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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.
The fishing industry plays a vital role in global food security and livelihoods; however, its heavy dependence on synthetic, non-biodegradable fishing gear has intensified marine pollution, ghost fishing, and biodiversity loss. Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) continues to trap marine organisms for decades, contributing significantly to ecosystem degradation and microplastic contamination. This review critically examines recent advancements in eco-friendly fishing gear and sustainable materials, with a focus on biodegradable polymers, natural fibers, recyclable materials, and innovative gear designs aimed at reducing environmental impacts. Case studies from regions including the European Union, Japan, India, the United States, and Norway are analyzed to evaluate the environmental performance, economic feasibility, and regulatory support for sustainable fishing technologies. Innovative approaches such as biodegradable escape panels, LED-illuminated nets, non-entangling designs, GPS-enabled retrieval systems, and modular recyclable gear structures are assessed for their effectiveness in reducing bycatch and ghost fishing. The key findings reveal a global shift toward biodegradable materials, smart fishing technologies, and circular economy models, highlighting a major trend toward integrating environmental sustainability with fishing efficiency. Despite these advancements, challenges related to cost, durability, fisher awareness, and large-scale implementation remain significant barriers to adoption. The review concludes that eco-friendly fishing gear represents a viable pathway toward sustainable fisheries management, but its success depends on continued technological innovation, policy support, economic incentives, and collaborative engagement among governments, researchers, and the fishing industry to ensure long-term marine ecosystem resilience and sustainability.
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This study reviews biodegradable fishing gear based on copolyesters such as PBSAT and PBSA as sustainable alternatives to conventional polyamide nets, which persist in the ocean as ghost gear and generate microplastics. The authors assess the degradation performance, mechanical properties, and environmental profiles of biodegradable gear materials, finding them promising candidates for reducing ghost net pollution.
Biodegradable fishing gears: A potential solution to ghost fishing and marine plastic pollution
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Researchers evaluated biodegradable materials as alternatives to conventional nylon fishing gear to reduce ghost fishing and marine plastic pollution. They found that biodegradable nets caught fish at comparable rates but broke down much faster in ocean conditions, significantly reducing their long-term environmental impact. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable fishing gear could meaningfully reduce marine litter and the ongoing harm caused by lost or abandoned nets.
Properties and Recyclability of Abandoned Fishing Net-Based Plastic Debris
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This review examines how abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear degrades in marine environments through biocatalytic and photocatalytic mechanisms, while exploring the ecological damage caused and evaluating recycling practices and alternative uses as strategies for managing this significant source of marine plastic pollution.
An Integrated Approach to Assessing the Potential of Plastic Fishing Gear to Release Microplastics
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Researchers developed an integrated approach to assess how abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear releases microplastics into marine environments. The study found that fishing gear is a significant but understudied source of microplastic pollution, and the research provides new methods for quantifying microplastic release from different types of plastic fishing equipment.
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.
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