Changes proposed for Naples Pier to reduce bird injuries from fishing hooks

The Naples City Council met Monday morning to discuss changes proposed to the Naples Pier that will impact your fishing.

The proposed changes are all to reduce the number of birds injured by fishing hooks; one Naples police officer says she unhooked six pelicans in one day last week. The changes include implementing a one-day-a-week restriction of fishing on the pier as a pilot program during the months of January through May. They would also restrict the possession of fishhooks larger than 5/0 or multi-hooks.

The proposals would also ban the use of unattended fishing poles and prohibit fishing between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily.

One man who spent the day here with his family says, after what he’s seen at the pier, he’s all for the changes.

“We came down here to walk that Naples Pier,” said Michael Inks. “And I happen to see this girl here caught a pelican and rescued it. It had a token inside of its chest. I felt really bad. I felt really bad, but she got it out, but it was infected. Yeah, they should be a lot more careful with the pelicans.”

“I don’t think you need a 5/0,” said Mitch Williams. “That’s a tarpon rig. We’re just out here having fun catching snapper, mackerel, snook, pompano. 2/0, this size hook will be plenty big. And that’s a 2/0. A 5/0 is triple that size. Most of the fishing, I think, is catch-and-release here, so what do we care?”

Just moments after WINK News spoke with Williams, the little boy he was with accidentally hooked a pelican himself.