Reel-In and Recycle with Cd'A Audubon
<p>An osprey flies above the water with fishing line tangled in its wing in this photo taken in August by Larry Krumpleman, Coeur d’Alene Audubon member.</p>
<p>A fishing line recycling bin awaits anglers at Honeysuckle Beach in Hayden. The bin was installed and is monitored by members of Coeur d’Alene Audubon.</p>
Coeur d’Alene Audubon members are working to make the area’s wildlife habitats safer for birds and other animals by eliminating hazardous discarded fishing lines and lures.
Birds become entangled in the lines and the tangles of discarded lines can be seen along local lake and river shores, often with a hook or lead weight attached.
Monofilament fishing line is particularly hazardous to wildlife because it is long-lasting, nearly invisible and very strong and durable. Entanglement in fishing line kills thousands of animals each year, but water-loving birds and mammals are particularly vulnerable.
Monofilament recycling bins are one solution to this problem.
The Reel-In and Recycle Program was created by the U.S. Boating Association in order to address the threat of monofilament line in our nation’s waters. Berkley Fishing is a major sponsor of the program and the organization recycles monofilament sent in by volunteers, and then turns the fishing line into artificial fish habitat.
The Coeur d’Alene Audubon Chapter raised funds in 2014 to build and install monofilament recycling bins at five local boat launches. Along with constructing the bins, Coeur d’Alene Audubon volunteers also made interpretive signs that tell anglers and others why fishing line is so dangerous to wildlife.
The first bin installed in our area was at Honeysuckle Boat launch on Hayden Lake in spring of 2015. Today three more bins are in place at Bureau of Land Management boat launches at Killarney Lake, Blue Creek Bay and Mineral Ridge. In addition, there is one bin awaiting final approval at the Old Cataldo Mission boat launch on the Coeur d’Alene River. Volunteers collect the monofilament line from these bins on a regular basis and send them to Berkley for recycling.
While some of the bins are filled exclusively with monofilament line — others continue to collect significant quantities of unwanted materials such as pop cans and plastic containers.
Coeur d’Alene Audubon members said they are hopeful that visual recognition of the bins and an understanding of their purpose will raise public awareness of this project and result in a higher percentage of monofilament line in each bin,
Anglers are asked to place their waste fishing line into these bins and to encourage others to do the same. And, to remember these bins are for monofilament line only, not trash or recyclable cans and bottles.
For more information on the National Reel-In and Recycle Program, visit www.boatus.org/monofilament.
For more information on Coeur d’Alene Audubon’s Reel-In and Recycle Program contact Peggy at 664-1616, Carrie at 661-9777 or George at 664-2787.