Waterbird Habitat Project

Just one year ago a Great Blue Heron hung itself in a tree on the American River after swallowing a fishhook attached to fishing line. This death led to the discovery of a century of accumulated fishing gear in the river. The Waterbird Habitat Project was established to locate and remove abandoned gear from the waters and shores of the American River and raise awareness of this challenging problem to keep waterbirds and other wildlife that inhabit the waters free from fishing gear injuries. In the past year we have retrieved thousands of abandoned hooks, lures, lead weights, and reels of line from the river and installed educational signs and fishing line recycling receptacles in high risk areas where waterbirds and wildlife live in close proximity to angling activity. A free snag retrieval service is also offered to anglers who snag their gear on logs and plants beneath the surface using a QR code to report gear so it is not left behind. Volunteers and recreationists also report wildlife injured by abandoned gear, leading to their successful rescue and release. Several high risk areas have been identified and we are working towards permanent solutions in those areas, removing invasive aquatic plants that snag gear regularly and entangle waterbirds, and restoring habitats to prevent snagging in high risk casting areas. The Waterbird Habitat Project is now working to launch an awareness initiative across the state of California, ensuring that waterbirds beyond the American River are protected. Look for our website coming soon at waterbirdhabitat.org!