Gold Coast’s native birds entangled and maimed by dumped fishing line and lures at Oxenford Weir, calls for restrictions

An animal lover is leading the charge to stop fishing at a popular recreational spot, as wildlife suffers maiming and death, caught in the tackle left behind.

NATIVE birds are being injured or killed by fishing tackle dumped near Oxenford Weir, with a Gold Coast wildlife photographer capturing graphic images of the maimed creatures.

“Unfortunately there is a real conflict between birds and fishermen, and right now the birds are suffering terrible injuries due to being entangled or swallowing fishing line and hooks,” Murray Hubbard said.

A silver gull with a fishing line caught in its mouth. Picture: Murray Hubbard

“Australian wildlife is protected by law, but at the weir the situation is such that these birds need more protection.

“At times there are six or seven species of birds fishing in and around the small waterfall at the end of the weir and fishermen casting into the same space – around 10 square metres. “This is totally incompatible and Russian roulette for wild birds.”

The amateur photograph wants the state government to ban fishing in the immediate vicinity of Oxenford Weir.

A young female Osprey uses this wire above the Oxenford Weir. Picture: Murray Hubbard

An Osprey with line and hook caught in its talons. Picture: Murray Hubbard

Mr Hubbard provided images of birds suffering from fishing tackle entanglements including a Silver Gull that swallowed a hook and a pelican with a line wrapped around its right leg and a lure with tri-hooks embedded its leg.

He said a white-faced heron, now called Stumpy, also lost two of its three toes on its right foot after becoming entangled in fishing line.

“Neither the pelican or the gull could be caught and will probably suffer painful deaths,” said Mr Hubbard.

“The weir’s reputation as a birding hotspot is such that photographers are coming from far and wide to see these birds and photograph them,” he said.

Mr Hubbard said birds that congregated around the weir included Great Egrets, Little Egret, Striated Heron, White-faced heron, Australasian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Silver Gulls, Crested Terns, Caspian Terns and raptors including Osprey, White-Bellied Sea Eagles, Whistling Kites and Brahminy Kites.

‘Stumpy’ the white-faced heron lost two of its three toes after becoming entangled in fishing line. Picture: Murray Hubbard

“The irony is that those fishing at the weir throw most of their catches back into the water,” he said.

“Very few edible fish are caught in the vicinity of the weir wall itself. At the same time fishermen often have their lines snagged and the lines break.”

Mr Hubbard said the problem of broken fishing tackle being left on the weir or rocks was so bad one volunteer patrolled the area once a week picking up hooks and line.

The RSPCA was often called to capture birds that have been hooked at the weir.

The location of the Oxenford Weir on the Coomera River.

Queensland rivers are administered by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) which lists dozens of rivers closed to fishing above and below dam walls and weirs throughout the state, but does not include Oxenford Weir.

These closures are to protect fish for a variety of reasons, however there is no protection for birds that are reliant on fish for survival and feeding offspring.

Mr Hubbard said fishing should be banned from the weir itself and 200m along either side of the Coomera River, below the weir.

A fisher at Oxenford Weir with birds within centimetres of him. Picture: Murray Hubbard

“I believe this would reduce the chances of our native birds species coming in contact with fishing tackle and suffering horrible injuries and painful death from infections caused by being accidentally hooked,” he said.

“This still leaves several kilometres of the Coomera River downstream for fishermen.”

A DAF spokesman said Fisheries was not aware of the issue, and that it was lawful to fish at the end of the Old Tamborine Rd in Oxenford on either side of the weir.

But he confirmed there were restrictions at other Gold Coast sites, these include:

* Nerang River – from 100m upstream to 600m downstream of the Hinze Dam wall.

* Albert River – from 100m upstream to 200m downstream of Luscombe Weir.

A fishing lure and line tangled around a bird at the Oxenford Weir on the Coomera River. Picture Murray Hubbard

He said if the department received specific complaints would be “task patrols” to monitor the area and urged fishers to not leave fishing gear around waterways.

A Gold Coast City Council spokesman said: “The city has received no complaints regarding littering at Oxenford Weir however actively conducts patrols for illegal dumping in the nearby vicinity.

The penalty for littering is $272”.

A bird lands on a tackle bin at the Oxenford Weir. Picture: Murray Hubbard

A silver gull with a fishing line in its mouth at Oxenford weir. Picture: Murray Hubbard

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Originally published as Gold Coast’s native birds entangled and maimed by dumped fishing line and lures at Oxenford Weir, calls for restrictions