Dear Friends,

I have complained several times on Tweeters and to everyone else who will listen about the toll that improperly discarded monofilament fishing line has on birds and other wildlife. I have picked up fishing line by the handfuls at many birding and fishing sites and have rescued several birds. Sometimes the rescue attempts were successful and sometimes they were not.


I and others have been working with Senator Mark Mullet for the last two years to have a Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Program implemented in our state to encourage the proper disposal of monofilament fishing line.

The submitted bill did not make it through the legislature, however, Senator Mullet was able to get funding via the capitol budget to begin the program. The program will be administered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The fishing line bins will be constructed by Puget Sound Corps and installed at recreational fishing locations as determined by WDFW. The exact details of the program still need to be worked out.

The Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling program is a big step in the right direction for the protection of our environment, wildlife and public safety.

Thank you to everyone who voiced support for this program!

Diane Weinstein
Issaquah