Queensland Government
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
7 January 2014
Avoid bird entanglement – be responsible with fishing gear
Recreational fishers are being encouraged to responsibly attend to their fishing gear to protect seabirds from serious injury.
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officer Philippa Newton said hundreds of birds are reportedly rescued each year after being entangled in fishing lines.
“On the Gold Coast alone, more than 250 rescues of hooked and line tangled birds are performed each year from the canals and waterways,” she said.
“Many of these entanglements are the result of a fishing line that has not been disposed of properly, or from birds taking bait from, or swimming through, a line that is left unattended.
“Many of the canal systems are known for having fishing lines left out for extended periods of time.
“Often, canal residents may leave lines unattended overnight or sometimes days and may not realise the effect this practice can have on birdlife.
“Although the practice isn’t illegal, it does have devastating effects on other marine life, particularly birds, so we are urging fishers to think twice before leaving their lines out overnight.”
All species of waterbirds are at risk; however the majority of waterborne rescues are of injured swans, pelicans, ducks, cormorants and gulls. Semi-threatened species like oyster catchers and bush stone curlews have also been hooked.
Animal rescuer Rowley Goonan recently rescued a swan from a Mermaid Waters canal; an area known for having set lines left out throughout the canal system.
“The swan had a fish hook in her left foot attached by line to three hooks in her right foot, one of which was attached by a different weight of line to a hook in her bottom. All hooks were pulling against each other when she tried to move.
“There can be little doubt this bird had swam through two sets of fishing lines left unattended with multiple hooks.
“The person who set the line probably found their line broken off or spooled and would have been none the wiser about the dreadful suffering caused.”
Mr Goonan said rescuing and rehabilitating a single hooked bird is resource intensive and costly.
“It can sometimes take weeks to catch a flight capable bird, and cost thousands of dollars for surgery and rehabilitation,” he said.
“This situation could be minimised if fishers refrained from leaving lines out unattended.”
To report injured birdlife, please call the RSPCA on 1300 264 625.
For more information on responsible fishing practices, visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.
Follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook and Twitter (@FisheriesQld).
Media: Jodana Anglesey, 3087 8601
Images courtesy of Rowley Goonan: Benowa swan with fishing line entangled around beak (left); Rowley Goonan rescues entangled swan in Mermaid Waters (right)
Benowa_swan_1[1].jpgMermaid_Waters_Swan_Rowley Goonan in pic.jpg
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Originally Posted by Fisheries Queensland
