Deadly fishing line off waterways

FISH and other sea life can relax knowing the fishing line recovery bin will now be funded until at least the end of the year to help keep deadly, loose fishing line out of the waterways.
Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) chairman Tony Haslam said the funding from Noosa Council was very welcomed, and thanked council for their timely intervention to ensure the continuation of the program.
The program has been in operation since 2004 to help reduce the amount of fishing line litter found in the waterways and coastal zones of the Noosa area.
Based on a model from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Monofilament Recovery Project in the US, the project is the first of its kind in Australia.
Initially designed to target fishing line litter alone, the program was adapted to include bait bags, lures, hooks, sinkers and all other recreational fishing-related waste items.
Funded by Noosa Council, the NICA program aims to raise public awareness about the hazards associated with recreational -fishing related waste, prevent wildlife injury and death associated with fishing line entanglement and ingestion, as well as prevent leeching contamination of ground and waterways from lead-containing sinkers.
The project will protect intertidal and tidal habitats (mangrove, seagrass, sand flats, etc.) in direct threat from fishing waste build-up, ensure local vegetation is kept free from fishing line litter, protect landfill animals such as ibis, Brahmini kites, possums and other scavengers from ingesting plastics and mitigate impacts of fishing-related waste on other park and waterways users, such as dogs, swimmers and boat owners.