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RALEIGH, N.C. (Nov. 22, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, in partnership with the Fayetteville Area Anglers Network, Bass Lake Park and Berkley, has launched a pilot program at three public fishing areas to make proper disposal of used fishing line easier and more convenient for anglers.
The Commission’s new fishing line recycling program encourages anglers to recycle their used fishing line by placing collection bins in high-traffic areas at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center and Lake Rim public fishing area, located in Fayetteville, and Bass Lake Park, located in Holly Springs.
The bins, which are constructed of plastic PVC pipes, are attached to posts located near fishing areas and on piers. Signs attached to the bins provide instructions on how to dispose of the monofilament line properly. The line will be collected, packaged and shipped to Berkley, a fishing tackle company that will reuse the line to build fish habitat structures.
Volunteers have placed three monofilament recycling bins at the Pechmann Center, a staffed site; two at Lake Rim, an unstaffed site; and two at Bass Lake Park, a staffed, Community Fishing Program site. Commission personnel selected these sites to evaluate the recycling containers at different types of Commission-supported fishing venues.
Commission staff is monitoring this program through November 2012 and is developing guidelines specific for each type of fishing site. The Commission’s goal is to install recycling bins at Commission-owned public fishing areas, education centers, Community Fishing Program sites and fish hatcheries across the state.
“Improperly discarded fishing line wreaks havoc on our aquatic wildlife and the environment, not to mention all the damage it does to boat motors when it gets caught in propellers,” said Kristopher Smith, Pechmann Center director. “We hope that providing anglers with a convenient place to throw away their used fishing line will help promote good aquatic stewardship and keep our waterways clean.”
During the evaluation period, the Commission is seeking volunteer groups to develop partnerships for developing future sites and providing manpower to empty the bins on a monthly basis and shipping the line to Berkley for recycling. Interested volunteers can contact Smith at 910-868-5003, ext. 14, or email, kris.smith@ncwildlife.org.
For more information on fishing in public, inland waters, visit www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.