A pelican’s two surgeries have made Narrabeen locals ask a simple question: where does old fishing line end up?
A Pelican’s Hard Lesson
Pelé the pelican went back to the lagoon on Tuesday, 18 August, after a month at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital in Sydney. Vets removed several hooks, including tiny fragments from a joint. Residents say hooks are often left around the lagoon, and fishing line caught in trees is cut and left there, where it then harms local wildlife. The pelican’s rescuers also planned to talk about a regular clean-up routine for the worst of the rubbish.
Where the Bins Are
The bins are not new. Northern Beaches Council put tangle bins near the Narrabeen Lagoon Bridge, at Pelican Path on Lake Park Road in North Narrabeen, and at Berry Reserve in Narrabeen, as part of a six-bin rollout in January 2025. The council worked on the project with OzFish and the NSW Environment Protection Authority, and it was paid for from the state’s waste levy.
What Goes Inside
Anglers can drop in line, hooks, lures, sinkers, swivels and rinsed bait packaging. Libby Hall, who manages the Taronga Wildlife Hospital, says an ordinary rubbish bin is still better than leaving tackle behind, though she would like to see more tangle bins. Local reports add that the bins carry advice on responsible fishing.
Where It Ends Up
Nothing in these bins is meant to sit around. Where possible, the contents are recycled through the OzFish Tackle Loop program, and the bins are monitored so council can see what fishing waste is being stopped. Local reporting says the lagoon’s tackle bin is emptied every Monday, and three times a week in the warmer months, while nearby litter bins are emptied daily.
Why Small Scraps Add Up
Fishing line is a bigger problem than it looks. Australian Marine Debris Initiative data shows it ranks among the top 10 items found at clean-ups, with more than half a million metres removed across more than 4,000 events by 2023. At Taronga, the hospital also treats turtles and Little Penguins hurt by line, hooks and netting.
What Neighbours Can Do
The advice from the hospital is simple: pick up everything you bring to the water, including line that has become tangled, and take it home or put it in a bin. Anyone fishing at the lagoon now has three tangle bins to choose from. A quick word to fishing mates about where they are could save the next pelican a trip to hospital.
Published Date 04-October-2026
