| How To Help |
• Volunteer
to help educate visitors to our central coast Piers.
•Just an hour of your time can help! Next time you
are at the beach, take a few minutes to remove fishing line and abandoned
tackle from our Piers.
•
Donate and help sponsor a sign. Email
us to find out how.
•
NEW! Visit Our Online Store to Buy Pier Watch
Shirts, Hats & More!
•
Download
Fisherman's Quick Guide & Fishing Tips -
Learn more from this useful guide.
•
Contact Pacific
Wildlife Care to learn how to become trained in seabird rescue
or to become a transporter. PWC is currently in need of volunteers
to help with the care of hundreds of starving seabirds in SLO county. Call
(805) 543- WILD or email
them to find out how you can help.
Learn these important fishing tips! |
• Never Feed Seabirds. Fish bones from filleted fish carcasses cause internal injury to birds (especially Pelicans) causing scratches and damage along the bird's intestinal tract. Bones can puncture the stomach lining which then causes fluid to seep into the body cavity of the bird. This causes a severe infection called peritonitis. Once the infection starts, the bird will die within 48 hours.
• Feeding birds makes them dependent on humans. If you feed them, they might interfere when people are trying to fish. Some people unfortunately will consider them a nuisance and may try to harm birds. You can fish in peace if you do not feed birds. Birds are more likely to get injured from fishing line/hooks if they are around fishing activity.
• If you accidentally hook a bird, DO NOT CUT THE LINE. Reel the bird in slowly and gently, using a dip net if available. If on a pier, walk the line to shore and use a hoop net to scoop the bird. Call for rescue assistance 805-543-WILD. If you cut the line, the bird will become entangled in the line and starve and/or the hook will cause infection leading to death. View National Marine Fisheries Service for more detailed rescue tips and info.
• If you find abandoned fishing line, tackle, or plastic bags on the Pier or beach, pick them up and throw them away in the trash. Birds, dolphins, turtles, and fish get entangled in wads of fishing line and plastic causing injury and death.
• When fishing, throw away all unused fishing lines or hooks in the trash. It is best to recycle monofilament line. However, if you must deposit in the trash, cut it into small pieces before disposing.
• Never throw pieces of plastic or let fishing line go into the ocean.
• Use barb-less hooks (which hold fish as well, but are easier to remove from the flesh of impaled birds).
• Never
leave a fishing line unattended. You may accidentally catch a fish
and a bird.
•Keep all bait and food covered and out of the reach of birds
at all times.
• If you see someone leaving behind fishing line or tackle, kindly tell them why it is dangerous to leave it behind.
• Help educate. Most people are simply unaware of these types of dangers.
• If you believe someone is harassing or harming a marine animal, Report the incident immediately to the CA Dept. of Fish and Game and the local authorities. Get a description of the person, pictures or video, license plate, time of day, and witness names and phone numbers. It is against the law to harm or harass marine animals. All seabirds are protected under state and federal law. Report to California Department of Fish and Game CALtip at 1-800-952-5400, press 3. Visit our important numbers page for more info.
