GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — Nine popular fishing spots along the New and Gauley rivers in southern West Virginia now have receptacles for anglers to dispose of fishing lines, courtesy of the Friends of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
The receptacles are mounted on signs and fence posts in convenient locations that are visible and easy to access, according to Charles Sellars, superintendent of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
Anglers, like outdoor sports enthusiasts, care for and want to protect the resource, and this will make it that much easier for them to do so,” Sellars says.
Fishing lines discarded along riverbanks and gravel bars can be especially harmful to birds, mammals, and aquatic wildlife, which can become entangled.
Monofilament line material is also often made from nylon, polyethylene, or polypropylene and does not naturally degrade, remaining in the environment for decades.
The Friends group, a philanthropic partner of the park, funded the receptacle project, provided construction materials, and made each unit out of PVC pipe. Park staff selected locations and mounted the receptacles.
The group will be maintaining each unit and handling the recycling of the monofilament line at all nine locations.
Receptacles have been installed on the New River at McCreery, Stone Cliff, Glade Creek, Fayette Station, Sandstone Falls, Camp Brookside, and the Grandview Sandbar. On the Gauley, a receptacle has been installed on its tailwaters.
More locations will be added as volunteers become available to maintain the sites.
“We are very grateful to the friends group for seeing this project through,” Sellars said.
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