Cleanup aims to protect wildlife from fishing line

Volunteers are needed to assist Sarasota Bay Watch and Florida Audubon in their efforts to protect local birds and wildlife.

The groups are asking for help preventing fishing line entanglement, which almost always results in death for seabirds.

From 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday volunteers are needed to help remove fishing line from Sarasota Bay and its surrounding areas during the annual Sarasota Bay Watch Monofilament Cleanup. Organizers prefer volunteers to have a boat or kayak of their own, due to limited space on their boats and kayaks.  However, cleanup can also be done on foot around the bridges, and volunteers without a watercraft are still encouraged to attend. Boats will launch from Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway.

The fishing line collected will be weighed and measured, and the data will be shared with local and state scientists working on entanglement issues.  

Officials from Sarasota Bay Watch say most fishing line that you can buy today is made of monofilament, a single-strand, strong, flexible plastic that is clear or tinted blue, pink or green. Most lines are not biodegradable and can last hundreds of years, depending on environmental conditions.

Because it is thin and often clear, the line is difficult for birds and other animals to see, and they can easily brush up against it and become entangled in it. Once entangled, they may become injured, may drown, may become strangled or may starve to death.

The event takes place in October each year because most birds don’t nest this time of year.

Lunch will be available after the event. Sturdy footwear, sunscreen, eye protection, hat, gloves and water are recommended for the event.

Registration is required prior to the cleanup. To sign up, visit Sarasotabaywatch.org or call 232-2363.