Take your fishing line home!
Published on September 23rd, 2009 by Rodney
This Lower Fraser River pink salmon has generated plenty of angling interest in the Lower Mainland, which is excellent to see. Angling interest generates angling licence sale and interest in resource protection. While this recreational fishery is healthy, it has also left a bad mark that is so commonly seen in modern human history.
Littering! For some reason, many individuals simply cannot keep their trash in their pockets and the garbage cans. Instead, they can be seen scattered along the Fraser River banks. Beer cans, lure packages, fast food wrappers are just some of the common items found when we are out fishing. One tide cycle can wash these into the river and transport them into the Pacific Ocean. What’s even more damaging is discarded fishing lines that are wrapped around everywhere!
Fishing line kills wildlife! It may wrap around water fowls, end up choking them to death. Somehow this common knowledge is forgotten constantly. Anglers get a birdnest, pull all the line off the reel and casually discard it on the ground as if it is biodegradable. Little do they know that this becomes a permanent animal strangler, working either in the discarded area or anywhere it gets blown or washed to.
We enjoy harvesting these salmon, yet we don’t think twice about tampering the water that they feed in. Pack your trash away when fishing, because in the long run, we would be the ones who pay for this poor behaviour.
September 27th is World Rivers Day. We can all celebrate and do our part by picking up a couple bags of garbage when fishing this weekend. I will be involved in the celebration and cleanup at the Chilliwack River, perhaps we will see you there too!