Arizona wildlife officials urge proper fishing line disposal after eagle tangle

PHOENIX — After Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) officials provided aid to an eaglet with fishing line wrapped around one of its legs, officials are urging the public to properly dispose of their fishing line.

Nest watchers at Willow Springs Lake, located in northern Arizona, about 23 miles east of Payson, found the eaglet but after multiple attempts, biologists were unable to safely access the nest and instead had to take the eaglet to Liberty Wildlife for treatment. The bird is expected to make a full recovery.

“So we had to wait until it fledged,” AZGFD raptor management coordinator Kenneth “Tuk” Jacobson said in a press release. “Once it took its first flight, we were able to capture it and found that the fishing line had caused a severe wound to the eagle’s leg.”

While fishing line can oftentimes immobilize wildlife, starvation via strangulation is a much greater problem when fishing line is not properly disposed of.

Officials said fishing line can either wrap around an animal’s neck or gather in their stomach, making the ingestion of food impossible.

“Fishing line can last up to 600 years in the environment,” Jacobson continued. “Whether you’re fishing or just encounter some monofilament while enjoying the outdoors, disposing of fishing line properly is an easy and lifesaving thing to do for Arizona’s wildlife.”

How should you dispose of your fishing line?

Officials said disposing of your fishing line in any trash can will suffice. In addition, the Monofilament Recovery Program has added 85 recycling bins at lakes and rivers across Arizona for the disposal of fishing line. These bins have been placed at areas where bald eagles breed as well as high-volume recreation areas.

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