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Volunteers To Clean Up Fishing Line In Tampa Bay

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2008

Updated: 10/21/2008 09:50 am

TAMPA - It's time for the body count.

Volunteers will fan out to some 50 islands in Tampa Bay on Saturday to harvest discarded fishing line. They will also be documenting the number of dead birds they find, victims of fishing line that spider-webs across mangroves where the birds nest and roost.

Tampa Bay Watch and Audubon of Florida will coordinate the 15th annual Monofilament Cleanup Day, sending teams out to reel in thousands of feet of line.

"It's actually a very big problem for healthy birds because typically it's the very healthy birds out foraging for food that become entangled," said Ann Paul, regional coordinator for Audubon of Florida. "They can get snagged in monofilament when they catch somebody's bait on a hook."

Discarded fishing line is likely the number one killer of brown pelicans in Tampa Bay, Paul said. "A tremendous number get hooked and hang and dangle and die. We've seen skimmers and terns, spoonbills, all entangled. It's heart-breaking to see."

"The annual monofilament cleanup is a great way for community members to get involved in helping the environment," said Tampa Bay Watch Environmental Specialist Kevin Misiewicz. "Volunteers just let us know where they usually launch their boat and we can identify islands in that area they can remove fishing line."

Each team receives instructions on how to untangle birds if they are found alive.

To participate, call Misiewicz at (727) 867-8166 or e-mail him at rarndt@tampabaywatch.org. Individuals and teams are welcome.

"We don't have to lose our wildlife in this way," Paul said.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 865-1566.

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