Each spring staff and volunteers from New Smyrna Beach’s Marine Discovery Center go on a search and rescue mission for fishing line, and each spring they retrieve literally miles and miles of dangerous monofilament and braided line 
left behind by anglers. They clear the discarded fishing line from our waters, our shorelines and mangroves, and thankfully they also collect and recycle fishing line left by anglers on Mosquito Lagoon’s bird rookeries before a new nesting season begins.
I recently attended an installment of their Marine Discovery Center Public Lecture Series titled Bird Rescue. Experts from South Daytona Beach’s (Ponce Inlet) Marine Science Center, as well as other local bird authorities, conducted this very informative lecture. Attendees learned what to do when they find an injured or entangled bird or other animal, and how to prevent these types of tragedies from taking place.
I learned that each year on the Indian River Lagoon system (Indian River, Banana River, and Mosquito Lagoons) thousands of birds and other marine critters, including bottle-nose dolphins and manatees, uselessly die while entangled in discarded fishing line. I knew birds were dying out there, and I knew regular fishing line continues to endanger habitat for over 600 years, but until I heard the number of birds coming into the animal hospitals like the Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary at the Marine Science Center, because of fishing line injuries, I had no idea of the magnitude of this problem. The sad part of this story is anglers could stop a large portion of this tragedy if they displayed a little more common sense and respect towards nature. Fishing line isn’t only bad for birds, fish, reptiles and other marine animals; it is also dangerous for humans, and is hell on boat propellers and other mechanical devices.
It is a fact if you fish there is a pretty darn high chance you will encounter sea birds, especially pelicans, gulls, terns and cormorants, from time to time. Here are a couple of common sense tips on how you can reduce your impact on their health and survival.
1) Do not feed sea birds (or bottle-nose dolphins or manatees) regardless of what you think is right or wrong. Feeding them teaches bad habits.
2) Look before casting. It is as simple as hesitating before casting and inspecting the area you’re fishing for flying, nesting or perching birds before releasing your line.
3) Whenever possible, retrieve discarded fishing line and lures when you find them.
4) Use common sense and stay away from bird rookeries and other areas of high bird traffic.
5) Don’t ever cut a bird you have caught with your line loose before giving it proper attention. Be extremely cautious to remove all line or hooks from the critter before releasing it, or take the entangled bird to an animal hospital for help.
If birds are invading your fishing area, remember you live to fish and they fish to live; move on to the next place!
I just went to eBay and purchased my first spool of Biodegradable Fishing Line. It will be interesting to see if it is what they say it is; “Works great and is much safer for the environment.”
Learn more about fishing or how to deal with entangled birds by reading or listening to Rodney Smith’s books: Catching Made Easy and Enjoying Life on the Indian River Lagoon Coast.
All content in this article, including writing and photos, copyright Rodney Smith
-Photos from www.ghostfishing.org, www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov and www.rodneysmithmedia.com