Riga municipality has cleaned up the bank and bed of Māra pond.
Fishing tackle collected from the pond and its surroundings that people have lost or left behind. These items can pose a threat to swans and other waterfowl. Fishing lines, hooks, sequins, weights and other items are drawn from the pond.
Edvards Ratnieks, vice-mayor of Riga, explains that a fishing line or hook seems like a small garbage to a person. It can cause severe injury or even death to the bird. Therefore, such cleaning works are very important. Māra pond is a popular recreation place and also home to birds. People should think that the objects they leave do not become a trap for birds.
Māra ponds are cleaned by the Housing and Environment Department of Riga Municipality. Cleaning takes place in 3 layers. The pond bed, the coastal area and the places where people fish most often are inspected several times. Especially carefully look at the branches of trees in the water and above the water. Fishing lines and sequins are often caught in them. During the works, metal weights and lead, hooks, sequins, fishing line and pieces thereof, feeders and other metal objects and waste are found and highlighted.
Additional inspection of the entire pond to find abandoned nets and pots. In order to disturb birds as little as possible, work is carried out on a rowing boat without a motor. Special devices with neodymium magnets are used to search for metal objects in the pond bed. Neodymium magnet is a very strong magnet that attracts metal objects well.
The municipality invites anglers to be responsible. After fishing, it is necessary to carefully collect lines, hooks and other accessories. They should not be left either in the water or on the shore. Even a small piece of fishing line can wrap around the bird's legs, wings or neck. It can seriously harm the health and life of the bird.