Discarded fishing equipment such as abandoned line, hooks, weights, etc. continues to be a major problem for the environment and a major threat to an array of wildlife in and around the water. It can maim and kill birds and other wildlife! Look what happened to this cormorant!
Just yesterday at Carter Lake in northeast Omaha, avid birder Jim Ducey of Omaha, NE brought to my attention yet another graphic incident involving birds getting tangled up with discarded fishing tackle. This time it was monofilament line, a treble hook and a weight connecting two pelicans – one alive and the other dead. Click the link to Jim’s blog to read the story and see his photos:
http://wildbirdsbroadcasting.blogspot.com/2013/04/pelican-rescued-at-carter-lake.html
This is another example of how critical it is for us anglers to pack out all of our trash, dispose of it properly or perhaps recycle it and actually leave that fishing area better than we found it! Also, a wonderful option exists near the water at many public places where Nebraska anglers can put that balled up mess of line in specialized bins to be recycled. The program is called the Fishing Line Recycling Bin Program. It is made entirely possible by the great folks – the volunteers – at the nonprofit Nebraska Fish & Game Association (NEFGA) @ www.nefga.org