MARINELAND, Florida, November 29, 2001 (ENS) - Strong, thin and invisible, the same qualities that make nylon monofilament fishing line popular with anglers can make it deadly to wildlife that encounter lost or discarded strands.

But environmentally conscious anglers on Florida's Northeast coast will now have the Monofilament Recycling Project to take their snarled and broken lines. University of Florida (UF) researcher Maia McGuire began installing recycling stations at marine fishing spots in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns and Flagler counties this month.

"Manatees, marine turtles and pelicans head a long list of animals that are harmed by swallowing or getting snared in monofilament," said McGuire, extension agent for Sea Grant, a program of coastal research and education affiliated with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "People and property are at risk, too."

McGuire will have 100 stations in place by the end of 2002 at both saltwater and freshwater locations. Constructed from three foot sections of six inch diameter PVC pipe, the stations are mounted on 4x4 posts or existing structures. Decals and signs explain which items should be placed in the stations.

"We want people to deposit any unwanted or discarded monofilament line, regardless of quantity or condition," she said. "Let's get it out of the environment first, then worry about what's actually recyclable."

The recycling stations will also take nylon fishing line spools, nylon rope and nylon cast nets. Tackle shops, marinas and other businesses in a four county area have joined the effort by placing collection bins on their premises.

Marine turtles sometimes mistake floating tangles of monofilament for jellyfish and eat them, causing intestinal blockage. Sea birds may fly or dive into monofilament or eat fish that have been previously hooked and still trail line.

"We surveyed Brevard County anglers and everyone had a story," said Leesa Souto, an environmental scientist who helped start the Brevard County Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program last year. "Some of them didn't involve wildlife," Souto said. "In one incident, a powerboat snagged submerged line and all the passengers were thrown overboard. In another, a scuba diver recovering line underwater became entangled and drowned."

Between 1980 and 1999, one in five manatee rescues involved monofilament entanglement, Souto said. The endangered aquatic mammals can catch their tails or flippers on submerged line and sometimes accidentally consume monofilament while feeding on plants. About 3,200 manatees live in Florida waters.

Developed in the 1930s, monofilament fishing line is made from a single, continuous strand of nylon. Discarded monofilament is believed to last 600 years in the marine environment.