Pilot Program Aims to Remove Terminal Tackle
Posted on April 1st 2013, by Rodney Hsu
Too often, when we go fishing, our fishing lures, hooks, weights, line, floats and other so-called terminal tackle become tangled to underwater structures. Occasionally we are lucky enough to retrieve it, but more often than not, they are lost when the line is broken off.
Instantly, these precious fishing commodities become aquatic garbage. They sit idly in the water until being retrieved by someone. Occasionally, some wildlife become unfortunate victims of these unclaimed items. Water fowls and birds of prey can be tangled by fishing line. Animals can be hooked by fishing lures, flies, baited hooks when swimming close to the bottom or nearby structures. It is a growing environmental problem with no immediate solutions.
Friends of Lafarge Lake, a citizen group formed among communities around Lafarge Lake, is hoping to make a difference. Lafarge Lake is an urban lake in Coquitlam. It is enjoyed by walkers, nature lovers and of course recreational fishermen. Because it is an urban fishery, higher fishing pressure also sees more terminal tackle lost in the lake and along its shoreline. On April 1st 2013, Friends of Lafarge Lake is launching a pilot program called "Terminal Tackle Disposal Report", which aims to reduce the amount of fishing waste.
Working closely with the local conservation offices, Friends of Lafarge Lake have developed a reporting system for anglers. Here is how it works. In the next six months during the catchable rainbow trout stocking period, anglers who wish to fish Lafarge Lake are required to print out this report form. When an angler loses his or her terminal tackle, he or she is required to complete the form by describing the lost terminal tackle and its location. The form can be submitted in the drop box located on the fishing pier at the south end of the lake.
Click here to download report form
Forms will be collected weekly. Volunteer divers and kayakers, will follow the directions given in the reports, to retrieve each terminal tackle on weekends. Once collected, identified and matched, anglers are contacted so they can claim their lost items.
To ensure high compliance, volunteers from Friends of Lafarge Lake will be patrolling the lake regularly with video cameras. They will document anglers' tackle and collect evidence when terminal tackle are lost. All evidence will be handed to the authority so appropriate littering charges can be filed and fines are given to offending anglers.
Friends of Lafarge Lake hopes to succeed in this pilot project so a province-wide program can be implemented. Such program does not only reduce the amount of unnecessary waste in our environment, but also gives anglers a chance to reunite with their precious fishing tackle.
For more information on the background of this pilot project, please visit Friends of Lafarge Lake's website.
