Establishing a Nationwide Monofilament Recycling Program

Thanks to a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water hopes to reduce the amount of monofilament fishing line in the water by enlisting individuals or local fishing and boating groups to install, monitor and periodically empty recycling bins and return their contents to a recycler.

“Discarded fishing line can last for hundreds of years, harming marine life and damaging boat propulsion systems,” said BoatUS Foundation Environmental Program Director Susan Shingledecker. “We’re looking to provide groups who have access to popular fishing spots, launch ramps or marinas, a free pre-made PVC monofilament bin and signage suitable for mounting outdoors. In return, all we ask is that you agree to keep an eye on the bin, keep track of how many containers get filled and when full, return the collected line to the recycler, Berkley Conservation.”

There are a limited number of bins, and bin locations will be determined by geographic area and demonstrated demand for monofilament recycling. For more information, please contact CleanWater@BoatUS.com or visit BoatUS.com/foundation/Monofilament/

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 650,000 members of BoatUS. The Foundation operates more than a dozen programs including the only accredited, free, online general boating safety course, a low-cost EPIRB rental program, the “Help Stop the Drops” national clean fueling campaign, a free kid’s Life Jacket Loaner Program, and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for nonprofit groups for boating safety and environmental projects.