Recreational and commercial fishermen now have a place to dispose of used fishing line and other gear. Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, a Portsmouth-based nonprofit organization, and project partners from the University of New Hampshire and New Hampshire Sea Grant and Cooperative Extension, have started a new program focusing on reducing ocean-based marine debris.
According to the society the fishermen can help protect marine wildlife, commercially-valuable fish stocks and equipment, by recycling old gear and fishing line and depositing it in recycling bins along the Seacoast. It is no denying fact that these fishing lines can be highly damaging to the marine environment as it can tangle fish birds and other wildlife, and cause economic damages to boats and fishing equipment.
Blue Ocean Society director Jen Kennedy informed that many people are surprised to hear that it takes fishing line 600 years to break down in the environment. He also said that’s six times longer than tin cans and batteries, 17 times longer than fishing nets, and 40 times longer than plastic bags. The main purpose of this project is to promote awareness and conservation of the marine environment through education and research in New England.
