So, folks say, “ a little bit of trash here and there is okay.” Not really. If you are not yet a SPLASH Volunteer, let me share what I saw one beautiful morning…

I was taking water samples on a fishing pier. The place was filthy. I am a fisherman and I always clean up after myself; however I guess not everyone does. Anyway, the place was a mess. I saw a fishing line scattered all over the dock. Then I saw a bird with some line around its foot. I couldn’t catch it (of course not!) It took wing and soared away. But then I saw the worst of it. As I cleaned up, wrapped around a dock cleat was more fishing line leading down into the water. Wanting to see what was on the other end; I started to pull it up. So very sad…it was a bird! Rather, it was the skeleton of a bird. I saw what was in store for the bird that flew away a few minutes ago – or any bird who stepped into a coil of line discarded by a careless fisherman.

If you are working on a SPLASH boat, I know you have seen that – and more.  And you are someone who is making it better.

If not, give us a call at 516.387-4770 or go to www.operationsplash.org and look at the boat schedule. Come out with us and be the best friend a bird could have.

Adapted from article originally printed in a 1992 Operation SPLASH Newsletter – by Fred Haimes – so sad that it is still happening in 2014!