Ghost Gear Report - 46

THE GGGI, FORMED
IN 2015, IS A
GLOBAL CROSSSECTORAL ALLIANCE
COMMITTED TO
DRIVING SOLUTIONS
TO THE GHOST
GEAR PROBLEM.
THE ALLIANCE HAS
BEEN TACKLING THE
GHOST GEAR ISSUE
BY ENGAGING MORE
THAN 100 MEMBERS.

Despite the global extent of the ghost gear problem and the complexity and diversity
of the world's fisheries, there are many examples of effective actions being taken to
reduce impacts from ghost gear. Fisheries managers all over the world have recognized
the problem of ghost gear and many have taken at least small steps to address the
problem. Gilman (2015)128 noted that 12 of 19 global and regional bodies with authority to manage ghost gear have taken some formal action to reduce ghost gear impacts.
Fishers, fishing industry partners, and ports, NGOs, governments and intergovernmental organizations like FAO, UNEP, IMO, and many others around the globe are
increasingly collaborating to address the problem of ghost gear. Key accomplishments
include the formation of the GGGI and the development of two important guidance
documents designed specifically to address ghost gear on a global scale.

● The GGGI, formed in 2015, is a global cross-sectoral alliance committed to
driving solutions to the ghost gear problem. The alliance has been tackling
the ghost gear issue by engaging more than 100 members from the
private sector, academia, governments, and intergovernmental and nongovernmental organisations. Through the work of the GGGI members, a
connected framework for solutions has emerged and critical guidance on
solving the problem of ghost gear have been developed.
● The GGGI Best Practice Framework for the Management of
Fishing Gear (BPF) is a comprehensive guidance document detailing
best practices for ten stakeholder groups throughout the seafood supply
chain to reduce the amount of ghost gear entering our ocean129. It aligns
closely with best practice recommendations included in other literature
and key international instruments and provides a reference point for
interventions throughout the supply chain specifically on the issue of
ghost gear130,131,132,133.
● FAO Voluntary Guidelines for the Marking of Fishing Gear
(VGMFG) were endorsed by FAO's Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in
July, 2018134. The VGMFG are specifically designed to combat, minimize
and eliminate ghost gear and to identify and recover lost fishing gear.
Thus, the VGMFG does not focus only on marking fishing gear, but also
includes sections on reporting and recovery of ghost gear.

MORE ACTION NEEDED ACROSS THREE
TYPES OF APPROACHES WITH A FOCUS
ON PREVENTION
To effectively address the problem of ghost gear, prevention of gear loss is
most important, so preventive actions should be the top priority for governments,
fishers, and fisheries managers. However, recognizing that gear loss will happen even
in the best managed fisheries, we must also implement effective actions to mitigate
harm from gear that is already lost and actions to retrieve lost fishing gear under some

Ghost Gear Report

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ghost Gear Report