene. Not good!!!!

I am led to believe turtles feed on jelly fish and often mistake the plastic bags for food, also balloons are another culprit. That means no more styrene and balloons for me.

So what is a safe alternative?

r.

BTW good topic Kev!!!

[samson]

Kingtin the good thing about plain foam is you can set at any depth from one meter to ten meters but with your sliding floats with the stopper if you set it deep you would have the float at the tip and still have your fish way out of reach but if set shallow would be alright, with regards to the balloon you will find that it will catch the wind where the foam will catch the current thus when wind and current oppose each other you can spread multiple lines well away from each other so your not getting as many tangles when fighting fish this helps a lot especially when fishing by yourself to cut down on the mayhem when getting multiple hookups

But i don't see the sense in using foam when the current is running hard theres no need your lines sit high in the water column anyway.


. Cheers samson

[Poodroo]

Recently saw some footage of what was found in the gut of a dead turtle.

It contained over 20 seperate pieces of plastic.

I've been miles out to sea and picked out plastic shopping bags from the water, along with bits of styrene. Not good!!!!

I am led to believe turtles feed on jelly fish and often mistake the plastic bags for food, also balloons are another culprit. That means no more styrene and balloons for me.

So what is a safe alternative?

r.

BTW good topic Kev!!!

Further to what Roz has said here it is mostly the clear bait packets that have been doing the turtles in apparently. Just thoughtfulness to take our rubbish home with us rather than drop it over the side. As far as this thread is concerned I think any conservational thoughts are good and good on you Kev for at least thinking about it. If all would do the same we'd be less picked on by the Greenies I'm sure.

Poodroo

[shaman]

A lot of rock fisho's use a balloon rig with a lifesaver (lolly)used to hold the balloon on to the trace, when the lifesaver dissolves the bait is dropped and sinks to the bottom. This process sometimes takes more than one balloon depending on how much lead you are using. I always wondered what would happen to all the balloons floating around....................Billy

[Brett1907]

This topic has come up before. Here is the link.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=60012

Also, here is what I found out.

Quality 100% Latex balloons are 100% biodegradable!!!

David Taylor of Mad Ballons in NSW was happy to share what he knew.

They break down at the same rate as a maple leaf. #Studies were done years ago in the US. #Just type in 'biodegradable balloons' in google, there is some good info.

http://www.balloonartists.com.au/releases.htm

http://www.partyplus.com.au/

Also, NSW Parks & Wildlife have NO reported deaths of animals or marine life that can be attributed to latex balloons, nor does the sydney zoo. #However, the plastic clips and ribbon used at fetes and shows is dangerous to wildlife.

A Cleanup Australia fact...

less than 0.25% of waste collected is rubber/latex. #This is a mixture of balloons, condoms and other rubber products. #(I heard a womans team in a fishing comp off cairns used an unusually shaped lure trolling for marlins a couple of years back)

Remember, use 100% LATEX balloons and they will break down!!!!!
You can get them from any party supplier.

I am waiting for IFISH to respond with what brand they used.

I found this info out in November last year abd IFISH have yet to respond to my emails!! I used to think they did a great job, but if this is their idea of dealing with the fishing public, then they don't know what the hell they are doing.

Brett

[sarg]

Styrene apparently doesn't pass easily through animals, dogs at least I accidentaly broke a bean bag and was told to make sure the dogs didn't eat any as it would have to be removed by a vet. I read an article in a well known fishing mag, and the author of the article was chasing jacks in a nice looking creek and as a float they used styrene cause when a jack smashed the livie the float snaped and you were free to fish with out a float, didn't read the part that metioned anything about cleaning up after yourself.

Andrew

[Phoenix]

There are millions of balloons released at football matches in SE QLD every year - not to mention Indy, etc ec. They have to land somewhere....

[roz]

I don't feel that using ballons, regardless of what they consist of is a smart choice.

Is cork a better option????

r.

[kingtin]

I don't feel that using ballons, regardless of what they consist of is a smart choice.

Is cork a better option????

r.

Don't know about cork although at one time nearly all (bulky) fishing floats were made from cork and it is a naturally occurring substance. and is not as "high profile" (colour/appearance) as plastic and rubber

I'm with you on balloons though, biodegradable or not, The selling "splurge' on them says that they degrade at the same rate as a maple leaf which is a pretty generalised and sweeping statement. Just what criteria was applied to test the degradability of the latex or the maple leaf? Were wide ranges of water temp/salinity etc applied?

The tests conducted were aimed at the mass balloon release brigade, not the use of them as fishing floats. The American research is highly suspect as it mentions little of deceased marine life being found with rubber in their intestines whilst the Australian research highlighted on the news proved a high incidence of it.

The truth of the matter is that they don't degrade immediately, and that they can, depending on colour and deflated shape, look like naturally occurring prey. They can also not be retrieved if they burst and part company with your line and despite their ability to degrade, is it not likely that they will be investigated by marine life pretty soon after parting company with a fisho?

A bona fide float, loosely stoppered through the centre and not stoppered via swivels, does not impede when reeling in, and it's ability to be retrieved when broken off, has to be the best alternative to introducing something that may be detrimental to marine life.

kev

[Owen]

Think on this, The use of lead in weights has been banned from many waterways in the UK, and prior to substitutes being found, ledgering was sometimes banned altogether. If our practice of float fishing is found to be environmentally unfriendly, then the same thing can happen here.

kev

Kev,
I'd be curious to know on what scientific grounds the banning of lead sinkers has been implemented in the UK.
I know that lead shot has been banned in many waterways, but this is due to bottom feeding ducks ingesting it and not being able to pass it from their gizzard.
Shotgun shells in many US (and maybe elsewhere) states must now be filled with bismuth or some other inert substance.
Is the fishing thing a carry over from the shotgun issue?

At the end of the day I suppose you have to legislate for the lowest common demoninator.
I doubt it makes any difference to the likes of yourself whether you use a biodegradeable substance or not, because I am sure that if you CAN recover it, you will, making the breakdown rate moot.

Reminds me a bit of a discussion I had with a copper when I was going for my NSW shooters license. There was a poorly worded question about what to consider if your shot missed the target.
I didn't really comprehend it because I knew full well that in 90% or more of cases with the gear I used even if I hit the target the shot would carry on for quite some distance. The question of hit/miss didn't enter into it. It was a safe shot, or it wasn't.

Personally I would never use styrene because it breaks so easily and I have a problem with balloon even if they will eventually break down.
I doubt they break down faster than the carcass of the animal that choked on them.


c

[kingtin]

Kev,
I'd be curious to know on what scientific grounds the banning of lead sinkers has been implemented in the UK.
I know that lead shot has been banned in many waterways, but this is due to bottom feeding ducks ingesting it and not being able to pass it from their gizzard.

c

That's the reason they gave Owen. ..............dead geese and swans, found with lead shot in their gizzzard. They legislated for a blanket ban on lead, based on that.

kev

[5cougarsthanx]

What about those edible condoms as a float if there good enough for a human to eat got be good enough for the fish who knows it could be the start of a new type of soft plastic or should that be hard plastic
Cheers
Cougarman