Territory fishos have saved 3.5km of fishing line from ending up in local waterways thanks to newly installed tangle bins project put together by fishing conservation charity OzFish Unlimited.
In collaboration with the Amateur Fishermen's Association NT (AFANT) and funding support from the NT Recreational Fishing Grants Scheme, newly installed tangle bins have so far collected more than 3.5km of fishing line, which is longer than a walk from Fannie Bay Cliffs to Mindil Beach.
In addition to the line, the bins have also collected 87 bait packages, 46 sinkers, 122 hooks and more than 25 lures/floats were recorded.
The innovative bins were installed last November at high-traffic fishing spots around Darwin to empower the fishing community to take control of the places they love to fish.
Although the bins have had a great response in getting used, Harvey Martinez, Project Officer for OzFish in NT, is still looking for community volunteers to help clean them and sort what has been collected.
"It's great to see strong community support for the project, with anglers actively using the bins each weekend and volunteers regularly sorting and removing contents.
"Thanks to these wonderful volunteers, we're now able to get a snapshot of what's been collected and removed from our waterways. This information helps us understand the types and quantities of waste, which is crucial for developing effective waste management and recycling strategies," said Harvey.
To sustain the success of the project and support the fishing community's dedication, OzFish is inviting fishos to become volunteer tangle bin collectors.
"We're very keen to hear from more volunteers. It takes ten minutes all up to clean out a tangle bin every week or two and collate the data.
"The vast majority of rec fishers take immense pride in their favourite fishing spots, these bins make it easier than ever.
"Volunteers tell us they get a real kick out of knowing they're helping make a difference," said Harvey.
If you would like to become a volunteer, please register your interest on the OzFish website: https://ozfish.org.au/northern-territory-tangle-bins-volunteer-registration/
Volunteers are what makes projects like this successful, with the collected data bringing us closer to a cleaner and safer fishing environment for anglers and local aquatic life.
