Contest seeks entries for new ideas on fishing line and soft bait recycling

NATIONWIDE—Got a new idea on how to recycle old fishing line or soft bait? The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, and Berkley Fishing are asking boaters, anglers and anyone with an idea to submit to their Recast and Recycle Contest.

There is $30,000 in prize money is at stake for anyone willing to submit a contest entry through May 14. The two organizations are seeking new ideas and improvements to fishing line and soft bait recycling, new recycled product ideas, or a technology breakthrough for the current process that will increase the volume of line and soft baits that are recycled.

“Whether it’s monofilament line, braided line or soft baits, we want there to be a sustainable, large−scale solution to keeping line out of our waters and landfills where it can remain a problem for birds and wildlife,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach, Alanna Keating in a released statement on Jan. 22.

Berkeley is seeking to improve its current recycling program, which allows marine retailers to place collection bins for old fishing lines in their stores. The old lines are then mailed to Berkeley, which then works with MDK Zerolandfill, a recycler, to turn the line into new products such as benches and toys.

“We want to know how to make the process better,” Keating said in a released statement. “There’s no limit on the possibilities, but keep in mind that judges will add weight to contest submissions that actually work, are practical, innovative, and have the potential to have a significant impact. We really don’t know where a breakthrough could materialize.”

The first-place winner will be awarded $15,000, second place receives $10,000, and $5,000 will be awarded for third place. Contest submissions can address any part of the process – or multiple parts – of taking fishing gear from end of life to a new life. Professionals, amateurs and students are all encouraged to apply, as are school teams and groups. Contest entries can be submitted with as little as a link to a video demonstration of the idea or one-page graphic summary.

Contest rules and conditions, details on the current recycling process and videos on how various plastics and soft baits are recycled can be found at the Recast and Recycle website at BoatUS.org/contest.