The Conservancy of Southwest Florida reports a sharp increase in the number of pelicans being treated for fishing hook and line injuries and is taking steps to better educate anglers.
The Conservancy’s von Arx Wildlife Hospital has treated 50 pelicans with fishing hook or line related injuries so far this year, compared to just three pelicans in January 2013. The cause of the increase is unknown, but most of the injured birds are young Brown Pelicans coming from the Naples Pier. “The juvenile pelicans are less experienced,” said Conservancy President and CEO Rob Moher.
“And so if they can’t find an easy catch in the Gulf with the baitfish that they normally would go after they’re going to be attracted to places like piers where sometimes there’s fish scraps left on the top. There’s a lot of fishing going on and they perceive it to be the easy catch, but unfortunately, the easy catch is also the deadly catch.” If a hook stuck in a Pelican can be removed on site, Moher says the birds typically heal themselves, but if the line is cut and the pelican flies off with the hook still stuck in its mouth, that can lead to infection and fishing line can entangle the bird or cut off circulation to its wings.
The problem isn’t isolated to Southwest Florida either. “We’ve been putting out surveys to other rehab centers and at this point, we know that centers from the Florida Keys all the way up to Anna Maria Island are also experiencing issues with pelicans and other shore birds at much higher than regular rate,” said Moher.
The Conservancy has posted three new educational signs at the Naples pier to educate anglers about what to do if they hook a pelican. The organization is also funding two new part time patrol officer positions through the city of Naples to monitor the pier at peak times, educate anglers and help with rescue efforts.
