Reducing Barriers to Marine Debris Prevention in the Texas Recreational Fishery

Overview

Marine debris is any manmade material that is intentionally or unintentionally disposed of or abandoned in the marine environment. Single-use plastics and other disposable products are the most common items identified as marine debris in Texas³. This includes plastic fragments, plastic beverage bottles and their caps, plastic containers, food wrappers, cups, straws, utensils, and cigarette butts⁴.

Plastics and other land-based trash can be transported to the marine environment through a variety of processes, including improper waste management, littering, runoff, or natural disasters, such as storms or tornadoes. Floating trash is also brought to Texas shorelines through ocean currents. For example, the North and South Equatorial Currents flow westward from Africa to the Americas, circulating waters and debris contained in these waters between continents. This results in marine debris of non-Texas origin being transported to the Gulf of Mexico from afar.

Derelict fishing gear can also contribute to the problem^2,4. Derelict fishing gear is any fishing gear that is lost, discarded, or abandoned in the marine environment, such as traps, ropes, nets, and fishing line². Derelict equipment can continue to fish, trap, or entangle marine life (known as “ghost fishing”), pose navigational hazards, and damage benthic habitats.

Marine debris impacts the environment through wildlife entanglement, damage to living benthic habitats, hazards to navigation, and negative aesthetics on beaches and coasts. Plastic debris on Texas shorelines is a well-documented issue, with common contributors including plastic bottles and caps, cups, straws, plastic bags, and fishing line. To combat this, Texas Sea Grant works with the recreational fishing industry to educate anglers about marine debris impacts and equip them with tools and resources to properly contain trash and prevent marine debris during fishing activities. Funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, this project: 1) expanded the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program by installing 98 new monofilament recycling devices and recycling hundreds of pounds of fishing line; 2) conducted a widespread outreach program that educated 5,743 coastal community members; and 3) distributed Marine Debris Prevention Kits containing reusable alternatives to commonly used single-use plastics to 300 recreational anglers.