Preventing Wildlife Entanglements

Every year, sea turtles, marine mammals, sea birds, and other species are accidentally caught in fishing gear, both commercial and recreational. Sea turtles can become hooked on the body or entangled in fishing line. When a sea turtle gets tangled, it may cause flipper amputations, and if they swallow the line, it can cause digestive problems.

You can help prevent wildlife entanglements by following these guidelines.

• Never abandon fishing gear.
• Use barbless circle hooks and knot-free buoy lines to reduce injuries.
• Inspect gear often to avoid unwanted line breaks.
• Stash your trash.
• Recycle fishing line. See Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) Monofilament Recycling Bin Location Map to find the closest recycling bin near you. Additional details provided below.
• Don’t cast your line if a sea turtle or marine mammal is in the area.
• Don’t discard bait or cleaned fish remains into the water.
• Change your fishing location if sea turtles or marine mammals show interest in your bait or catch.

For more information, see the NOAA Fisheries articles “Fishing Tips to Protect Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals” and “Sea Turtles and Recreational Fishing”.

Florida’s Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program

Did you know that Florida has over 1,600 monofilament recycling bins all over the state? Here in Brevard County, FWC has over 180 outdoor bins. You can find these recycling stations at public parks adjacent to waterways, boat ramps, fishing piers, and even some marinas. In addition, some local bait and tackle shops provide indoor recycling bins.

To find a monofilament recycling station near you, just go to the FWC’s interactive Bin Locations map. An example of an outdoor bin is shown below.

FWC’s Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program not only encourages the recycling of fishing line, but holds volunteer monofilament cleanups, and educates the public about the damage caused by discarded monofilament to many different species and the environment.

Brevard County’s Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program website provides these additional tips on how you can help:

• Retrieve/Recycle Your Line – Whenever possible retrieve and properly dispose of any monofilament line you find. Be sure to remove fishing line that’s become tangled in mangroves.
• Keep Brevard Beautiful – Participate in local beach and river cleanup events.
• Check Your Gear – Inspect gear often to avoid unwanted line breaks.
• Follow the Rules – Federal law prohibits the discharge of plastic garbage (including monofilament) into the ocean.
• Educate Others – Tell others how they can recycle their fishing line.

Sources:

• NOAA Fisheries article “Fishing Tips to Protect Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals”
• NOAA Fisheries article “Sea Turtles and Recreational Fishing”
• Florida’s Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program
• Brevard’s Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program
• STPS Loggerhead Lowdown blog article “Tangled” (November 2, 2020)