A pilot project to protect Toti’s sea and birdlife by placing fishing line recycling bins on beaches will be expanded to Durban and North Coast beaches.Gill van Wyk of Amanzimtoti Conservancy introduced the bins on Toti beaches after seeing what a success they were in the Cape.
The bins prevent dolphins, whales, turtles and all other sealife, plus seabirds and any dogs or children, being injured by fishing tackle which is often left on the beaches by negligent fishermen.
Animals and birds frequently become entangled in line that is left on the rocks, beaches, rock pools or sea and often die as a result, which prompted Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to endorse the idea of the bins.
Eighteen were placed from Toti main beach to Umnini beach, thanks to the help of sponsors, who paid for a bin after having their business advertised on it.
Birdlife South Africa noted the success of the project and facilitated a meeting with Gill at the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Thursday, 19 March.
“Birdlife SA wants to take the project further to Isipingo, Bluff, Umhlanga, Ballito and Shaka’s Rock, and up the North Coast to Kosi Bay and in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
The bins have been very successful and thanks to our sponsors for their continued support. The bins up north will be paid for on the same basis.”
Regular check-ups are needed to ensure they stay operational.
“Generally they have been well received. A few bins have been damaged. We have had the bottoms taken off and hinges removed.
We appeal to the public not to damage them, and to only place fishing line in them, not other litter.
We need the public to report damaged bins and if they see someone damaging a bin to contact me on 071-403-0320.”
All fishing line collected in the bins since they were introduced to Toti in January 2014 is currently on display at CROW. “We appeal to crafters to use this collected line in their projects in an effort to upcycle,” said Gill.
The College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has estimated it will take 600 years for fishing line to decompose and it is believed an astronomical 17 million tons of plastic is discarded in the sea annually worldwide.
“This affects birds very badly. It is of great concern what it does to our sealife. It is a huge and ongoing problem.”
Gill also hopes to approach fishing, lifesaving and underwater clubs to place bins on their premises.
