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Friday, June 11, 2004 State cranks up recycle project to reel in discarded fishing lineBy DINAH VOYLES PULVER | News-Journal Environment Writer MARCO ISLAND — Nothing breaks the heart of a bird rehabilitator or a rescuer of manatees or dolphins more than finding a helpless, dehydrated animal hopelessly entangled in monofilament fishing line.
Now state officials hope to reduce those traumatic tangles with more line recycling and education programs. Volusia County already has recycling bins at prime fishing spots. The single-strand, high-density nylon line is great for fishing because it´s strong and virtually indestructible. But discarded line is bad for the environment because it´s considered non-biodegradable and may last 600 years before disintegrating. It damages boats and injures wildlife. About 20 percent of manatee rescues are related to fishing line entanglement, according to the Ocean Watch Foundation. The foundation reports 40 percent of stranded dolphins and 88 percent of dead green sea turtles show damages from monofilament line. Hoping to change those statistics, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission launched an effort four years ago to educate the fishing public about the negative impacts, decrease abandoned line and increase recycling. On Thursday, commissioners said they´d support appointing a statewide coordinator to ensure the program continues to grow and improve. “Six hundred years is a long time,” said Commissioner David Meehan. “I don´t think people realize how long that monofilament line is going to stay in the ocean.” The commission initially helped launch the statewide working group to address problems with manatees getting tangled in the line. Kent Smith, the commission´s representative to the working group, said the program has been a success. Brevard County started the recycling program and now has 67 recycling bins at boat ramps, marinas and bait shops. During one six-month period, 1,200 pounds of line was collected, enough to stretch from Cocoa Beach to Boston. Today, recycling bins have been placed in 23 counties including Volusia, Smith said. But the program would work better with someone to coordinate the efforts statewide, he said. “It seems like this program warrants having someone stay on top of it,” Commissioner Rodney Barreto said. The coordinator could help pursue grants and other money to expand the program, Barretto said. But first the commission has to figure out how to pay a coordinator. That discussion could come up in budget discussions later this year, the commission´s executive director Ken Haddad said. Monofilament is the only fishing line that can be recycled. It´s sent to Berkley Pure Fishing Co. and is melted down into pellets used to make tackle boxes, line spools and other items. |
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