Sponsor a recycling bin.
Volunteers check the bins on a regular basis to collect the line and to make sure that the bin is free of other debris. When the bin is full, they send the monofilament to Pure Fishing, the parent company of Berkley, which is currently the only place that recycles used fishing line. The used monofilament is chopped up, melted down and the plastic is then used to manufacture new plastic fishing-related products like tackle boxes, spools for lines, and artificial fish habitats. It is not made into more monofilament line.
Report tangled animals.
Birds and animals cannot see discarded fishing line, so it is easy for them to become tangled. Once tangled, they may starve, drown or lose a limb. If you see a marine mammal tangled in fishing line, contact the Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-800-9-MAMMAL. To report a nesting sea turtle, hatchlings, sea turtle eggs or an injured or dead sea turtle on the Texas coast call 1-866-TURTLE5. For other tangled animals, go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/rehab/list/ to locate a wildlife rehabilitator in your county.
Recover your line.
Whenever possible retrieve and properly dispose of any monofilament fishing line that you encounter. If your line becomes tangled, take the time to remove it from the environment.
Volunteer
Volunteer to sponsor an outdoor monofilament recycling bin in your area. Participate in local beach and river cleanup events. Volunteer for agencies that are actively sponsoring cleanups.
Be Line Conscious.
Consider the age of your line and its strength and store loose pieces of fishing line. Even the tag ends cut from leaders should be stored for proper disposal. Cut an ‘X’ into the lid of a potato chip or tennis ball canister to make it easy to poke the pieces of line through and store this in a secure location. Never to throw any kind of plastic into nature, especially monofilament line. If you must throw away fishing line, cut it into pieces less than six inches.
Recycle
Recycle monofilament fishing line at your local tackle shop or in an outdoor PVC recycling bin posted at boat ramps and piers. If your tackle shop does not have a recycling bin, encourage them to contact John O’Connell at the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program by email at j-oconnell@tamu.edu or telephone at (979) 845-3854 to learn where they can get their free postage paid indoor collection bin.
Did you know...?
Monofilament fishing line is non-biodegradable and can last up to 600 years in the aquatic environment.
Even fishing line that is thrown in the garbage can end up in the environment by blowing out of the garbage can or landfill, or by being taken out by birds or animals, so please dispose of your fishing line responsibly.
Information
For information about the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP), visit
http://mrrp.tamu.edu
or contact:
John P. O’Connell
j-oconnell@tamu.edu
or
Texas Sea Grant College Program
(979) 845-3854
Brochure developed by Texas Sea Grant College Program. Publication of this document supported in part
by Institutional Grant No. NFFK0000-6-00543 to Texas A&M University from the National Sea Grant Office,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
TAMU-SG-07-501
June 2008 • 10M
NFFK0000-6-00543
