The Entanglement Working Group (EWG) for the State of Florida is focused on marine wildlife entanglement issues and ways to reduce marine debris in the environment.  One of the primary programs supported by the EWG is the Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program (MRRP) which is a statewide effort to educate the public on the problems caused by monofilament line left in the environment, to encourage recycling through a network of line recycling bins and drop-off locations, and to conduct volunteer monofilament line cleanup events (see www.fishinglinerecycling.org).

First graders at Southside Elementary learn what it feels like to swim in an ocean full of trash in “The Entanglement Game”...

        The EWG was originally established to deal with entanglements of manatees, but we brought our concerns about increasing entanglements of dolphins to the EWG in 2005, and the SDRP has been a part of the EWG ever since.  We are working with other EWG members studying manatees and sea turtles to identify “hot spots” of entanglement in Florida.  Such information will help counties and management agencies to promote education, recycling, and cleanup efforts.  The EWG and several collaborating organizations including the Ocean Conservancy and NOAA’s Fisheries Service secured two grants (NOAA Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Grant and National Fish and Wildlife Federation Grant) to perform clean-up and education projects at several sites around the state (see Skyway Fishing Pier survey article above).       

...and then learn how to clean it up and recycle fishing line.

        The EWG shares education and outreach ideas amongst group members.  SDRP has piloted two such ideas with local school groups and family programs at Mote Marine Lab: personal-sized fishing line recycling bins (“mini bins”) and “The Entanglement Game.”  The “mini-bins” are built from recycled tennis ball cans with Velcro© strips that allows attachment on personal docks, tackle boxes, boats, kayaks etc. and are a temporary receptacle to hold fishing line until the angler (or collector) can get to an MRRP bin or box at a pier, dock, tackle shop, or marina.  “The Entanglement Game” involves elementary school-aged kids who “swim” in an ocean full of trash and fishing line and then learn how to clean it up and properly recycle it.  We have had great feedback during our pilot outreach efforts and now hope to promote these ideas to other education institutions.

“Mini-bins” are created from recycled tennis ball cans and can be attached on docks, boats, tackle boxes etc. to store pieces of fishing line until they can be recycled.