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The role of recycling and biodegradable materials in aquaculture and fisheries
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This review examines the status and technical barriers to recycling plastics from fishing gear and aquaculture equipment in Norway and Iceland, and assesses biodegradable materials as an alternative, noting that circular value chains are critical for reducing the substantial microplastic pollution generated across the lifecycle of aquaculture plastics. Fishing gear and aquaculture equipment are among the largest sources of plastic pollution in marine environments, making sector-specific recycling solutions a priority.
Plastic components are widely used in fisheries and aquaculture (F&A) systems due to their lightweight, durability, cost efficiency, and resistance to seawater corrosion. Common applications include solid blocks, filaments, ropes, nets, and films. However, plastics in F&A contribute significantly to marine pollution, generating macro- and microplastics throughout their lifecycle. Recycling and reusing plastics from fishing gear and aquaculture systems have become critical to addressing this issue. Mechanical and chemical recycling methods exist for these materials, but future product designs may need to prioritise circularity by incorporating recycled plastics over virgin materials. Developing circular value chains in the F&A sector is essential for reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainability. This chapter presents the status of waste handling and investigates the technical barriers, challenges, and solutions for recycling plastics in Norway and Iceland’s F&A sectors. It also explores replacing traditional plastics like polyamide (PA) 6 (Nylon), polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) with innovative biodegradable materials. These alternatives are designed to degrade faster in sea water after a specific period, mitigating issues such as persistent littering and ghost fishing. This chapter examines the benefits and limitations of biodegradable fishing gear made from materials such as PBSAT (polybutylene succinate-co-adipate-co-terephthalate) and PBSA poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) and evaluates their suitability for specific applications. Additionally, it assesses the degradation behaviour of these materials to determine their effectiveness in reducing long-term marine pollution compared to conventional gear. By addressing recycling practices and promoting biodegradable alternatives, this chapter highlights strategies for reducing the environmental impact of plastics in F&A while advancing sustainable resource use. Despite the challenges, biodegradable materials have the potential to replace commonly used plastics in various components of fishing gear. This substitution can significantly help reduce plastic pollution, minimise microplastic formation, and prevent ghost fishing. Examples include gillnet meshes, longline snoods, and dolly ropes for bottom trawls.
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Microplastic pollution from fishing gear: Emerging risks and management pathways
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Fishing gear like nets and trawls sheds an estimated 200 tons of microplastic into Norwegian waters every year, with certain fishing methods (Danish seine and trawl nets) responsible for most of the pollution. These plastics can work their way into the marine food chain—and ultimately onto our plates through seafood—but this review suggests switching to biodegradable gear materials could meaningfully cut emissions, though doing so will require rethinking how fishing rights and quotas are currently managed.
Reducing plastic pollution caused by demersal fisheries
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Bottom trawling and demersal seining fishing gear steadily shed microplastics into the ocean as they wear down, and in Norway alone they account for over 70% of demersal fish catches while also being among the top sources of fishery-related microplastic pollution. Switching to biodegradable polymer alternatives for these nets could reduce marine plastic litter, even if end-of-life incineration rather than recycling remains the likely disposal route.
Eco-friendly Fishing Gear and Sustainable Materials: A Review
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This review examines the shift toward eco-friendly fishing gear — including biodegradable polymers, GPS-enabled retrieval systems, and modular designs — as a way to reduce the massive amount of microplastic pollution caused by abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing nets and lines. Case studies from the EU, Japan, the US, and elsewhere show promising results, but barriers like cost and fisher awareness still limit widespread adoption. Addressing lost fishing gear is important because it is one of the ocean's largest sources of persistent plastic debris.
Multi-stakeholder perspective to generate evidence and strategies for sustainable management of ropes from the fishing sector of Norway
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This study used material flow analysis to assess plastic mass flows from Norway's commercial fishing sector, finding approximately 383 tons of fishing ropes lost annually in Norwegian waters. Only one-third of the 15 rope types analyzed could be efficiently recycled with current technologies, identifying significant gaps in circularity for this major source of marine plastic pollution.
Evaluating Pollution from Aquaculture Materials and Developing Sustainable Alternatives to Reduce Marine Environmental Impacts: A Case Study in Vietnam
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Researchers assessed the status of marine pollution associated with aquaculture activities in Vietnam, with particular emphasis on plastic and microplastic contamination from aquaculture materials, and developed recommendations for more sustainable alternatives to reduce the environmental footprint of coastal aquaculture operations.
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