Fishing Gear Puts Wildlife at Risk
Wherever angling overlaps with wildlife habitats, fishing gear injuries and deaths occur. Waterbirds such as herons, egrets, cormorants, ducks, and geese mistake discarded fishing line and hooks for food, leading to fatal entanglement or internal injuries. Other wildlife, including beavers, otters, and river mammals, can also become trapped, suffering exhaustion and eventual death.
Hooks, Lines, and Traps
Snagged fishing gear clings to submerged branches, shoreline trees, and underwater plants, creating hidden dangers. Birds swallowing fish that have ingested hooks suffer slow deaths, tethered to logs or branches. Entangled waterbirds become immobilized, isolated from their flocks, and easy prey for predators. Even live bait left onshore attracts and endangers dogs, coyotes, and other animals that call the river home.
The Lasting Impact of Line and Lead
Lost fishing gear isn’t just a short-term hazard—it lingers for decades, accumulating in the American River and disrupting the entire ecosystem. Lead weights ingested by swans, waterbirds, and birds of prey cause toxic poisoning that leads to slow, painful deaths. Meanwhile, unseen fishing line microplastics contaminate the water, creating long-term environmental consequences for wildlife and the communities that rely on the river.
