Reel It In!

A fishing line bin project will be expanded along the Swan and Canning riverbanks to help reduce the impact of discarded fishing line and tackle on dolphins, water birds and other animals.

Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the State Government would invest $20,000 to continue the Reel It In project that is expected to remove up to 20 kilometres of discarded fishing line from the rivers each year.

The Swan River Trust installed 25 dedicated fishing line bins at popular jetties, fishing platforms, traffic bridges and boat ramps as a trial during 2014. The initiative involved seven riverfront local governments, plus the Fremantle Port Authority and City of Cockburn.

“The fishing line bin project is a cost effective solution to a serious problem and has delivered significant benefits to the dolphins, birdlife and the community,” Mr Jacob said.

“The results show that recreational fishers have made excellent use of the bins during this trial and we are reducing the risk of rubbish impacting on wildlife.

“In total, more than 8,788 metres of fishing line, 1,743 hooks and sinkers, 1,508 bait bags and 254 items such as lures and tackle packets were collected throughout the year.”

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Shire of Harvey Tackle Fishing Hotspots

In 2014 the Shire of Harvey in WA was successful in applying for a Keep Australia Beautiful litter prevention grant to install fishing line recycling bins and education signage at local fishing hotspots. The Shire of Harvey has a 45km coastline, the Leschenault estuary and three major rivers, where fishing line can be and has been a serious environmental issue.

Tackle Bins and Education signage now displayed at 6 locations within the Shire with more than 600m of line in the first month after installation!

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Shark bins for smelly fishing litter

This source reduction plan was designed by participants in Port Hedland during a workshop funded through Keep Australia Beautiful Council WA Litter Prevention Grants. The goal of the source reduction plan is to address plastic bait bags which have been identified as a reoccurring problem in the area. They are thought to derive from land based campers and council park users as well as water based fishermen. They are discarded on the beach, in the water and at the foreshore parks. It is important to reduce the number of plastic bait bags in the area because they are unsightly and they impact on all wildlife. A sea turtle that comes across a plastic bait bag in the ocean will be attracted to it due to its fishy aroma and its appearance as a jelly fish; one of their food sources. Ingestion of plastic has a range of issues such as starvation, intestinal blockages and toxic effects.

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Geraldton tackles fishing hotspots

This source reduction plan was designed by participants in Geraldton during a workshop funded through Keep Australia Beautiful Council WA Litter Prevention Grants. The goal of the source reduction plan is to reduce the amount of discarded recreational fishing gear at Drummond Cove. The fishing gear is often left behind on the beach, lost or damaged; particularly during storm events. It is important to address this issue in the local community because derelict fishing gear affects the health of marine life as well as human and pet safety.

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Walpole Town Jetty to curb fishing litter

This source reduction plan was designed by participants in Albany during a workshop funded through Keep Australia Beautiful Council WA Litter Prevention Grants. It targets recreational fishing gear at Walpole Town Jetty. Discarded recreational fishing gear poses a risk to wildlife as they may ingest it or become entangled in it. The source reduction plan aims to implement awareness raising signage and to provide buckets with lids. The local council, businesses and KABC will be approached to seek funding for the infrastructure. The success of this source reduction plan will be measured during the 2015 WA Beach Clean-up event.