Yes. It’s a calling. A passion. To do otherwise is unthinkable to her.
While we’re sipping coffee and watching the morning news, she’s paddling to the mangrove trees with her life-saving tools — a net, wire-cutters, pliers and a towel — ready to aid pelicans, herons and other shore birds entangled in fishing line.
And fishing comes naturally to her as well as the care for all animals. A life-saving instinct runs in the family.
She’s Jeannie Bystrom. Born and raised on Anna Maria Island. Her husband of 30 years is the island’s resident veterinarian. One son is in veterinary school, one is a charter fishing guide, and the third is a songwriter/musician.
She’s also an accomplished photographer and businesswoman.
Add crusader to the feathers in her cap.
She paddles — and often boats with family members — to the remote places where birds roost and become entangled in roots and branches by the fishing line they carry home from anglers casting lines from piers and bridges and sportfishers. The birds only follow simple instincts, taking bait and lures from the anglers working the waters and the food sources they share.
But either the fishers don’t know better, or the birds take off with the line snarling their limbs and beaks — and without the ability to fly, dive or feed, as often happens, they die.
That’s when Jeannie Bystrom — and anyone she can enlist to help — rescues the birds. She climbs trees to reach entangled birds. Removes hook and line. Cuts them free. Hopefully.
While we cheer her efforts to save so many birds, we applaud Bystrom for taking her activism to the next level — for the vision and tenacity it takes to tackle the fishing industry, undertake an education campaign and seek laws and lawmakers to help protect wildlife in the future.
To end the cycle, Bystrom wants to protect seabirds from entanglement by banning use of bait-snaring Sabiki rigs from high piers and bridges where there’s no hope to retrieve and remove the foul lines.
She’s aiming her sights to bring about changes to protect wildlife and, for that, she is our choice for Islander of the year. Activism and action.
Jeannie Bystrom is making a difference. — Bonner Joy
Cheers from Wisconsin, Jeannie! The world needs your compassion.
What an inspiration Jeannie is – a lesson for all of us that we can do a little each day to help our wildlife and earth. Thank you for all that you do, Jeannie!