From Grants to Invoices: a Sustainable Model for Fishing Gear Recycling

Net Your Problem LLC offers a responsible waste management solution (=recycling) for end of life fishing gear in coastal communities. We accomplish this by travelling to the communities, consulting with local partners to set up the logistics of collecting the old gear, engage with the fishing industry members and then export the gear to various recyclers depending on the composition of the material and the capacity of the community. Each community that we have worked in has required a totally unique logistics plan (one community has had a different logistics plan each of the three summers we have worked there), and a different business model. In this business, you absolutely need locally tailored solutions.

When I first started this business, and introduced the concept to new stakeholders, the terms volunteer, grants, non-profit and the like were frequently mentioned. For some reason, it seems that if you want to do something that is advancing ocean sustainability, benefiting the environment or even society in general, you shouldn't be able to make your living (a profit) from that activity. On the other hand, there are certainly a lot of individuals profiting from doing the "wrong" thing, so why should we feel guilty? This work recycling fishing gear fulfills my need to be an environmentally responsible citizen of this Earth, and only by paying myself a living wage will I be able to continue reducing the impact of fishing waste on remote coastal communities.

Imagine if a business charged a city to do a beach cleanup. Sounds weird, but shouldn’t someone get paid for their time providing a service that someone else needs?