For many years there have been efforts to keep oceans clean and to clean them up and eliminate waste in them if they are not clean.  We often think of waste as small items such as trash, soda cans and bottles and other items that end up overboard – accidentally or not.

There is a much larger issue when it comes to waste in our waters and an organization called “Fishing For Energy” is doing something on a large scale to help eliminate the problem.

Fishing For Energy is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), Covanta Energy in New England, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and Snitzer Steel Industries, Inc. to help communities along the nation’s coastlines eliminate or reduce the amount of abandoned fishing gear in coastal waters.

The way the partnership works is that it collects abandoned fishing gear and debris in cooperation with and with assistance from local fishermen.  Gear collected includes abandoned nets, crab pots, poles, and parts, as well as trawl gear.  This gear is a threat to marine life, navigation and ecology, so cooperation in eliminating it is essential to the health of the oceans and the coastal communities that depend upon them.

Not only is there cooperation with each town and the fishermen who fish in the coastal waters to remove debris, but there is also a concerted effort to eliminate fishermen from using outdated or abandoned gear that is no longer fit for use by fisheries.

All of the debris is collected and taken to Covanta’s Renewable Waste Energy facilities to be turned into energy that is renewable and environmentally sustainable.

This program is being used in several communities now, with plans to greatly expand and help communities throughout the country and throughout the world.  With innovative programs such as this one, it is encouraging to know that we can find environmentally friendly sources of energy and clean up the environment at the same time.