As you plan your fall fishing trip to Coastal Alabama, take some time to consider how you can Leave Only Footprints – or in this case, leave only a boat wake.
Marine debris is a world-wide problem and we can all do our part to help alleviate it. Trash in the water spoils the natural beauty, but more importantly, it is hazardous to all types of marine life. A few of the consequences of marine debris include habitat damage; wildlife injury, illness and death; navigation hazards; and vessel damage and loss.
Some types of marine debris, like cigarette butts and mylar balloons, can last for centuries in the water. Even a plastic bottle can stay intact for 450 years. Fishing line, ropes, six-pack rings and derelict fishing gear decay very slowly and can entangle birds, fish, turtles and other marine life, causing loss of life or loss of limbs.
Read on for a few eco-friendly tips for planning your fishing getaway:
- If you are using your own tackle, ditch the lead weights and use brass, steel, bismuth tin, iron or tungsten. High levels of lead in water bodies can poison fish and other wildlife.
- Bring a container to stow used fishing line and other tackle, then throw it in the trash when you return to shore.
- Instead of disposables, obtain reusable cups and water bottles.
- As you pack your gear and food, remove excess packaging on products as it can lead to more trash in the water.
- A reusable bag can reduce the use of paper and plastic bags at the beach or on a boat.
- Please don’t throw cigarette butts in the water or in the sand at the beach. Even cigarette butts left on sidewalks, in parking lots or in streets can wind up in the coastal waters.
- And, of course, pack out everything you pack in and Leave Only Footprints.
When cleaning your catch, please dispose of the waste properly and not in the water near shore. The city of Orange Beach has an ordinance against dumping fish carcasses in local waterways. The ordinance reads, “It shall be unlawful for any person to discard dead fish, fish parts or carcasses or other dead seafood within 500 feet of any shoreline; provided further, it shall be unlawful for any person aboard a shrimping vessel to discard any dead seafood or bycatch into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico (including Pelican Bay) within three (3) miles of the gulf beaches. Discarding dead fish or other dead seafoods into any creek, bayou, river or stream shall be unlawful.” Section 220-3-.04(8) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Administrative Code, Marine Resources Division.
With just a tiny bit of planning, you’ll be packed and enjoying a clean, safe outing on the water and leaving it clean and safe for the next generations as well.