Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Program

Did you know that more than one million birds die each year from marine debris such as fishing line?

fishing line and tackle tangled around a branch

The problem

Fishing line takes more than 600 years to decompose. Locally, both common and protected species of birds have been observed with fishing line tangled around their legs, wings, or beaks. This can lead to starvation, immobilization, serious injury, and death.

Large white pvc tube mounted by waters edge

Audubon’s solution

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is addressing this very serious environmental issue with its fishing line recovery and recycling program. Our fishing line recycling bins are located throughout the region and are regularly emptied and maintained by participants in the Master Birder program. The collected fishing line is recycled by Berkley Conservation Institute (BCI) which uses the recycled line to create “fish-habs” that attract fish and encourage plant growth when placed in lakes, reservoirs, piers, and fishing docks.

Impacts

Fishing line collection bins are making a difference. They’ve removed large amounts of discarded monofilament fishing line from the environment, significantly reducing threats to birds and wildlife. They’ve also raised awareness of the threat that fishing line poses when improperly discarded. And they’ve led to increased interest in the stewardship of our local environment–a win for local bird and animal populations.

Get involved

You can help to reduce threats to local birds and wildlife by supporting the Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling program. Sponsor a recycling bin, volunteer to maintain a bin, or help us to identify locations that will benefit from a fishing line recycling bin. Contact us at info@aswp.org or 412-963-6100 to talk about the small things you can do to make a big difference in our natural world.