Photo taken by Alex Haza at Wampum Lake
written by Dana Harbaugh
Chicago Bird Alliance members, volunteers, and CBCM monitors have noticed a number of birds found entangled in fishing line on land managed by the Chicago Park District and the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Recently, CBA member Alex Haza took this alarming photo of an owl trapped in fishing line.
The Forest Preserves and the Park District provide receptacles for the disposal of fishing line, but they seem to be severely underused and insufficient to address the issue. Often, fishing line gets tangled in trees, high in the branches where it is difficult to remove. Fishing line and lures are also often discarded in dense shrubs at the shoreline, an area difficult to access from both the shore and from boats in the water.
CBA is having initial conversations with staff from the Forest Preserves and the Park District to address this issue. Both organizations see this as a clear problem and we are brainstorming solutions. Whether the answer is more signage, more disposal receptacles, or better and more thorough cleanup, action must be taken to save local birds from the hazard of fishing line.
The Chicago Park District is asking for feedback on where to place new fishing line receptacles. Please submit your feedback here: https://arcg.is/0jWrK1.
We hope you will do your part.
Dispose of fishing line in designated receptacles after fishing or if you see it when you are out for a walk.
If you see a bird caught in fishing line, please call the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors hotline at 773-988-1867.
If you have ideas for innovative solutions to address the danger of fishing line to birds, please do not hesitate to contact us! Please reach out to Advocacy Chair, Dana Harbaugh, at dana.c.harbaugh@gmail.com.