We were strolling on the Belmont Pier in Long Beach a few weeks ago and snapped this photo of a container for used fishing line. Given the harm that monofilament line can cause birds, it’s great to see people stepping up to get this danger out of the environment.

Monofilament fishing line is amazingly strong stuff that causes all kinds of problems for birds and wildlife. We give little thought to what happens to that line when it snaps on a rock and gets left behind, but discarded fishing line easily gets wrapped around beaks, wings, and feet, causing amputation and death. To protect birds and other creatures, always take all line with you when you leave.

Audubon’s Kern River Preserve website has a lot more information about the dangers that discarded fishing line presents. The text is specific to the Kern River area, but the information is nearly universal. There are some scary pictures of what happens to birds when they encounter fishing line.