Help Spread
The Word!
NORTH
CAROLINA
MARITIME
MUSEUM
315 Front Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
(252) 728-7317
|
North Carolina Monofilament
Recovery and Recycling Program
Cape Lookout Studies Program
NC Maritime Museum
Greetings Marine Wildlife Enthusiasts,
Recently we (Vicky Thayer of Duke Marine Lab and I) started the North Carolina Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program to address a problem that appears to be getting worse in NC: marine wildlife (whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and birds) getting entangled and dying in discarded fishing line. For more information please see below. So far the 5 receptacles that we installed on Carteret County beaches, docks, and piers in September '06 have collected approximately 8 miles of fishing line. Can you please help us expand this program and take it to all North Carolina coastal counties? Our goal is to raise $20,000 in 3 months to continue and expand the program to all NC coastal counties as we seek more permanent, long-term support. Our proposal for funding can be found below along with letters of support. I will also maintain a "Thank You Supporters" list on this web site to keep you updated on our progress. I welcome any advice you might have.
On behalf of all the marine wildlife whose entanglement may be averted, I appreciate your support.
Keith Rittmaster, Natural Science Curator NC Maritime Museum
Please Help - Make An Online Donation
Read about the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission's program.
This page is dedicated to the memory of Yang's calf who died a slow, painful death entangled in discarded monofilament fishing line. "Full Story"
|
|---|
The Problem
Wildlife entangled in discarded monofilament fishing line is a pervasive problem, which appears to be getting worse in North Carolina. During the past year I (Keith Rittmaster) have found carcasses of one bottlenose dolphin, two sea turtles, and several birds, all that either had monofilament fishing line or net still on them or had evidence of having been entangled. In addition, I've encountered several live entangled bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles and birds (osprey, pelicans, gannets, and cormorants). In many cases the entanglement are fatal, resulting in slow, painful deaths.
Proposal
We propose to:
- Raise awareness about the negative impacts that discarded fishing line has on marine life, water quality, and human welfare,
- Set up monofilament fishing line recovery and recycling stations at fishing piers, bait and tackle shops, docks, beached and other waterfront areas,
- Educate recreational and commercial fishers about appropriate means of discarding unwanted line by informing them about the threats posed to marine widelife,
- Decrease the amount of fishing line entering and remaining in the coastal waters, and
- Increase the amount of fishing line being recycled
Letters of Support
- Letter of Support - Aleta A. Hohn, PhD - Director of NMFS Programs
- Letter of Support - Matthew Godfrey, PhD - NC Sea Turtle Project Coordinator
- Letter of Support - David Brown, Carteret County Parks and Recreation
More Links
- NOAA's Marine Debris Program
- NOAA - Tracking Down a Killer in Florida's Waters
- SC Dept. of Natural Resources - New DNR monofilament recycling program helps waterways, wildlife
Make An Online Donation
|
|
|
|
 |
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;){kind=link}