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Chasing Ghosts: Evidence-Based Management of Abandoned Fishing Gear in the Eastern Mediterranean
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Researchers conducted a quantitative assessment of China's plastic restriction policy implementation from 2008 to 2025, measuring the impact of successive regulatory measures on plastic production, consumption, and waste generation. Early lightweight bag restrictions produced measurable reductions, while more comprehensive bans on single-use items showed variable compliance across product categories.
The environmental problem of abandoned fishing gear (e.g., ghost nets) exists on a world scale. It impacts marine biodiversity for decades after the nets has become lost in the ocean. In Cyprus (eastern Mediterranean), ghost nets are found almost everywhere around the island, threatening marine life and human activities, such as scuba diving, fishing and navigation. To achieve meaningful outcomes for biodiversity conservation and the management of an offshore site that is particularly affected by ghost nets, the Jubilee Shoals, this issue is addressed in this study with an evidence-based approach. Pre-removal surveys were necessary to assess the nets and produce the environmental, ecological and structural data for the calculation of the Gear Removal Index (GRI). The results of a revised version of the index (GRI+) that includes species of conservation interest and invasive species were cross-checked in the field by divers with experience in marine ecology and similar removals. About 3 km of nets in total were successfully removed. The implementation of the GRI+ was an important proof-of-concept for environmental managers, aiding them to decide whether it would be necessary (or not) to perform removals and highlighting the index as a useful tool for the protection and management of Cyprus’ marine habitats.
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The cryptic and transboundary nature of ghost gear in the Maldivian Archipelago
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This study investigates the distribution and movement of abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear—known as ghost gear—across the Macaronesian marine region, revealing how currents carry this debris across national boundaries. The findings underscore the transboundary nature of ghost gear pollution and the need for coordinated international management strategies to address this cryptic threat to marine ecosystems.
Marine Organisms Fouling on Ghost Nets in the Sounio Marine Protected Area (Greece)
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Researchers conducted underwater clean-up operations in a marine protected area near Sounio, Greece, removing 1,200 kg of abandoned fishing nets and documenting 68 species that had colonized them. The study highlights how ghost nets threaten marine environments through species entrapment, habitat alteration, and microplastic release, while providing baseline data for monitoring plastic pollution in Mediterranean protected areas.
Lost Fishing Gear Generated by Artisanal Fishing Along the Moroccan Mediterranean Coast: Quantities and Causes of Loss
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A survey of 138 artisanal fishermen along Morocco's Mediterranean coast found that over 20,000 kg of fishing gear is lost annually — roughly 29% of all gear used — with net-gear accounting for the majority of losses and adverse weather as the primary cause. These findings help quantify the scale of ghost gear as a source of marine plastic pollution and support the case for improved gear tracking and maintenance protocols.
Factors influence on the catch efficiency of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gears (ALDFG): a case from Turkish inland fisheries
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Researchers investigated ghost fishing by abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear in Turkish inland waters, finding that crustaceans comprised 86% of bycatch and that soak time significantly affected fish catch rates. The study confirms that lost gear continues to threaten aquatic ecosystems, with impact varying by species composition, gear type, and net rigging technique.
Untangling the origin of ghost gear within the Maldivian archipelago and its impact on olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) populations
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A five-year study of ghost fishing nets in the Maldives found that nets with larger mesh sizes entangled significantly more olive ridley sea turtles. The findings suggest that managing specific net types used in local fisheries could help reduce turtle bycatch from lost and discarded gear.
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