'Ghost fishing' killing seabirds (BBC) {on Scottish islands}

eppur_se_muova

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Thu Jun-28-07 05:31 PM
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'Ghost fishing' killing seabirds (BBC) {on Scottish islands}

Seabirds on the remote islands of St Kilda are being killed by discarded fishing gear, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has warned.

Great skua, gannet and fulmar have been found dead after becoming entangled in, or choking, on fishing line.

NTS said abandoned line and hooks continued to "ghost fish" for many years, snaring wild birds instead of fish.

The trust own the islands which lie 41 miles (65km) off the Western Isles.
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NTS said birds were getting accidentally entangled and killed by swallowing hooks and line from derelict fishing gear - either industrial or recreational - which is lost or deliberately discarded at sea.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6248366.stm

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