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Ghost Fishing Gear: An Overlooked Threat in Marine Debris Management
Summary
This review examines the problem of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear, often called ghost gear, which continues to catch and kill marine life long after it is lost at sea. The synthetic materials in this gear break down into microplastics and damage ecosystems including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and seafloor habitats. The authors call for stronger policies, biodegradable fishing materials, and better gear tracking technologies to address this overlooked source of ocean plastic pollution.
Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) presents significant ecological and socioeconomic challenges. One of the most critical impacts of ALDFG is its capacity to “ghost fish,” which is influenced by the type of gear (abandoned, discarded, or lost) and the local environment, particularly regarding currents, depth, and location. This phenomenon jeopardises fishers’ sustainability and economic viability, as a portion of their catch is effectively lost. The use of synthetic materials in ghost gear exacerbates issues such as marine life entanglement, mortality, habitat degradation, and microplastic pollution. Ghost gear threatens vital marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and benthic algae. This issue has been recognised and discussed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other international bodies, all of which consider marine debris, including ALDFG, to be a pressing concern. Various mitigation and prevention strategies have been proposed, such as gear marking, biodegradable net materials, financial incentives, enhanced port facilities, and advanced technologies. However, existing measures have proven insufficient to address the challenges ghost gear poses fully. There is a pressing need for comprehensive policies, standards, and management strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of ALDFG. In light of this, it is essential to tackle the problem of abandoned and lost fishing gear collectively and urgently at national, regional, and local levels to ensure the productivity of our oceans and seas for current and future generations.