People fishing in the Ross Barnett Reservoir area now have an easy way to dispose of old or unwanted fishing line with a new program offered by Keep the Rez Beautiful. Eight collections bins have been placed around the Reservoir, an effort to keep the lake clean and safe for wildlife and people using it.
Fishing line, or monofilament, is typically non-degradable and lasts about 600 years. Abandoned fishing line injures or kills fish, birds and other wildlife. This project will collect and send fishing line to be recycled, ensuring it never enters the Reservoir or another waterway.
Ryan Seawright, a local teen, installed the bins as part of his project to secure his Eagle Leadership Service Project. “I loved giving back to the Reservoir,” Ryan said. “It’s a great place to fish.”
Collection bins are located at:
- Below Spillway, on both sides of Pearl River;
- Pelahatchie Shore Park;
- Goshen Springs, by pier and launch;
- Pelahatchie Trading Post;
- Rankin Landing;
- Madison Landing.
Plans are underway to install two additional bins. Adopt-a-Stream Mississippi, the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and BoatUS Foundation were KRB’s key partners in this program. BoatUS Foundation donated the bins to KRB. PRVWSD provided the poles for which to mount the bins.
“The Reservoir ecosystem is home to a variety of wildlife, and it’s important we keep it free of litter and hazardous materials,” said Deb Veeder, the state’s Adopt-a-Stream coordinator and a member of KRB’s board of directors. “These bins give people who fish a safe way to dispose of unwanted fishing line.”
KRB Executive Director Jeannine May said she is thankful that Ryan took on this project. “We are proud of the service that Ryan has provided our community and thankful for his hard work in getting this project off the ground,” May said.
Added John Sigman, the district’s executive director: “Keeping our Reservoir free of fishing line and other litter is important to us and ensures a healthy ecosystem. Please don’t leave your line behind and store unwanted line in a safe place until it can be recycled. Remember, Mississippi law requires all boats to have a closable trash receptacle on board.”
I walk my dogs everyday at Pelahatchie Shore park and Lakeshore Park. I have picked up bags and bags full of broken glass. The glass is 99% found on frisby golf trail. It is ALL broken beer bottles. One of my dogs cut her foot so bad I had to hold pressure on it over an hour to slow the bleeding and she lost about 300 ml blood before I could get home. I gave up trying to pick up all the glass. Please help!! There are no signs up anywhere regarding alcohol on the premisis or littering. Maybe we need more garbage cans. Also cans people can’t dig through. I saw a man collecting aluminum and he thru everything out of the can , picked up the aluminum and left all the trash on the ground , and it was full. I love the Rez grounds and urgently wish for something to be done about people throwing down their empty beer bottles down and breaking them. Signs with rules and consequences with patrolled enforcement would be a start. Sincerely, Theresa Sullivan