GLEN JEAN, WV (WVNS) — Nine popular fishing spots along the New and Gauley River now have places to dispose of fishing line.

The fishing line disposal sites were added courtesy of the Friends of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (Friends), and the receptacles are located on signs and fence posts that are visible and easily accessible.

Discarded fishing line on riverbanks and gravel bars can easily harm and entangle wildlife like birds, mammals, and aquatic animals. Monofilament line material is often made from nylon, polyethylene, or polypropylene, which does not degrade naturally and causes the line to stay in the environment for decades.

  • Courtesy: NRGNPP- Friends of NRGNPP member Missy McCune (pictured left) and NRGNPP American Conservation Experience Intern Natalie Sacco coordinated the project for the Friends and the park
  • Courtesy: NRGNPP- A fishing line receptacle located at the Stone Cliff river access
  • Courtesy: Three Rivers Avian Center- A Turkey Vulture recently entangled in fishing line was rescued by park rangers and rehabilitated at the Three Rivers Avian Center.

This project was funded by the Friends group. The Friends group is a philanthropic partner of the park, and they provided the construction materials for the project, as well as made each of the units by hand out of PVC pipe. New River staff members chose the locations and placed the receptacles, and Friends will maintain the units and handle the recycling of fishing line at the nine disposal site locations.

We are very grateful to the Friends group for seeing this project through. 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.

Charles Sellars | New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Superintendent

The nine fishing line receptacle locations include Glade Creek, Stone Cliff, Gauley Tailwaters, Camp Brookside, Sandstone Falls (two locations) McCreery, Grandview Sandbar, and Fayette Station. More locations will be added as volunteers are able to keep the sites maintained.