EVER wondered what happens to the balloons or bits of polystyrene foam fishos use as “breakaway” floats when fishing live or dead baits for the likes of mackerel and tuna?
As the accompanying pic here shows, most of it ends up washed up on a beach somewhere …
The following pic was sent in by a Fisho reader who regularly walks the beach at Stuarts Point on the northern NSW coast.
The bits of polystyrene foam and balloons seen here were picked up over a one kilometre stretch of the local surf beach, reportedly after a single day.
As well as being an eyesore, this form of pollution can have a detrimental impact on sea creatures and birdlife.
If anti-fishing groups need an excuse to push for fishing bans this example won’t help … Time to clean up our act!
