In the Great Lakes, monofilament fishing line is an entanglement hazard for wildlife. This is especially true in areas such as the Maumee River in Ohio, which are popular recreational fishing spots.

In order to tackle this issue, the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) provided funding to Partners for Clean Streams (PCS), a local non-profit in Toledo, OH, to build and distribute monofilament recycling bins. On February 18, 2015, NOAA MDP's Great Lakes Regional Coordinator - Sarah Lowe along with PCS staff and volunteers built eighteen bins.

As part of the BoatUS Reel In and Recycle Program, these bins create an opportunity for fisherman to recycle lost or discarded line. Once collected, the fishing line is shipped to Berkeley Conservation Institute and re-purposed into more line or other fishing products like tackle boxes. This project, like many in the region will be highlighted to congressional staff as part of the Great Lakes Day next week in DC. Great Lakes Day is an annual event hosted by the Great Lakes Commission and the Northeast-Midwest Institute to educate and convey a unified message to Congress on priorities for the region.

For more information, contact Sarah.Opfer@noaa.gov.

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