New bins have been installed at the mouth of the Merri River.
The disposal bins are in place at popular fishing spots along the river.
The six bins are provided for anglers to dispose of their old fishing line and hooks.
The bins have been provided by Zoos Victoria as part of its Seal the Loop program, which helps stop fishing line and hooks from ending up in waterways.
The newly formed Friends of the Lower Merri group will work with Warrnambool City Council and Fishcare Victoria to manage the bins.
Warrnambool City Council Natural Environment Officer Kristy Roche said discarded fishing line and hooks can pose a serious risk to wildlife.
“We’re a city framed by two rivers and the ocean, so fishing is a very popular pastime with locals and with visitors,” Ms Roche said.
“We’ve had fishing line and hook disposal bins in Warrnambool for a while now, and they’re really well used, so we hope that by rolling them out to more areas we can continue to cut down on hooks and fishing line entering our waterways.
“The bins are good to have, but ultimately it comes down to personal responsibility. If you’re fishing somewhere without a bin handy, please hold onto your line and hooks and dispose of them properly later.
“Hooks can be easily swallowed, and as we saw recently with the spoonbill, off-cuts can entangle birds.”
The Merri River is home to over 80 species of birds, while native water rats also live near the mouth of the river, while platypuses live just upstream.
