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77 commercial fishermen conducted more than 690 ghost gear seizures, with the objects taken ashore either for reuse or recycling.
HPU Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR) has launched a project that is partially supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admi
Welcome to the Center for Marine Debris Research! Because plastic pollution exists, we do too.
The first washi tapes I've ever done!
Super happy with how they came out (cryptid one came out a little dark but still happy with it).
The Eldritch Earl Grey is my favourite for sure though. The silver holo came out so good!
If a baby can make the mobile spin, see the parade of animals, she'll tug the string again.
Rae Armantrout, from "Ghost Gear"
Marine fisheries contribute to plastic pollution primarily through the abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear, such as nets, lines, rope
While the discussion surrounding marine plastic pollution has largely focused on land-based sources, such as households and industry, a major and often overlooked contributor to ocean plastic waste is marine capture fisheries. Marine fisheries contribute to plastic pollution primarily through the abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), such as nets, lines, ropes, and traps used to catch 2-3 trillion fish and other aquatic animals each year. Commercial industrial fishing is the primary source of ALDFG in the oceans.
‘Ghost gear’ can result from fishing gear getting entangled on reefs, rocks, and bottom obstructions, conflicts with vessels or other fishing gear, and bad weather. It may also be lost due to extended soak times (the time that equipment is submerged during fishing), fishing in deep habitats, or deploying excessive gear that cannot be hauled in regularly. If gear touches the seafloor or is not actively managed by fishermen, the likelihood of loss increases. Additionally, intentional discarding, including from illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, is also believed to contribute significantly to ghost gear in the sea, particularly in the areas beyond national jurisdiction. Vessels conducting IUU fishing often operate in adverse conditions, such as at night or without access to safe harbors during inclement weather, and frequently dispose of their gear to avoid detection, destroy evidence, and gain port access.
Overall, it is estimated that 5.7% of fishing nets, 8.6% of traps and pots, and 29% of fishing lines used globally are lost, abandoned, or otherwise discarded into the environment. All this ghost gear and other fisheries-related operations make up at least 10% of total ocean plastics. Rubbish associated with other marine operations adds at least an additional 10% to global marine litter. For plastics larger than 20 centimeters in size floating on the ocean’s surface, fishing gear accounts for as much as 70% (by weight).
Non-profit Enaleia is embracing circularity by working with fishers and recycling companies to collect plastics from the sea.
Governments accountable for 40% of the world’s coastlines have pledged to stop the flow of plastic pollution into the oceans, restore declining fish populations, and end overfishing in the next decade. On December 2, the leaders of 14 countries set out a series of commitments that mark the world’s largest...
“Ghost gear” = abandoned fishing gear, which can be deadly for whales. Meet some ghost (gear) busters, fishermen who collect abandoned gear and make the sea safer for whales.
Thousands of turtles, marine animals victims of plastic fishing nets polluting Gulf of Carpentaria
Plastic fishing nets, some the size of football fields, are washing up on Australia's northern coastline, slowly killing endangered turtles and creating a "global hotspot" for plastic pollution.
Ben Pearson from World Animal Protection told a national plastic pollution conference that the Gulf of Carpentaria was being afflicted by so-called ghost net pollution.
"These nets can be absolutely massive," Mr Pearson said.
"They can weigh many tonnes and of course they're designed to catch marine animals, which is why they're so deadly.
The Gulf of Carpentaria is home to six of the world's seven sea turtle species, and is one of the largest nesting areas in the Indo-Pacific region.
In 2016 Australian authorities removed seven ghost nets weighing more than 29 tonnes from the Timor and Arafura seas.
Read more here.
Written by Nicole Chettle
Photo by Jane Dermer
