FL: SEA TURTLES AT RISK OF FISHING GEAR NEAR PIERS
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BREVARD COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A heartbreaking reminder is playing out at Brevard Zoo, where rescuers are treating sea turtles injured by discarded fishing gear.
Loggerhead turtles have been brought to the zoo after swallowing fishing hooks or becoming entangled in fishing line. In some cases, the injuries are too severe for the animals to survive.
Fishing piers can be particularly dangerous for sea turtles because the animals often learn that the areas are reliable sources of food.
“Unfortunately, they do learn that fishing piers are a good source of food, so they will frequent those fishing piers. There’s lots of bait going into the water,” said Shanon Gann of Brevard Zoo.
Gann has worked with the zoo for 10 years and said turtles continue to arrive each year in need of medical care after encountering discarded fishing equipment.
One recent case ended tragically. A loggerhead was found with fishing hooks and line inside its digestive tract. Despite efforts by the zoo’s veterinary and rehabilitation teams, the turtle did not survive.
But other rescues offer hope.
In another case, a medical team removed fishing line that had become wrapped around a turtle’s fin. Zoo staff is optimistic the loggerhead will be healthy enough to return to the ocean soon.
The zoo operates a rehabilitation facility specifically for sea turtles, where staff work to remove hooks, line and other dangerous materials whenever possible.
“You don’t mean it to bring sadness; we want it to bring awareness,” Gann said. “We want to be able to, if we can, remove these items.”
Anglers and beachgoers can help by properly disposing of used fishing line and hooks. Fishing line can be placed in designated recycling tubes located throughout the Space Coast.
Zoo officials say proper disposal can reduce the number of turtles and other wildlife injured by fishing equipment.
The message, Gann said, is simple: By working together, the community can help protect sea turtles and the environment they share with people.
The zoo also accepts donations to support its sea turtle rehabilitation efforts. Visitors can find information about how to help on the Brevard Zoo website.
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