Community urged to tackle fishing litter

The NSW Government and Central Coast Council are asking the community to remove old fishing lines and nets following the recent death and injury of endangered birds.

13 March 2024

 

A THREATENED shorebird recently died, from injuries and emaciation, after volunteers found it wandering around The Entrance with its feet entangled by fishing net. It was the only known fledged pied oystercatcher chick in the whole of the Central Coast local government area this summer.

 

A bar-tailed godwit – also a threatened species – was seen hobbling with fishing line around its legs last month, so Government staff and volunteers successfully disentangled it. The bird was spotted again last week, having noticeably put on weight, and was flying strongly.

 

These two were on top of another 60 birds treated by Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast (MWRCC) in the past year with fishing line or hook injuries.

 

Minister for the Central Coast, David Harris said “It is really heartening to see the community pull together to try to save these birds and I thank everyone involved – the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) Conservation team, Central Coast Council and volunteers from local wildlife groups.

 

“Everyone has a role to play in protecting the great natural environment on the Coast and particularly saving our threatened species. Picking up any fishing line or marine debris you see lying around is a small thing that makes a huge difference.”

 

Birds with fishing line or net restricting their feet or wings can be difficult to capture until they are seriously weakened from lack of food.

 

Marine debris is both a global and local issue. Entanglement can lead to horrific injuries, lost limbs, or a slow, agonising death.

 

Central Coast Council Acting Director Environment and Planning Luke Sulkowski said “Sadly this issue is a serious problem for our birds and other wildlife, in particular shorebirds.  In January we had an endangered juvenile Pied Oystercatcher die from injuries caused as a result of it being entangled in discarded fishing line for over a month.

 

“We urge everyone to practice safe and responsible fishing, which means keeping a close eye on your fishing gear and taking any discarded rubbish and fishing tackle with you when you leave your fishing spot, so that wildlife cannot become entangled.

 

“Every effort should also be made to retrieve snagged or snapped fishing line."

 

Residents and visitors are encouraged to take all your rubbish at the end of a day at the beach or on the water and pick up any litter or discarded fishing gear nearby.

 

Wildlife volunteers, the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and Central Coast Council worked together to save these entangled birds.

 

Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart chirped in and said that it was everyone’s responsibility to do the right thing.

 

“Council has multiple signs at fishing locations which set out size and bag limits for various fish species, and which also remind the community to take their rubbish home with them or put in bins provided,” he said.

 

To find out more, including how to report injured birds go to 'share-the-shore'.