What are 'Ghost nets'?
Ghost nets are discarded fishing nets. The most common type of ghost net is called a 'gill net' or often 'driftnet' since these nets are known float along with the
currents after they are discarded.
Fishing nets are left in the sea for a variety of reasons:
Fishing gear may be abandoned when fishermen cannot retrieve the net due to it snagging on seabed rocks or coral.
Fishing gear is considered 'lost' when marker buoys become detached or if heavy tides remove netting from an original deployment location.
Fishing vessels may not be able to afford the costs it takes to retrieve stuck gear; retrieval is especially difficult if a vessel doesn't use GPS technology.
Ghost nets sometimes are abandoned deliberately if an illegal fishing vessel is in danger of being caught; the nets are often cut or thrown overboard.
As ghost nets float in the ocean's currents they entangle marine wildlife, damage reefs and kill a vast variety of aquatic species- earning their name as the 'silent killer' of the ocean.
Plastic fishing gear, like monofilament gill nets are almost invisible in the water and are by-design extremely strong and very resistant to biting or chewing by trapped/entangled animals making them all the more dangerous for wildlife.
Every year, these discarded nets are responsible for trapping and killing millions of marine animals, including: sharks, rays, bony fish, turtles, dolphins, whales, seals, crustaceans and birds.
Additionally, when these massive nets wash ashore they impact our shorelines’ and kill coastal flora and fauna resulting in expensive cleanups and financial loss for local economies; huge impacts and costs that a lot of coastal communities cannot afford.
Note these practices are counterproductive to the whole supply chain- from the fishermen themselves on large fishing industry vessels to any complicit government who continuously avoids funding, legislating and enforcing regulations, and on to the consumer. All of which suffer the consequences of such widespread destruction of marine ecosystems that directly impact catches, profits and overall cost to consumer.
It's estimated that 53% of the world's fisheries are fully exploited with a further 32% being considered overexploited or recovering from overexploitation.
Unfortunately, ghost nets and other unsustainable fishing practices are a part of a larger problem which is the addition of thousands of tons of plastic to the oceans every year.
It takes approximately 600-800 years for ghost fishing nets to decompose and since they're often made of Nylon, they can not biodegrade so could even stay around for thousands of years as it slowly breaks down into microplastics.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
IN THIS TOGETHER:
We need more than voluntary fishery 'best practices' to address the mounting issues facing oceanic ecosystems. Only a small portion of countries have taken steps toward or even have regulations in effect to fight these threats, yet little to no enforcement of said regulations seems to be happening due to a lot of various factors.
Governments of the world need to do more to remove ghost nets and clamp down on poorly-operated fishing (i.e. operations that lack any/all applicable permits, ignore catch limits, do not use/don't have proper equipment, do not have crew training/lack safety protocols) and illegal fishing practices through adopting (and enforcing!) adequate legislation and regulations.
Check out active campaigns HERE to take action now.
SHOP SMART:
Support organizations and creators that are working to recycle and repurpose discarded nets and other materials into new and cooler things! Keep in mind we should always strive to be informed consumers and know what/who our money goes to and if those funds we are contributing are adding to the issue(s) we are trying to solve.
Here's some ideas to get you started:
skateboards, surfboards, sunglasses & clothes made from fishing nets
athletic ware, leggings, shoes, and clothes made from fishing nets & plastic bottles
repurposes fishing net and materials into beach volleyball nets
MANY more creators and small businesses are an online search away that are upcycling nets into anything from jewelry to big art pieces! Learn how Aboriginal communities and artists are using ghost net sculptures as a way to tell traditional stories.
AMPLIFY + EDUCATE:
Use your platform, no matter what size, to spread the word! We can work together to bring more awareness around the severity and pervasiveness of oceanic threats like ghost nets; we can also push for more public education and share outreach or community activities such as beach clean ups.
VOTE:
Don't let the word "politics" tune you out and make you give up your voice and passion. Elections are important and are a great tool in holding our reps. accountable as well as bringing about wanted change. We need to elect officials into local, state and national government that will work to address and pass needed pro-environmental, pro-ocean policies.
Sometimes more direct action is needed too, like writing your representative directly or boycotting businesses/individuals in protest for something harmful they may be doing or funding. Organizing your friends & family, starting and supporting petitions can also help bring awareness to issues that others outside your community aren't aware of to help gain momentum for positive progress- even spark global change!
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