As collaborators with Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation on their Marine Debris to Energy project, we work to clean up New Hampshire beaches and participate in outreach and education on the problem of marine debris. One of our continued efforts is the collection and recycling of monofilament fishing line which poses an entanglement threat to marine mammals.
During the summer of 2011, one of Blue Ocean Society's junior interns, Willy Jones (age 11), decided to spearhead a youth-driven fishing line recycling project. Willy collected about 90 tennis cans from 2 local tennis clubs in Pennsylvania, and with the help of campers from a local community center, he made personal fishing line recycling bins. Each tennis can recycling bin has an informational pamphlet about the problem of marine mammal and sea turtle entanglements and what can be done to help prevent it. It also contains contact information for Blue Ocean Society including where to get a bin and what to do once it is filled.
Willy did a great job creating these personal fishing line recyclers and now we are in the process of ramping up our campaign to have them distributed. If an 11-year old can mobilize volunteers to put together these bins, we would like to help ensure they get used for their intended purpose. It is a simple way to make a big impact.
To get more information or to get one of your own please email gabriela.bradt@unh.edu.
No comments:
Post a Comment