Copyright 1999 P.G. Publishing Co.
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette
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June 23, 1999, Wednesday, SOONER EDITION
SECTION: SPORTS, Pg. D-8, OUTDOORS
LENGTH: 708 words
HEADLINE:
LITTERBUGS OVERWHELM FREE-FISHING DAY
BYLINE: MIKE
SAJNA
BODY:
When it comes to wildlife kills
and the loss of fishing water, things like oil spills and coal companies
secretly dumping mine waste into streams get all of the
publicity. But such blatant disregard for the environment by industry is rare
today. The cost in government regulation and public outrage is too high to be
good for business.
Fish and Boat Commission statistics show the biggest
reason for the loss of fishing water in Pennsylvania is angler behavior, or
rather angler misbehavior. Littering, illegal parking, stomping on crops and so
forth annually result in the loss of dozens of miles of fishing water through
posting by disgusted landowners. Exactly how bad the situation can get is
revealed in a letter from Connie Concannon of Pittsburgh. The letter is about a
fishing outing Concannon and her boyfriend took to North Park Lake shortly after
the first of Pennsylvania's two annual "fish-for-free" days, when anybody can
fish without a license.
The couple reached their favorite spot on the
lake and encountered a mountain of beer cans surrounded by balls of aluminum
foil, the box that once held the foil, Styrofoam plates and empty hook and
swivel packages.
"Along the shore everywhere you looked were large nests
of multi-colored fishing line," she writes, "proof positive of inexperience,
hooks and lures included. Oh, and don't let me forget to mention the dead bait,
probably enough to feed the entire population of fish in the lake for at least
three days. All lying on the ground littering what is supposed to be a place to
relax."
Disgusted with what they found, the couple moved to a new spot
across a large field. The new location was comparatively litter free, at least
on the shore. It was a different story in the water, which was full of aluminum
foil balls and monofilament line. "At this point," she notes, "we decided
mutually that we would chalk this up as a bad experience and call it a season.
Well, at least a North Park season."
As the couple was gathering up
their gear to leave, a flock of Canada geese appeared overhead, landed in the
lake, and then waddled onto the shore where the affect of carelessly discarded
monofilament line really struck home.
"As they grazed through the grass,
hooks and litter," she writes, "we noticed one goose at the rear who appeared to
have a severe limp. As we tried to get close enough to see this injured animal,
I discovered what caused its limp. Wrapped around the bird's leg was a large
amount of blue fishing line. The animal limped off quickly as we neared it and
the line trailed behind about 45 feet."
Being a lover of animals,
especially birds, Concannon couldn't stop thinking about what she had seen and
contacted the proper authorities, who assured her they would do their best to
locate the injured goose and free it from the monofilament.
Concannon
was angered and saddened even more about the litter and the entangled goose
because trash cans can be found about every 25 feet along the shore of North
Park Lake. "When you observe the trash cans in most cases, though, they are
empty," she notes. "This is caused by nothing more than lazy ignorance."
Although Concannon does not blame only the people who enjoy
fish-for-free days for the condition of North Park Lake, she feels littering
tends to be worse after such days. She also has an idea that might help improve
the situation: Issue stickers to help Fish and Boat Commission personnel
identify offenders, issue a regulation booklet to the "free-fishers" who might
not know the fish laws, and then enforce the laws.
While it is totally
unrealistic to expect a limited number of waterways conservation officers and
their deputies to be everywhere on fish-for-free days, concentrating their
efforts, or at least making their presence well known, around high pressure
waters like North Park Lake might be something to consider. More sportsmen also
must be willing to step forward and tell people when they are doing something
wrong.
Meanwhile, Concannon reports her catch for the day as: One
lighted bobber (broken); two cracked red and white bobbers, one large ball of
fishing line, including steel leader; one smallmouth bass and two crappies. She
released the three fish.
LOAD-DATE: June 24, 1999
