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Recreational fisher-folk, Raleigh and state-agency employees and Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop met up Monday night for an evening of Neuse River talk.

Hosted by Triangle Fly Fishers, the Glen Eden Pilot Park Neighborhood Center was packed with fishing enthusiasts wanting to know more about the biggest threats to Neuse River fishing: sediment and wetlands loss.

“I was excited by how many people fish in the Neuse and its tributaries,” Samantha said. “And these are people who care about wetlands loss and sediment pollution because it impacts fish.”

Samantha highlighted three issues she believes are the Neuse’s biggest problems — stormwater pollution, sediment pollution from large-scale development and wetlands destruction — with an added context of how climate change’s bigger storms and increased rainfall impacts each.

Triangle Fly Fishers, a first-time sponsor of the Loose on the Neuse River cleanup held earlier this month, is interested in partnering with Sound Rivers for future cleanups, trash trap adoption and advocacy, she said.

“They have a conservation committee and will be looking at things like wetlands advocacy. I think people who love fishing, more than anyone, recognize the importance of wetlands and clean water,” Samantha said. “I’m very thrilled to be connected with this crew — they have a very active volunteer base, and they’re excited to work with us.”

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