Ghost Nets - Death Traps of the Fishing Industry
Derelict Driftnets Kill Ocean Life and Destroy Marine Ecosystems
Sep 17, 2009
Sometimes commercial fishers continue fishing long after they return to the docks. How so? Whether intentional or accidental, many leave their nets behind.
These nets, called "ghost nets" or "ghostnets," equal death for marine life. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), abandoned nets float aimlessly across huge swaths of ocean. Per NOAA's article, "Catching Ghostnets," the volume is greater than expected:
"While this problem has been known to fisheries managers and fishermen alike, the sheer mass of ghostnets has come as an unpleasant surprise to NOAA scientists."
Isolated or Plentiful, Ghostnets Prove Hazardous to Marine Life
Discarded fishing nets pose enduring threats. Wind and ocean currents concentrate them into larger, deadlier masses, much like the plastic pollution collecting at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The nets' synthetic materials decay slowly. The ocean cannot break down their plastic or nylon fibers. Hence, ghostnets "can continue to drift for years."
As they drift, ghostnets kill, continuing to fish despite their former owners' cessation. No marine animal is safe from their catch. "As they are unattended and roaming, they fish indiscriminately, not only catching threatened species but undersized and protected fish as well," says the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme. Victims range from depleted marine mammals, like belugas and vaquitas, to turtles, birds, and fish. According to Live Science's article, "Ocean Loaded with Deadly ‘Ghostnets’," divers freed 170 endangered Hawaiian monk seals from ghost nets in the last decade. Other animals, like turtles and certain fish, view the floating masses as food and shelter sources. For many species, nets go unperceived, making them a uniquely deadly form of pollution.
But that's not where their perils end. Ghostnets affect entire marine ecosystems. Per NOAA:
"Many end up trapped on the coral reefs, where entanglement rates are even higher than in the open ocean and where they damage the fragile coral. Once snagged on reefs they are extremely costly, time-consuming and dangerous to remove."
Who Will Reduce and Remove Ghostnets?
The fishing industry is certainly aware of the environmental impacts of ghostnets. Many commercial fishers pursue solutions. Unintended and unutilized catch benefits no one and reduces potential sources of income. Responsible fishermen work together to limit the number of nets left behind.
Then there's the other breed, those who seemingly don't care. Some use giant driftnets, many miles long, for high-volume fishing. According to the High Seas Ghostnet Project, "legal and illegal driftnet operations continue, wreaking havoc on marine fisheries and wildlife population," despite being banned by the United Nations.
Removing ghostnets takes effort. Those caught on reefs require divers to cut them free. Endlessly drifting, the "detection and real-time monitoring of these ghostnets at sea has been impossible until recent advancements in remote-sensing technology," says the Ghostnet Project.
Organizations, like the Ghostnet Project, make net removal possible. The Project's mission is to "develop tools for locating, assessing and preventing the environmental and navigational impact of marine debris and ghostnets in the Pacific Ocean."
The U.S. Coast Guard and agencies from several coastal nations are also active in removal. In November 2008, the Coast Guard removed four tons of nets and garbage from the Hawaii's Kure Atoll.
Other groups, like Australia's Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme, exemplify humanity at its best. The Programme consists of Gulf of Carpentaria communities, working together to remove nets and rescue trapped animals.
Is Enough Being Done to Remove Ghostnets and Protect Marine Life
According to Ichiro Nomura, Assistant Director-General for Fisheries and Aquaculture for the United Nations:
"The amount of fishing gear remaining in the marine environment will continue to accumulate and the impacts on marine ecosystems will continue to get worse if the international community doesn't take effective steps to deal with the problem of marine debris as a whole. Strategies for addressing the problem must occur on multiple fronts, including prevention, mitigation, and curative measures."
What strategies should be employed? Convergence zones should be a focal point of clean-up activities. The Ghostnet Project suggests using satellite or aircraft-based remote sensing to detect derelict nets. Sea-bed imaging can be used to avoid snagging nets on reefs. These technologies show promise but are costly. Thus, analyzing ocean dynamics is the most cost-effective means to locating and removing ghostnets.
Still, technology and research won't stop the problem at its source. Fishing equipment is expensive, and fishers don't want to lose it. But storms and accidents happen. Commercial fishers should be encouraged to mark gear, report lost gear, and remove derelict gear from the ocean. Where possible, equipment with biodegradable parts should be employed. Governments should provide financial incentives that promote these activities.
Fishing is the livelihood of millions. Ghostnets are the industry's unfortunate by-product. However, the ghostnet problem has solutions. With reasonable efforts by commercial fishers and coastal governments, economical and environmental efforts can harmoniously coincide.
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