Program offers 15 locations around St. Johns County to recycle fishing line and help save local marine life

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Did you know that it takes hundreds of years for fishing line often referred to as monofilament – to biodegrade? Because it is thin and often clear, birds and animals can’t see it and become entangled in it or mistakenly ingest it, resulting in injury or death.

That’s one of the reasons why the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have teamed up to take part in the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP).

“Almost all of the bins were donated by FWC,” said Kelly Ussia, park naturalist for SJC Parks and Recreation. “Between myself and volunteers from the GTM Research Reserve, we will all work together to empty the bins to cut down on monofilament trash that ends up in the water. Now it’s even easier to keep our waterways tangle-free.”

Monofilament recycling bins can be found at the following locations throughout St. Johns County:

■ Boating Club Road Boat Ramp: 615 Boating Club Road, St. Augustine

■ Doug Crane Boat Ramp: 1039 Shore Drive, St. Augustine

■ Exxon Beach Access: 2700 S. Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach

■ Moultrie Creek Boat Ramp: 4805 Shore Drive, St. Augustine

■ Palmo Road Boat Ramp: 8600 Palmo Fish Camp Road, St. Augustine

■ Palm Valley Boat Ramp: 383 S. Roscoe Blvd., St. Augustine

■ Porpoise Point Beach Access: Porpoise Point Drive, St. Augustine

■ Riverdale Park Boat Ramp: 981 CR 13, Fruit Cove

■ Shands Fishing Pier, 10000 Shands Pier Road, St. Johns

■ St. Johns County Ocean Pier: 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine

■ Trout Creek Park Boat Ramp: 6795 Collier Road, Orangedale

■ Usina Boat Ramp: 603 Euclid Ave., St. Augustine

■ Vaill Point Park Fishing Pier: 630 Vaill Point Road, St. Augustine

■ Vilano Beach Fishing Pier, 260 Vilano Road, St. Augustine

 ■ Vilano Boat Ramp: 101 Vilano Causeway, St. Augustine

For more information on monofilament recycling, visit mrrp.myfwc.com.