Ghost Nets Problem
What is ghost gear?
Ghost gear refers to any type of abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing equipment, including nets, lines, traps, and other fishing gear that remains in the ocean, continuing to pose a threat to marine life and ecosystems. These materials, often made of durable synthetic fibers, can persist for decades, entangling marine animals, damaging habitats, and contributing to plastic pollution.
Among the most harmful forms of ghost gear are ghost nets—lost or discarded fishing nets that continue to drift or settle on the ocean floor, indiscriminately trapping marine creatures in a phenomenon known as “ghost fishing.” These nets can cause severe injuries or fatalities to fish, sea turtles, dolphins, and other marine species, disrupting entire ecosystems.
Every year, an estimated 6.4 million tons of fishing gear are lost in the ocean, adding to marine pollution and endangering marine life. This amount is roughly equal to the weight of 42,557 blue whales—the largest animals on Earth.
A 2022 study published in Scientific Reports by The Ocean Cleanup revealed that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is largely composed of fishing-related plastic waste. Researchers found that 75% to 86% of all plastic debris in the Patch originates from offshore fishing activities, further highlighting the massive environmental impact of abandoned fishing gear.
Why is gear lost?
Ghost nets end up in the ocean due to various reasons:
- Often, fishing gear gets entangled in underwater structures such as reefs and shipwrecks.
- But also other ghost gear can trap nets, making them difficult to retrieve and leading to further accumulation of marine debris.
- Unfavorable weather conditions such as storm can lead to gear loss, and ghost gear can be sourced as well by illegal fishing, as unregulated fishers may discard their nets to avoid detection.
- Additionally, poor disposal practices, such as dumping damaged nets into the sea instead of properly discarding them worsens the issue.
The cycle of death
As ghost nets drifts through the sea or become entangled on a structure, small fish swim into it and become trapped. Struggling to escape, they attract predators like sharks, rays or bigger fish, which attempt to feed on the helpless prey but end up entangled themselves.
As the net continues to catch, even seabirds diving for fish may become entangled.
Trapped animals starve or die from injuries caused by the ghost gear, and as their bodies decompose, they attract scavengers that may also get caught.
How ghost gear affects marine life?
- Incidental Capture and Biodiversity Loss
Ghost nets entangle marine life, which is also known by the term ghost fishing. Ghost fishing reduces populations of already vulnerable species, disrupts food chains, and alters the balance of entire marine ecosystems, ultimately threatening biodiversity.
- Habitat Damage
Ghost nets can smother sensitive habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds, leading to long-term ecological damage.
- Microplastic pollution
Over time, ghost nets degrade and release microplastics into the marine environment, further contaminating the food web and posing risks to marine life and human health.
The Serial Killers of our Oceans
Learn about the different kinds of ghost gear
Ghost Gillnets
This is why ghost gillnets persist in the marine environment for long time which contributes and impacts the ongoing damage to wildlife and habitats.
Gillnets have varying mesh sizes, depending on the size of the fish targeted. When fish swim into the net, their gills get caught in the mesh, trapping them.
These nets are often set in place in the water for long periods, either on the surface or at different depths, depending on the fishing method.
Ghost Trawls
These nets are typically towed behind a fishing boat, either along the seafloor (bottom trawling) or in midwater (pelagic trawling), depending on the target species.
The net is designed to funnel marine life into a bag or chamber at the end of the net, where they are caught.
Ghost Traps
When these traps are lost, they become "ghost traps," continuing to capture marine species even after they are no longer in use.
Ghost Lines
Fish, marine mammals, and even seabirds can become entangled in these lines, causing injuries or even death.
Unlike nets, ghost lines don’t trap animals in large quantities, but they can still lead to long, slow suffocation or strangulation.
Ghost Lure
These lures are typically used to attract fish, mimicking the movement or appearance of prey in the water.
When a lure is lost, it becomes part of the ghost gear problem. Ghost lures and their hooks can entangle and injure marine creatures, such as seabirds, sea turtles, and fish.
Seabirds, for example, might mistake the lure for food and become hooked or tangled.
A Journey from waste to wear
Discover how ghost nets can become new products with our partners
Explore our recycling page to see how the ghost nets recovered by Healthy Seas are transformed into new products with the help of our partners. This process has a double advantage: it removes harmful ghost nets from the ocean, protecting marine life, and gives waste a second life, reducing the need for virgin resources.
You can be part of the solution—discover and proudly wear products made from recovered ghost nets, turning ocean waste into something meaningful!