© shutterstock/ vitrolphoto Major gaps and challenges in the existing international, regional and sub-regional frameworks include127: ● A lack of harmonized binding standards at the global level for the mitigation of pollution by plastic waste, including ghost gear; ● A lack of global standards for research, monitoring and reporting of ghost gear, which leads to geographic gaps on the scale of the issue in many parts of the world; ● A lack of coordinated efforts to address and assess the extent of ghost gear in the marine environment, and the associated marine species, ecosystem and health risks; ● A lack of effective compliance and enforcement mechanisms; ● No global liability and compensation mechanism for pollution by plastic, including ghost gear. 43