- TBF of Md Conservation Director poses with one of three Monofilament Recycling bins he and his Wife, Tanya, installed at Smallwood State Park
5/1/11 – Drew Lofton became the Maryland Federation Conservation Director in March 2011, then attended the National Championship in April where he attended the TBF Conservation Meetings, led by TBF National Conservation Director, Mark Gintert. After attending, Lofton had some ideas for his Federation. The day he got back from the meetings, he told Gintert about his plan to start a monofilament recycling program. He had noticed that tubes didn’t exist in alot of places where he fished. “I had previously lived in west Palm beach for about 5 yrs, and they are everywhere down there, so I thought what a great “first” project for our Federation”.
Gintert told him about a program where BoatUS would donate the tubes, so the MD Federation didn’t have to spend alot of their own money to begin this project. BoatUS donated 20 pre-made recycling bins (about $1000.00 worth) to the TBF of MD. So far MD has only gotten “permission” to put them in 3 locations; the fuel dock at National Harbor (which will be hosting an FLW event in June), Smallwood State Park, and Fort Washington Marina. TBF National office sent TBF/FLW Partner in Fishing stickers to post near the tubes.
Lofton is in the midst of conducting a survey, with the help of the DNR on which ramps have recycling tubes, and which ones do not. “Ideally we would like to see one at EVERY boat ramp, and all the high fishing traffic areas,” Lofton said.
