More than 640 000 tonnes of fishing gear is abandoned, lost or discarded in the ocean every year. This fishing gear becomes known as ALDFG (abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear) or ghost gear and continues to trap marine life and seabirds and damages marine habitats. Entangled animals attract predators which then also get entangled in the ghost gear, creating a deadly cycle called 'cyclic catching', making ghost gear one of the greatest killers in our oceans.

Several prevention, mitigation and curative solutions have already been developed to address this issue, such as recovering ALDFG with the help of divers or devices on boats, creating recycling schemes for the fishing nets, using technologies that prevent or reduce the amount of fishing gear lost at sea as well as using biodegradable and compostable nets. New research, trials and projects add to our knowledge of ghost gear and the solutions to it, however, this knowledge is often not easily accessible for all stakeholders and change makers. A knowledge hub focused on ghost gear could facilitate communication and collaboration amongst stakeholders, provide a database for scientific data and literature, and increase the reach and impact of research and projects. GhostNetWork believes there is an urgent need for such a hub, to ensure the best available knowledge is accessible when it comes to deciding how, where and when to invest in different solutions to ALDFG.

GhostNetWork has created a platform for networking purposes where stakeholders can come together and discuss new initiatives to tackle the issue of ghost gear. Nevertheless, the pilot version of the platform still lacks fundamental features.

A digital solution, possibly optimised for mobile devices, would help people, communities, and organisations located near the coast to be more organised, efficient, and active regarding the identification, collection, and dismantling of ALDFG. More precisely it would help:

•  Connecting people, organisations, and relevant stakeholders such as NGOs, waste management companies, brands who use recycled fishing gear in their products, scientists, etc.

•  Organising and scheduling activities that involve the community, like beach cleanups and ALDFG collection expeditions, for example publishing events and their relevant information (where, when).

•  Collecting data and information about the kind of waste and ghost gear people and organizations found.

•  Building up a database of all the organisations involved in collecting and dismantling ALDFG, open to anyone interested.

•  Increasing the impact of current and new initiatives who are implementing solutions to the issue.

Possible Solution

An app, ideally a mobile and improved version of our current networking platform, where users can connect with others in order to learn more about ALDFG, participate in events, and start new projects and initiatives, or strengthen existing ones.

Integrating the scientific database, the social network features, and the educational content in a functional hub may be the key to helping stakeholders tackle ALDFG more efficiently.