Manatee entangled in crab trap rope and buoys. (Photo courtesy of FWC.)

Bonnie is known to manatee rescue personnel as a “serial entangler.” The female manatee resides in Southeast Florida and routinely travels throughout the Florida Keys, which is a world-famous fishing destination. Rescued more than six times after becoming snarled in fishing line, Bonnie finally lost the bottom portion of her right flipper several years ago when it had to be amputated because of a deeply embedded entanglement injury.

Lucille, a manatee in the Blue Spring population, is easily identified by researchers because of a monofilament entanglement scar she bears on her right flipper. Like Bonnie, Lucille had to be rescued after fishing line became wrapped around and embedded in her flipper. The line was removed, but Lucille eventually lost the lower half of the flipper.

Top: Monofilament line is removed from Bonnie's flipper. Bottom: Entanglement scars are evident on Bonnie's left flipper. The bottom part of her right flipper was eventually amputated. (Top photo courtesy of Donna Clements, Marine Animal Rescue Society, Bottom photo by Kathryn Curtin.)

Both Bonnie and Lucille remind us that debris in our waterways, such as discarded fishing line and hooks, plastic six-pack holders, and plastic bags, is dangerous to manatees and other wildlife. Manatees can become entangled in monofilament fishing line while they feed. As herbivores, they graze on a large variety of aquatic vegetation. When eating, they use their upper lip and flippers to grasp vegetation. Fishing line and hooks may be cut and discarded after becoming entangled in vegetation within the same seagrass beds where manatees feed. Consequently, manatees accidentally swallow the line or get it tangled around their flippers. Hooks can become embedded in a manatee’s lips, mouth, throat, stomach, or intestine. Such hook ingestion can lead to fatal infections. Line entanglements can also lead to infection. When the injury is severe, the flipper may self-amputate, as in the case of Lucille, or a manatee may need to be rescued and transported to a critical care facility where its infected flipper can be surgically removed.

Crab traps can be another source of problems for manatees. Manatees become entangled in the rope that connects the traps to floating buoys at the water’s surface. Entanglement in rope alone may cause serious injury, but entanglements involving ropes still attached to crab traps can be particularly harmful. “The weight of the trap causes more severe entanglement wounds,” says Dr. Katie Tripp, Director of Science and Conservation for Save the Manatee Club. “Manatees often drag these traps for miles, and their wounds may become infected and lead to flipper amputation or death if injured manatees are not sighted and rescued promptly.”

A photo of Lucille shows her entangled right flipper. She eventually lost the lower half of her flipper. (Photo courtesy of USGS Sirenia Project.)

Since 2000, at least 124 manatees have been rescued with various types of entanglement injuries, with 13 of those occurring in 2008 alone. The Entanglement Working Group (EWG) was established in 1999 and consists of personnel from various agencies and environmental groups, including Save the Manatee Club. The EWG has worked to offset incidents of wildlife entanglement in Florida and has educated the public about the dangers associated with discarded fishing line and debris. The EWG encourages proper disposal of monofilament through a network of collection bins at boat ramps, public access docks, and other locations throughout Florida, and also coordinates monofilament cleanup events. Since the program was initiated in Florida, several other states have implemented their own monofilament recycling programs.

Recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission scheduled a series of public workshops to discuss temporary closures of the blue crab fishery, which would allow for the collection of lost and abandoned crab traps from Florida's coastal waters. Save the Manatee Club staff offered comments supporting the closures, and many SMC members wrote to the FWC showing their support for the measure.

“We believe that these closures represent the most effective method to address the derelict trap issue. Without derelict trap removal, entanglements will continue,” says Tripp. “Entanglements are one cause of manatee injury and death that we can prevent. By practicing responsible fishing practices, we can make the aquatic environment safer for manatees and other wildlife.”

If you fish, you can get tips to help reduce the amount of discarded line and hooks in our waterways and learn where to take your used line for recycling. Even if you don’t fish, you can help get involved by starting a monofilament recycling program in your area, or by starting or participating in a beach cleanup in your area. Every little bit helps!

Which Would You Rather Catch? This brochure, produced by the EWG, gives more information on the problem, what you can do, and how to report an entangled animal (pdf). Go >> Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program Get a list of recycling locations in Florida, learn how to start your own campaign, and find out about programs in other states. www.fishinglinerecycling.org

	To find out more about participating in a cleanup effort, contact your local city or county environmental resources department or contact the following organizations: International Coastal Cleanup www.oceanconservancy.org/cleanup National River Cleanup www.americanrivers.org/cleanup
(Photo courtesy of FWC.)

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