Port Phillip Bay is full of diverse and beautiful life and is a rich source of fresh food including fish, squid, mussels and crustaceans. Our bay is important for the local fishing industry and is also enjoyable, attractive and important to recreational fishers. Fishing is a great way that we can enjoy fresh food, bring families and friends together, feel part of a community, get outdoors, appreciate nature, find some peace and quiet or simply enjoy the challenge of the catch. Despite these positive and good intentions, recreational fishing can have unintentional impacts on our local marine life.
Caring For Our Bays is a local program trying to understand the type and source of litter along our coastline. Data collected by citizen scientists has identified that fishing line and bait/tackle bags are one of the most common items found at our beaches, boat ramps and piers. Once free floating in our bays, fishing line has the potential to entangle marine life like seals and birds causing infections or death. Bait and tackle bags are made of soft plastics that slowly break down into micro-plastics that are easily ingested by fish and can then be ingested, eventually, by us.
We as a community can help tackle this issue. By reducing the prevalence of litter within our marine environments, we can ensure that there will be plenty of fresh food for us to enjoy in the future. Some simple ways that we can help protect our marine life include:
- Ensure you rig correctly to reduce snags;
- Switch to biodegradable fishing line like Bioline;
- Take your rubbish away with you, especially if on site bins are full;
- Store rubbish and old line in a container to stop it blowing away in the wind;
- Buy your bait in a reusable container; and
- Prepare and store gear within a tackle box at home to avoid opening packaging on site.
Learn more about sustainable fishing practices at www.fishcare.org.au/
If you would like to get involved and help Care For Your Bay, please contact Bellarine Catchment Network at info@bcn.org.au or visit www.environmentbellarine.org.au
Image Credits: (Image 2: Tangaroa Blue) (Image 3: Seal the Loop, Zoos Victoria), (Image 4: Fishcare)