Two birds, which got tangled in fishing tackled, had to be rescued from the reservoir in West Baldwin.
Not the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture is urging anglers to take care with their equipment.
On Saturday, July 20, a DEFA forestry warden discovered a heron being attacked by crows in the shallows of the reservoir and found that, not only was a hook caught in its foot but that the attached line was wrapped around a duck, which also had a hook lodged in its throat.
An MSPCA officer was called to the scene to help rescue the birds.
The heron has since recovered and been released but, unfortunately, the duck could not be saved.
Kate Beecroft,MHK the polician at DEFA responsible for fisheries, said ‘This highlights how unfortunate the consequences can be when care is not taken to avoid fishing tackle being lost or discarded. The majority of anglers are responsible conservationists and it is a shame that the behaviour of a careless minority has the potential to tarnish the reputation of this popular sport.’
DEFA’s advice to anglers is:
Never drop litter or discard tackle
Take damaged line home and either burn it or cut it into short lengths before disposal
If you see discarded tackle when out fishing, take it home for disposal
Report irresponsible behaviour to DEFA fisheries by phoning 685857