The next monthly meeting of Puget Sound Anglers-North Olympic Peninsula Chapter is set for Thursday, Aug. 17, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.

Guest speaker Jason Morgan is the marine projects manager for the Northwest Straits Foundation and has spent the past decade working with programs to manage and promote sustainable fisheries management.

He now manages the the foundation’s Derelict Fishing Gear Program, working to eliminate harm from derelict fishing gear in Puget Sound.

The problem of lost and abandoned (derelict) fishing gear in Puget Sound was identified as a priority by the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative in 1999. Derelict fishing gear in Puget Sound mostly consists of gill nets and shellfish pots which continue to trap and kill marine organisms and degrade critical marine habitat.

An aggressive campaign of removals, research, outreach and education has seen removal of more than 5,700 derelict nets and 4,800 crab pots, restoring 830 acres of marine habitat and saving thousands of marine organisms each year.

Morgan will discuss problems, challenges and solutions of dealing with derelict fishing gear in Puget Sound and what others can do to help.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. for viewing the raffle prizes and fish stories.

A short club business meeting begins at 7 p.m. and includes fishing reports from members and the guest speaker follows.

Also on tap are refreshments, a raffle for fishing items and a $50 membership drawing.

The public is welcome.