Wildlife Welfare

Plastic-Free Fishing Gear and Marine Animal Welfare

Plastic fishing gear is a primary source of ghost fishing and marine debris that harms marine animals. Transitioning to biodegradable gear and ghost gear retrieval programs reduces these welfare harms.

Key Facts

An estimated 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear are lost or abandoned in the ocean annually
Lost nets continue to catch fish, crustaceans, and marine mammals for years after abandonment
Biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastic gillnets are in commercial development
Ghost gear retrieval programs have removed hundreds of tonnes of gear from active fishing areas
Marking and tracking requirements help identify lost gear and assign responsibility for removal

Welfare Considerations

Ghost fishing gear causes ongoing, scale-unknowable welfare harm. Animals entangled in abandoned nets drown or suffer debilitating injuries over long periods without any opportunity for human intervention. Biodegradable gear that becomes non-entangling after loss eliminates ghost fishing entirely. Ghost gear retrieval programs address existing gear. Marking and tracking requirements create accountability for lost gear and incentivize recovery.

What You Can Do

Support organizations retrieving ghost fishing gear from high-density fishing areas
Advocate for biodegradable gear requirements and lost gear marking standards in fisheries policy
Donate to ghost gear retrieval programs operating in your region
Learn about the welfare and ecological impacts of ghost fishing in your local fisheries