Does your favourite local fishing spot need a line-disposal bin to help keep its waterways free of rubbish?
If so, let us know so we can continue to ensure our rivers and coastline remain beautiful and clean.
The vast network of more than 160 ‘Reel It In’ bins across WA has been critical in reducing fishing-related waste from littering our beautiful river systems and shorelines for the past eight years.
The Reel It In project run by the Department of Biodiversity of Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and supported by Recfishwest has seen clearly marked and dedicated fishing line and waste disposal bins installed at many key WA fishing spots.
Recfishers value good marine stewardship highly and are making use of the dedicated bins at spots including Applecross Jetty, Canning Bridge, Como Jetty, Port Kennedy Boat Ramp and Burns Beach.
This is highlighted by the 139km of fishing line disposed at the bins since the project was founded in 2013 to December last year.
A further 22,000 hooks and sinkers and 14,000 bait bags and thousands of items of general rubbish were also collected from the bins during the same timeframe.
“Recfishers don’t want to see our precious waterways and coastline littered with rubbish – they care about the environment where they fish,” Recfishwest Operations Manager Leyland Campbell said.
“This is clearly shown through the Reel It In program – and it’s great to have so many fishers supporting the initiative.
“It is truly heartening to see this program grow and go from strength-to-strength to help rid our waterways of unwanted fishing line and used bait bags.
“If you have an idea of where another Reel It In bin could be placed, let us know at info@recfishwest.org.au and we will pass it on to DBCA – we want to see this program keep expanding.”
Click here to see where the Reel It In bins are located
The Reel It In project was launched by DBCA – then the Swan River Trust – in 2013.
Sixty-seven Reel It In bins, which are regularly emptied by volunteers, are based at popular fishing locations including spots along the Swan and Canning rivers.
In addition, a further 94 bins have been installed along the WA coastline from Shark Bay to Albany.
That total includes bins throughout the Peel-Harvey Estuary.
What to help out?
Recfishwest and DBCA are always looking for more volunteers help to empty the Reel It In bins.
If you want to adopt a bin, empty it when it gets full and dispose its contents sustainably, please contact DBCA at community@dbca.wa.gov.au to get involved.
You can view the bins available for adoption north and south of Perth here.
