- Monofilament - Monofilament is strong, thin, durable and nearly invisible and is widely
used by anglers. Those same qualities can make it extremely
hazardous to wildlife when left behind.
Inappropriately discarded monofilament often accumulates in popular
fishing areas and may tangle around boat propellers and aquatic life, and takes over 500 years to decompose. This poses threats to
fishermen, the fish they catch and important fish habitat and breeding
grounds. Abandoned line can “ghost fish” by continuing to catch aquatic
species (i.e. fish, turtles and birds) in makeshift nets for many
years.
- Ghost Fishing - Ghost Fishing is the phrase that is used for lost or abandoned fishing gear that continues to catch fish. Abandoned line can “ghost fish” by continuing to catch aquatic species (i.e. fish, turtles and birds) in makeshift nets for many years.Ghost fishing leads to a decrease in fish stock and the death of many marine animals. Also, abandoned fishing gear can get caught in boats or entangle divers, threatening both. Ghost nets entangle marine life causing them to drown.
- Entanglement - Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, seabirds and marine mammals are killed annually when they ingest or become tangled in plastic debris.
- Plastic Bags - Plastic bags floating through the water resemble jellyfish, a favorite meal for a sea turtle. When animals ingest foreign objects they may suffocate or die of starvation.
- Plastic Pellets - These are tiny pellets that you find in many common products, including something as seemingly harmless as teddy bears. The pellets suck up a range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other toxins. Some pellets are washed up on beaches while others, however, have been found in the stomachs of sea creatures, including fish, birds, marine mammals and reptiles, and scientists believe some animals may actively select the pellets because they resemble fish eggs.
- Victoria Mehlhaff -
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