July 12, 2016 — The state Division of Marine Fisheries is trying to get the word out to recreational anglers: It’s time to begin recycling discarded monofilament fishing line before it finds its way into the state’s oceans, streams and lakes as a danger to marine creatures and vessels alike.
DMF has initiated a new program, aimed at both education and conservation, called the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program, based largely on a program started by the Iowa-based Berkley Conservation Institute.
The program’s ultimate goal is to create a network of marked recovery bins at popular fishing locations throughout the state where recreational anglers can dispose of the monofilament as a first step toward recycling the synthetic fishing line into fishing habitats or other products.
“Our focus is to educate the recreational fishermen so they can understand the substantial impact this material has on wildlife,” said Maren Olson, who works on the angler education and clear vessel programs at DMF. “It doesn’t biodegrade and it doesn’t go away.”