Why we do not have laws permanently revoking fishing rights of people who are careless or plain stupid - on top of punishing them for damage already done. It is nothing new that pieces of fishing lines left behind can cost all kind of problems. I found several live birds tangled in fishing lines in the past but as no serious damage was done I released them after removing the lines. I have seen many more already dead; so nothing could be done. Another common sight around the shore are hooked birds; fishermen just cut the line after bird swallowed the bait on hook (see examples here: https://pbase.com/mbb/blacklegged_kittiwake__upper_texas_coast_12142014
https://pbase.com/mbb/laughing_gull_with_fishing_line__utc__october_5_2013). I only witnessed one case when fisherman made an effort to catch the hooked bird and removed the hook before releasing the bird (gull in that case).

Yesterday I found the Piping Plover with its leg tangled in anchored fishing line so bird was trapped and could not even move around. This is an endemic species with just a few breeding populations, all either threatened or endangered. After freeing the bird I found that it was not able to fly. With only a few minor injuries (visible) it was probably weak from starvation, heat exhaustion and dehydration. Although I got somebody from wildlife rehab to come and pick up the bird quickly (in less than hour from time I found the bird) but I had to make many phone calls to find somebody ready to do that. So one idiot who carelessly thrown away pieces of fishing line did not only cause the injury to this bird (that might survive or might not) but I had to stop what I was doing for an hour, run AC in my car and paid for all phone calls (not that I mind to do that) then made another person drive who knows how many miles (in private car and on her own private time - she seemed to do voluntary work) and people in rehab will dedicate their time and resources to try to save this bird. Again this idiot should paid for all of it and be punished. If not he/she will do it again …

I would act like a hypocrite if I promote ban of fishing; I eat fish. So I do understand when somebody is fishing for food. I do not understand ‘sport’ fishing: catch and release type of game. Unfortunately fishes do not have advocates as, for example, lion Cecil has. I also very often see people catching bait fishes by netting and leaving some of them on the ground to die (slowly) - nobody seems to be bother by that - they are just fishes …

As too many people seem to be not able to use their brains we, unfortunately, need regulations and laws.