Encourage Responsible Fishing and Outdoor Activity

NAPLES - Continuing a commitment to preserve Florida’s environment, the  Department is partnering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) to protect valuable habitat for a variety of birds and other wildlife at the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

The ABC Islands, a mangrove island cluster located in the reserve just north of Marco Island, has served as a bird rookery for more than 100 years. The FWCC designated these islands as a Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) in 1993 because of growing threats to the islands’ native species, including habitat loss, food scarcity related to water quality issues and human disturbance.

“It’s critical that area fishing enthusiasts, boaters and paddlers pay attention to signs and use common sense by avoiding restricted areas and disposing of trash and fishing line appropriately when visiting the reserve,” said Gary Lytton, Reserve Manager at Rookery Bay Research Reserve.

Birds using the islands as night roosts and annual nest sites include several listed species of special concern, including the little blue heron, snowy egret, tricolored heron, white ibis, brown pelican and others.

Signs alerting boaters and paddlers of the area’s status as a ‘no entry’ zone were installed in 2004 to minimize disturbance to the birds from boaters. However, the reserve reports that entanglement from fishing line and trash continues to be a problem.

“On average, four to five citations and 12 to 15 written or verbal warnings per year are issued for violation of the entry rules to the critical wildlife area,” said Lieutenant Wayne Maas of the FFWC.

In an effort to promote responsible fishing line disposal in the county, a Monofilament Line Recycling Program was implemented in 2006, and subsequently, more than two dozen bins have been placed around Collier County.

“About 400 pounds of line have been collected,” said Florida Sea Grant Agent Bryan Fluech, who led the program’s implementation. “Even if they do not fish regularly, people see the bins and realize that throwing line on the ground or in the water is not the right thing to do.”

Fluech has also facilitated workshops where fishing enthusiasts learn the proper method of releasing unwanted catch including birds. They are instructed to gently reel in the bird, cover it with a towel and either dislodge the hook or cut the line as close to the bird as possible before releasing. This will prevent the bird from flying off with trailing yards of line and entangling other birds entering the rookery.

The following tips will help protect wildlife while fishing:

• Designate an area where trash can be stored on board your boat.
• Secure all loose items so they do not blow overboard.
• Never throw anything overboard including plastic, paper, unwanted food items, etc.
• Remove hooks from hooked birds, or if that is not possible, cut the line as close to the bird as possible. Another option is to carefully bring the bird to a local rehab center where a professional can remove the hook. Call (239) 262-CARE in Collier County or (239) 472-3644 in Lee County.
• Practice ‘catch-and-release’ fishing whenever possible.
• Recycle your fishing line and trash after the fishing trip in a designated bin or to find a local a recycling location near you, visit http://www.fishinglinerecycling.org.

Rookery Bay Reserve was established in 1978 as a partnership between the state of Florida and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The reserve is one of 27 research reserves operating across the nation. DEP’s Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA) manages Rookery Bay Reserve along with aquatic preserves, two other National Estuarine Research Reserves and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. CAMA’s programs and activities are designed to help Floridians better understand and conserve the state’s resources through research, education and conservation.

To view a map of ABC Islands that shows where the no entry zone signs are located, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2009/07/files/abc_signs.jpg. Please click on the image to make it larger.

For more information about the reserve, please visit www.rookerybay.org.

For more information about Florida’s Coastal and Aquatic