Ghost Gear

Approximately 12 million tonnes of plastic pollution ends up in our oceans annually, with ghost gear comprising almost one million tonnes. Ghost gear is fishing gear that has been lost or abandoned at sea and is carried through the ocean by currents. Modernization of fishing supply production means gear is now made of more durable plastics, woods, and metals that take much longer to naturally break down. Ghost gear is especially harmful to biodiversity as it litters the ocean floor while trapping and killing wildlife. Due to its tendency to entangle marine life it is considered to be even more dangerous after it’s abandoned or lost.

Whether ghost gear is lost at sea accidentally or dumped intentionally, it threatens all kinds of marine organisms for decades to come. Once gear ends up in waterways, it can capture, injure, or kill a variety of species, ranging from fish and crustaceans to larger marine mammals such as turtles, birds, and whales. The most common cause of death caused by ghost fishing gear is suffocation since it's easy for organisms to get wrapped and ensnared in nets or other debris. 

Ghost gear also poses a threat to the safety of humans and sea vessels, as ships can be damaged and potentially sink due to collisions with hazardous gear. Ghost gear in our waterways also poses a threat to fisheries since the pollution from ghost nets is causing fish stocks to decline and affects their ability to hunt or reproduce. Studies show that 90% of species caught by ghost gear are commercially valuable, and some fish stocks have experienced a decline of up to 30% due to ghost gear. 

It is important that we are quick and tactful in approaching the issue of ghost gear, as it is degrading the ocean, disrupting wildlife, and will have a negative effect on Canada’s fisheries. We need to strengthen regulations that help reduce the loss of gear and support the existing organizations working to make changes. There also needs to be support for fishers to deal with this issue by providing them with an easy and accessible recycling program for used gear. 

Stakeholders & Coastal Champions

  • ESPS is a volunteer run non-profit committed to the protection of sensitive marine ecosystems and coastal areas surrounding British Columbia. Specifically, ESPS focuses ongoing efforts on protecting said marine life from the impactful effects of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear. Find them here.

  • Formed in 2018, the Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada (FGCAC) is a non-profit organization working on strategies to preventing and developing sustainable solutions to end-of-life fishing gear and abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). Their organization works towards their 3 main areas of focus (or pillars) : resource management, retrieval & innovation, and research & communications. Find them here.

  • Surfrider foundation cultivates a supportive atmosphere where volunteers can emerge as environmental leaders in their communities. Their work aims to grow environmental capacity on the ground in coastal communities. Find them here.

  • Cape Breton Environmental Association (CBEA) is a non-profit founded in 2017. Originally formed to help curb Cape Breton’s ongoing illegal dumping issue, grew to be an organization that offers environmental awareness through education and participation. Cape Breton Environmental Association works alongside community groups, government agencies and fishing associations across Cape Breton and Atlantic Canada to properly address ghost gear and other forms of marine pollution. Find them here.

  • A local business dedicated to cleaning the shorelines of Nova Scotia and recycling the debris to be used in jewelry, art, and other creations. Each purchase of their locally made products helps send their team to the Nova Scotian shorelines to remove one pound of trash. They commit to cleaning the oceans, creating awareness of the plastic pollution crisis, and connecting likeminded individuals to create positive change and clean local shorelines. Find them here.

  • In 2008, the Fundy North Fishermen’s Association began a project to identify and retrieve ghost gear. Their fishermen have gone from identifying the need for mitigating ghost gear and developing grapnel equipment to the successful completion of a retrieval project. From 2008 to 2015, a great deal of ghost gear was retrieved from the waters of the Bay of Fundy. Fishermen designed a grapnel to remove ghost gear from waters and dispose of it responsibly. In doing so, this reduces navigational and ecosystem hazards in the water. Find them here.