Hi Tweets,

Here's a post from Seabird you might be interested in.

M

>
>Colleagues: This story appeared on the front page of today's
>Ventura County Star (Saturday, 8/23/97). Seems local party boats
>have a heck of a bird >>bycatch problem on their hands. Notice of the
>problem, it appears, began on >>8/12, when Port Hueneme Sportfishing
>announced to the Los Angeles Times that >>its passengers had caught -
>among several species of fish - 167 cormorants. >> This "fish report"
>said the birds were released. One photo in today's Star >>shows a
>cormorant with a hook in its mouth and a hand around it's
>throat, >>while another hand is pulling on the monofilament line,
>keeping it taut so >>the hook can be extracted. Looks like the bird's
>eyes are gonna pop out.
>
>>>I wonder if party-boat skippers have tested any bird-avoidance techniques,
>>>like those developed by commercial fishermen? Also, the tone of the article
>>>strikes me as odd. Makes it sound like the sportfishermen have a bird
>>>problem. Couldn't one argue that the birds have a sportfisherman problem?
>>> Finally, the story reminds us that data from California's sportfishing
>>>industry - landings, bycatch, etc. - is woefully insufficient. As such,
>>>accurate, meaningful management of fisheries that are shared by commercial
>>>and recreational sectors is nearly impossible. Ecosystem management - the
>>>result of sound, multi-dimensional stewardship - would demand comprehensive
>>>data from both groups, wouldn't it? Mick Kronman
>>>__________________________
>>>
>>>Ventura County Star
>>>August 23, 1997
>>>
>>>BIRDS PUT BITE ON FISHERMEN
>>>Snag in fun: pesky fowl angling for a free meal are endangering themselves,
>>>industry
>>>By TJ Sullivan
>>>Staff writer
>>>
>>>Anglers have been accidentally hooking an alarming number of protected
>>>seabirds off Ventura County shores this summer, frustrating sport fishers
>>>and aggravating bird enthusiasts.
>>>
>>>No one knows how many birds have been hurt because skippers log only
>>>whether they had an interaction with a bird, not the type of encounter or
>>>how many, said Kristine Barsky, a marine biologist with the California Fish
>>>and Game Department. But skippers and fish catchers in Ventura County
>>>speculate that each day dozens, if not hundreds, are snagged.
>>>
>>>The birds being snagged most often are cormorants, diving birds that can
>>>swim far below the surface of the water after fish or bait on a hook.
>>>
>>>"I've been fishing out here for 30 years," said Grace Kistner of Woodland
>>>Hills. "There's more (cormorants being hooked) than I've ever seen."
>>>
>>>On a recent half-day fishing trip aboard the Speed Twin, five cormorants were
>>>hooked in their beaks, wings and feet during the first 15 minutes of fishing
>>>near Anacapa Island. After a few hours, more than 20 birds had
>>>been hooked and released.
>>>
>>>Most of the birds were attacking live sardines being used as bait.
>>>Fishermen using squid bait had no problems with the birds.
>>>
>>>"We've never had this bad a problem," said the Speed Twin's skipper, Pete
>>>Bardini.
>>>
>>>Perhaps the more significant snag is that nobody knows if it is a problem.
>>>
>>>Fish and Game officials said this week they were unaware that fishermen had
>>>been crossing paths with so many cormorants this year.
>>>
>>>I know it happens occasionally," said Fish and Game Capt. Roger Reese, who is
>>>responsible for Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. "From our
>>>observation, it isn't that much of a problem. We are out there a lot. The
>>>wardens don't report that as being a significant problem."
>>>
>>>No government wildlife-oversight agencies are studying the cormorant
>>>population, so there's no data to determine if there are more or fewer
>>>birds this year. The most recent sea bird population estimate was done
>>>seven years ago by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as part of a statewide
>>>study of seabirds.
>>>
>>>The National Parks Service is in the process of monitoring seabird breeding
>>>in Channel Islands National Park, but it's a long-term program that won't
>>>have any data to offer until the end of the year.
>>>
>>>Kim Stroud of Wildlife Care of Ventura County, which cares for sea birds,
>>>said she has not noticed an increase in the number of injured cormorants
>>>this year.
>>>
>>>Merit McCrea, skipper of the Sea Hawk, speculated that bird populations
>>>haven't increased. He said he thinks the birds have just learned that the
>>>boats offer a free lunch.
>>>
>>>"Every year there are a few more birds," McCrea said. "They've just become
>>>dependent on our being there."
>>>
>>>No one seems to have the answer.
>>>
>>>Some fishermen guess that there are more birds. Others theorize that bait
>>>fish supplies are low and birds have few options other than to go after
>>>fishing boats. Some blame the El Nino weather pattern, which is increasing
>>>water temperatures off the coast.
>>>
>>>"I think that the birds are hungry," said Paige Martin, the sea bird
>>>biologist for Channel Islands National Park. "There's a very strong
>>>indication that the food source may have decreased already (as a result of
>>>El Nino)."
>>>
>>>No studies have addressed the issue directly.
>>>
>>>"This is a pretty complex deal because there's not going to be one factor,"
>>>Barsky said. "Maybe the boats have moved closer to the islands."
>>>
>>>"When you're dealing with something in the marine environment, there are
>>>multiple factors that could be involved, and sometimes they compound each
>>>other."
>>>
>>>The incidence of hooking cormorants is nothing new. Fishermen have battled
>>>the dense, muscular birds for years, often accusing them of depleting fish
>>>populations in lakes.
>>>
>>>Fernando Torres, a recreational fisherman from Ventura, said the trick is
>>>to throw bait away from the boat to distract the birds. "Watch the birds,
>>>make sure they're watching someone else and... usually they won't catch
>>>you," he said.
>>>
>>>Many fishermen say they take care to treat the birds well, remove the hooks
>>>and set them free.
>>>
>>>A recent observation of some fishing boat crew members showed that they
>>>didn't use the method for hook removal recommended by US Fish and Wildlife,
>>>which includes covering the bird's eyes with a cloth to calm it and keeping
>>>its wings folded in a closed position.
>>>
>>>"It's kind of a dilemma, because the birds get in the way of the
>>>fishermen," Stroud said. "Sometimes the fishermen are considerate. My
>>>husband goes out on those boats a lot, and he says sometimes they just cut
>>>the line."
>>>
>>>Dan Anderson, a wildlife biologist at the University of California, Davis,
>>>said a bird probably gets injured every time it's hooked. Just touching
>>>the birds could hurt them.
>>>
>>>"They don't like really being held, so it can cause them stress," said
>>>Morgan Wehtje, a wildlife biologist with state Fish and Game. "They could
>>>get ill from that."
>>>
>>>Some crew members and fishermen said the increase in bird hookings
>>>sometimes aggravates anglers to the point of banging the birds' heads
>>>against the railings.
>>>
>>>Troy Rowland, a sport fishing boat crew member, said some people get mad and
>>>"wring their necks."
>>>
>>>"We get passengers who just hate them," he said.
>>>
>>>Torres said he has seen it too.
>>>
>>>"Sometimes you get passengers who are real brutal with them," Torres said.
>>>"They'll try to choke them to death."
>>>
>>>Prosecution could result, even if the mistreatment is unintentional, said
>>>Diane Petrula, a special agent with the US Fish and Wildlife.Service.
>>>
>>>"Even hooking the birds is still a technical violation, but we're obviously
>>>not going to write somebody a ticket for doing something unintentional,"
>>>she said. "It's an accident, and accidents happen. On the other hand, if,
>>>when you're unhooking the bird, you just take a pair of pliers and rip it
>>>out of their neck... or you get mad and you whack it on the head... that is
>>>a criminal violation."
>>>
>>>"They can be fined and even serve jail time. They just have to rein their
>>>tempers in."
>>>
>>>Cutting the fishing line and leaving it and the hook in the bird also is
>>>illegal and dangerous for the bird, Wehtje said.
>>>
>>>"The line can get wrapped around their beak, and they can't feed," Wehtje
>>>said.
>>>
>>>Stroud said she mainly sees fishing line wrapped around a limb, cutting off
>>>the circulation. "We get a lot of that," she said.
>>>
>>>Hooks that can't be removed from the bird can rust out without killing the
>>>bird, Stroud said.
>>>
>>>Bird protection advocates say they understand the inevitability of
>>>interactions between anglers and cormorants, but they want more policing
>>>and education so the birds aren't mistreated, harmed or killed.
>>>
>>>"The budget of Fish and Game needs to be increased," said Reed Smith,
>>>conservation chairman of the Ventura Audubon Society and a retired Fish and
>>>Game employee. "Their manpower has remained static over the last 20 years.
>>>It had not increased with the population of the state at all. And that
>>>should change."
>>>
>>>"Wildlife is being lost needlessly."
>>>
>>>Lee Moldaver, vice president of the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, said
>>>education could help a lot.
>>>
>>>"If there are passengers or deck hands who haven't been advised, it sounds
>>>like we really have to do an enhanced education program," Moldaver said.
>>>"Or I'm afraid they'll have to come up with enhanced enforcement."
>>>
>>>SIDEBAR: If you witness harassment or injury of a seabird:
>>>
>>>State and federal agencies recommend that people who witness mistreatment
>>>of seabirds explain to the person why birds should not be harassed.
>>>
>>>Migratory seabirds are protected species, and it's a violation of state and
>>>federal laws to harm them.
>>>
>>>If the offender continues to harm or harass the bird after being warned,
>>>call the California Department of Fish and Game toll free at (800) 952-5400
>>>to report it.
>>>
>>>SIDEBAR: If you hook a bird:
>>>
>>>It's important not to cut or break the fishing line when a bird has been
>>>hooked. The bird could get tangled in the line and lose a limb or starve.
>>>Remember that seabirds can be dangerous and often defend themselves by
>>>pecking at a person's face and eyes.
>>>
>>>Here are a few tips on what to do, as recommended by the California
>>>Department of Fish and Game, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National
>>>Park Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service:
>>>
>>>Do not try to lift the bird by the fishing line. Use a net if it's
>>>available and life the bird slowly and gently. If you're on a pier, try to
>>>walk the line to the shore.
>>>
>>>When taking hold of the bird, get control of its bill first. Cover the
>>>head and eyes with a cloth to calm it. Take care not to obstruct its
>>>breathing. Keep the wings folded in their closed position.
>>>
>>>Keep control of the birds head and body.
>>>
>>>Do not pull the hook directly out. Cut the barb off first, then carefully
>>>release the bird.
>>>
>>>If the bird is seriously injured or hooked deeply, keep the bird
>>>restrained, cut the fishing line and call the local game warden.
>>>
>>>Wildlife Care of Ventura County also will help. The Wildlife Care hot line
>>>is 667-4878. A recording will provide a list of rescue centers throughout
>>>Ventura County that can help the bird.
>>>
>>>PHOTO CAPTIONS:
>>>
>>>Bait-and-switch: a hungry cormorant gets more than it bargained for after
>>>eating a sardine attached to a very sharp hook. The waterfowl can dive to
>>>depths of 90 feet to catch fish or snatch bait.
>>>
>>>Double Dilemma: not only does hooking a cormorant spoil the sport for
>>>fishing fans, but it also injures the bird, no matter how careful people
>>>are in trying to free it. US Fish and Wildlife will prosecute anglers who
>>>intentionally hurt the animals.
>>>
>>>Tricky Situation: Removing a bird that's been hooked isn't as easy as
>>>cutting the fishing line, crew members Rick Purschell, left, and Troy
>>>Rowland will attest. Here they struggle with a cormorant caught by an
>>>unhappy Jane Hodges.
>
>
>**********************************************************************