Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

BOSTON -- A program being introduced around New England aims to turn the problem of discarded fishing gear into something good: electric power.

Fishing nets, ropes and traps that are lost or abandoned can kill life on the ocean floor, snare fish and get caught in boat propellers.

The ``Fishing for Energy'' program provides fishermen with large containers where they can dump gear that they pull up in their nets. Then, the waste-to-energy company Covanta hauls it away and burns it for power.

The program started three years ago in Hawaii. But it moved to New England this year, including ports such as New Bedford and Newport, Rhode Island.

Since February, the program has collected 47 tons of gear in New England.

Covanta says one ton of gear can heat a house for 25 days.

The company is hoping to expand the program to ports as far south as Florida, and also to the West Coast.

-- The Associated Press

 Tags  Boston New England

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