10 Things Anglers Can Do to Help Save the Planet

1. Don’t dump live bait. Dumping nonnative live bait has led to breeding populations of baitfish and crayfish in waters in which they don’t belong, upsetting ecosystems that in many cases are already under pressure from habitat degradation. Take your unused live bait home. Kill and freeze it for later use, or put it in the garden for fertilizer.
2. Don’t transfer game fish to other waters. Fish stocking can spread disease, throw ecosystems out of balance, and destroy native fishes. The decline of the native cutthroat trout of the West, including the extinction of two entire subspecies, is substantially the result of the stocking of rainbow trout. Stocking isn’t a DIY project—leave it to the fisheries professionals.
3. Wash your waders. Whirling disease protozoans, New Zealand mud snails, and other damaging, invasive species can be transferred from one body of water to another by hitching a ride on dirty wading gear. Clean your gear between uses. While diluted chlorine bleach is effective, it’s also polluting. A better way is to wash your wading gear with a mild detergent (such as Ivory) and hot water and then soak your gear for at least 10 minutes in the hottest water you can get from your tap.
4. Recycle your used fishing line. Discarded monofilament line tangles up birds and boat propellers alike. Several states, including Florida, Montana, South Carolina, Texas, and others, as well as many private bait and tackle shops across North America, have recycling programs that help to keep used monofilament out of the environment.
5. Clean and dry your boat. Proper flushing of bilgewater, removing water weeds from anchors and your outboard’s lower unit, and washing down the hull will help to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic plants, such as hydrilla and Eurasian watermilfoil, and invasive animals, such as zebra mussels and spiny water fleas.
6. Stop using lead sinkers and lures. Lost lead fishing tackle is toxic, and it kills birds. There are plenty of alternatives.
7. Replace your old two-stroke outboard with a four-stroke engine. Two-stroke engines are a major source of water pollution in our lakes. Four-strokes are cleaner and quieter.
8. Don’t discard fish entrails in the water. That practice can spread diseases to other fish. Besides, it’s nasty.
9. Use a trash bag. Litter is unsightly and kills sea turtles, birds, and other animals that share the water with us. Pack out your garbage, and try to pick up some of the trash left by slobs who don’t. Look especially for discarded fishing line, plastic bags, and six-pack rings, which are particularly hard on wildlife.
10. Participate in a cleanup day. Every year, local and state governments and organizations like Trout Unlimited, the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS), and American Rivers sponsor thousands of volunteer cleanup projects on our lakes and rivers. A few hours of your time just once a year will improve the quality of the water and your fishing experience.