Angler info needed to protect Great Lakes from plastic pollution every year, more than 10 million kilograms of plastic are estimated to flow into the Great Lakes and surrounding waterways.
This plastic pollution has been shown to have devastating impacts on water quality, fish populations, and habitats, and the outdoor experiences we all value. Anglers spend a lot of time on the water and often see plastic pollution first-hand.
That’s why Pollution Probe, in collaboration with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), with generous support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks’ Great Lakes Local Action Fund, launched a new initiative to engage the recreational fishing community as important collaborators in the fight against plastic pollution. As part of this project, anglers across Ontario are invited to complete a short survey to share their experiences with plastic pollution.
“We want to know about the kinds of plastic seen in the water or found in the fish caught,” OFAH Fisheries Biologist Adam Weir said. “We’re also interested in learning more about the options available to anglers for disposing of used fishing gear and ideas for how to prevent pollution in local waterways.”
Input will shape the development of educational resources and prevention strategies tailored to the fishing community and is invaluable in helping to shape practical upstream solutions to plastic pollution.
Do you enjoy fishing in the Great Lakes region? Take the survey: forms.gle/S96aezxN6PrU6fwf8
Originally published in the August 2025 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
