When monofilament fishing line, designed to be hard to detect in water, litters coastal areas, it can pose a threat to wildlife. Even when it is disposed of in trashcans, it ends up in landfills. Wes Batten and the rest of US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 67 received funding from Virginia Sea Grant to install 10 recycling bins for the fishing line. The bins are positioned at launch ramps, marinas, and sporting goods stores along the James, Chickahominy, and York Rivers. Volunteers collect the line and give it to Berkley, a company that uses the line to create Fish-Habs. These structures attract fish and encourage plant growth, essential to the growth of a healthy fish population.
Project details: Wes Battan (Officer for Marine Safety for US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 67). Monofilament Recycling Bin Project.
