Ghost Gear Report - 10

Eleven million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean every year . Plastic waste
SOME STUDIES pollutes
every corner of the ocean, threatens aquatic wildlife, and even ends up in the
seafood
we
eat. And despite growing awareness, the problem continues to get worse.
ESTIMATE THAT
OVER 90% OF
of the most damaging types of marine plastic pollution is abandoned, lost or
SPECIES CAUGHT One
discarded fishing gear - commonly called "ghost gear". While it's a problem that's
IN GHOST been known for decades, only in last few years have we begun to understand the full extent
GEAR ARE OF of the issue - and what we can do about it.
COMMERCIAL
VALUE. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
4

It's estimated that ghost gear makes up at least 10% of marine litter. That means
somewhere between 500,000 and 1 million tonnes of fishing gear gets left in
the ocean every year5,6. Nets, lines and ropes from fishing and shipping make up
46% of the 45,000-129,000 tonnes of plastic floating in the North Pacific
Gyre7.
Ghost gear is the most deadly form of marine plastic debris8. Marine debris
impacts 45% of marine mammals, 21% of seabirds and all species of sea turtles - and
across all species groups, ghost gear is the type most likely to prove lethal9. In the Gulf
of Mexico, for example, abandoned gillnets have driven the vaquita porpoise to the
brink of extinction - only around 10 remain.

AT LEAST 46%
OF THE GREAT
PACIFIC GARBAGE
PATCH IS MADE
OF FISHING GEAR.

Many animals that get caught or entangled within abandoned fishing lines, nets, traps
and other gear die a slow and painful death through suffocation or exhaustion10.
Ghost gear also damages valuable marine habitats11,12,13,14.
Since it's intentionally designed to ensnare and capture fish, it's hardly surprising that
fishing gear continues to catch fish and other marine life even after it's been lost or
discarded15,16,17,18. And when it's made of plastic that can take decades to break down,
the effects can continue for many years. This can undermine the sustainability and
economic returns from fisheries as part of their harvest is lost - some studies estimate
that over 90% of species caught in ghost gear are of commercial value19.
Other sectors are affected too. Ghost gear pose a navigation hazard, threatening
the safety of mariners. And like other marine debris, ghost gear can affect tourism by
spoiling an area's natural beauty20.

Ghost Gear Report

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ghost Gear Report