Ghost Gear Report - 50

FISHERS SHOULD
BE TRAINED AND
READY TO RETRIEVE
LOST FISHING GEAR
TO THE EXTENT IT IS
SAFE TO DO SO.

MITIGATION ACTIONS
Managing for the inevitable loss of some fishing gear also includes adopting practices to limit or mitigate ghost fishing when gear is lost. Effective methods include the
inclusion of biodegradable components into fishing gear designs so that the gear is
disabled and does not continue ghost fishing144,145,146,147,148. In North American shellfish
fisheries, traps are commonly required to include an egress hatch that allows for target
species escapement if the trap is lost. These hatches are commonly secured close with
biodegradable twine (biotwine) that is designed to degrade over time if the trap is lost.
This simple best practice can reduce and even eliminate ghost fishing in lost traps depending on the time it takes for the biotwine to degrade and the length of time animals
can live in a lost trap without food149.
Some FADs in current use include some biodegradable components. Completely biodegradable FADs will solve a lot of problems associated with lost and abandoned FADs150.
Currently, three of the four Tuna RFMOs (ICCAT, IOTC and WCPFC) promote the use
of biodegradable FADs, but none require their use151. Fishers and other organizations
are testing effectiveness of biodegradable FAD designs in various ocean settings152,153.
Biodegradable nets are still in the research stage and more work needs to be done to
design other types of gears with biodegradable components154,155. Gear designers and
producers can help to limit ghost fishing by advancing the use of biodegradable materials in fishing gears. Fishers participation in designing and testing of innovative
gear designs is essential to ensure the designs are fit for purpose.

CURATIVE ACTIONS
Even in the best managed fisheries in the world, fishing gear is abandoned or lost due
to weather, mechanical problems, accidents at sea or human error. Curing, or elimi-

50



Ghost Gear Report

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ghost Gear Report

Contents
Ghost Gear Report - 1
Ghost Gear Report - 2
Ghost Gear Report - Contents
Ghost Gear Report - 4
Ghost Gear Report - 5
Ghost Gear Report - 6
Ghost Gear Report - 7
Ghost Gear Report - 8
Ghost Gear Report - 9
Ghost Gear Report - 10
Ghost Gear Report - 11
Ghost Gear Report - 12
Ghost Gear Report - 13
Ghost Gear Report - 14
Ghost Gear Report - 15
Ghost Gear Report - 16
Ghost Gear Report - 17
Ghost Gear Report - 18
Ghost Gear Report - 19
Ghost Gear Report - 20
Ghost Gear Report - 21
Ghost Gear Report - 22
Ghost Gear Report - 23
Ghost Gear Report - 24
Ghost Gear Report - 25
Ghost Gear Report - 26
Ghost Gear Report - 27
Ghost Gear Report - 28
Ghost Gear Report - 29
Ghost Gear Report - 30
Ghost Gear Report - 31
Ghost Gear Report - 32
Ghost Gear Report - 33
Ghost Gear Report - 34
Ghost Gear Report - 35
Ghost Gear Report - 36
Ghost Gear Report - 37
Ghost Gear Report - 38
Ghost Gear Report - 39
Ghost Gear Report - 40
Ghost Gear Report - 41
Ghost Gear Report - 42
Ghost Gear Report - 43
Ghost Gear Report - 44
Ghost Gear Report - 45
Ghost Gear Report - 46
Ghost Gear Report - 47
Ghost Gear Report - 48
Ghost Gear Report - 49
Ghost Gear Report - 50
Ghost Gear Report - 51
Ghost Gear Report - 52
Ghost Gear Report - 53
Ghost Gear Report - 54
Ghost Gear Report - 55
Ghost Gear Report - 56
Ghost Gear Report - 57
Ghost Gear Report - 58
Ghost Gear Report - 59
Ghost Gear Report - 60
Ghost Gear Report - 61
Ghost Gear Report - 62
Ghost Gear Report - 63
Ghost Gear Report - 64
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