Kiera Jefferson
Fishing equipment is a significant contributor to pollution in the world's oceans. While commercial fishing fleets are often the focus of discussions about the environmental impact of fishing, recreational angling can also have a substantial effect on ocean pollution. Lost or discarded fishing gear, known as ghost gear, is estimated to make up at least 10% of total ocean plastics and poses a severe threat to marine life and ecosystems. The issue of ghost gear is exacerbated by poor regulation of the fishing industry and slow progress in creating ocean sanctuaries off-limits to industrial fishing. Additionally, the use of single-use plastic packaging and plastic-made fishing gear contributes to the pollution from fishing activities. Addressing river emissions, the largest source of plastic pollution into the oceans, and reducing plastic waste from fishing are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of fishing equipment on ocean pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fishing equipment as a source of ocean pollution | 10% of ocean plastic pollution |
| Fishing gear as a subset of plastic pollution | 75-86% of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch |
| Ghost gear as a subset of fishing gear | 10% of ocean plastic pollution |
| Ghost gear as a cause of marine life death | Kills over 100,000 seals, sea lions, and large whales annually |
| Ghost gear as a cause of marine life injury | Threatens 66% of marine animals, including all sea turtle species and 50% of seabirds |
| Ghost gear as a cause of coral reef damage | Nets and lines can damage coral reefs |
| Ghost gear as a source of chemical pollution | Fishing gear can develop and release toxins and chemical pollutants |
| Ghost gear as a source of microplastic pollution | Fishing gear breaks down into microplastics that are consumed by marine species |
| Fishing as a cause of carbon emissions | Carbon stored in seafloor sediments is at risk of being released by bottom-trawling fishing |
| Fishing as a cause of habitat destruction | Blast fishing, cyanide fishing, and trawling can destroy coral reefs |
| Recreational fishing as a source of marine debris | More than 200 million recreational anglers lose fishing gear in the ocean |
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What You'll Learn
Fishing gear is a major source of ocean plastic pollution
Fishing gear is a significant source of ocean plastic pollution, with abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing equipment (known as "ghost gear") making up at least 10% of total ocean plastic waste. This includes nets, lines, ropes, and traps that are left in the water, posing a severe threat to marine life and ecosystems.
A recent study by The Nature Conservancy and the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that over 100 million pounds of plastic from fishing gear pollute the oceans annually. This figure only accounts for lost gear, so the actual amount of plastic pollution from fishing equipment is likely much higher. Ghost gear can persist for hundreds of years, continuously entangling and trapping marine animals, such as fishes, sharks, turtles, rays, and seabirds, leading to injuries, starvation, or death.
The commercial fishing industry is the primary source of ghost gear in the oceans. Factors contributing to the problem include entanglement on reefs, rocks, and other obstructions, conflicts with vessels or other gear, bad weather, extended soak times, deep-sea fishing, and intentional discarding, especially from illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing practices. Additionally, as global demand for seafood rises, large-scale fishing operations grow, further exacerbating the issue of ghost gear and its impacts.
Recreational angling also contributes to ocean plastic pollution from lost or discarded fishing gear. While each individual angler may believe they have minimal impact, with over 200 million recreational anglers worldwide, the collective effect is significant. Unlike commercial fishing, recreational angling is often less regulated, with many developing countries lacking legislation to manage it.
To address the problem of fishing gear pollution, efforts should focus on supporting studies and legislation aimed at mitigating ocean pollution, promoting sustainable seafood consumption, and reducing waste. Recreational anglers can adopt ocean-friendly practices, such as using stone or metal weights and artificial bait that does not contain lead. Additionally, improving recreational fisheries management globally can generate substantial social benefits. By tackling fishing gear pollution and other sources of ocean waste, we can help protect marine life and ecosystems and ensure the long-term health of our oceans.
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Recreational angling contributes to ocean pollution
While commercial fishing fleets are often blamed for the destruction of our oceans, recreational angling also contributes significantly to ocean pollution. With over 200 million people participating in recreational angling each year, it is important to consider the collective impact of this hobby.
Recreational anglers often lose a line or a hook during their trips, and this lost gear can be extremely harmful to marine life. Abandoned fishing gear can entangle and trap various marine animals, including fishes, sharks, turtles, rays, manatees, and seabirds, causing injuries or death. This type of abandoned gear is known as "ghost gear," and it is a major source of ocean plastic pollution. Ghost gear can also damage important habitats such as coral reefs, grass beds, and salt marshes.
In addition to the direct impact of lost gear, recreational angling can also contribute to pollution through the use of lead weights and bait. Using stone or metal weights and artificial bait that does not contain lead can help reduce this source of pollution.
While it may be difficult to imagine the impact of a single angler, the collective actions of 200 million recreational anglers can have a significant effect on ocean health. To mitigate this impact, anglers can support studies and legislation aimed at reducing ocean pollution, consume sustainably sourced seafood, and reduce waste. Improving recreational fisheries management globally can also generate substantial social benefits.
Overall, recreational angling is a significant contributor to ocean pollution, and it is important for anglers to adopt ocean-friendly practices to minimize their impact on marine ecosystems and the environment.
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Ghost gear kills marine animals
Ghost gear, also known as abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear, is a major source of ocean plastic pollution and one of the biggest threats to marine animals. It is estimated that ghost gear makes up 10% of ocean plastic pollution and forms the majority of large plastic littering the waters. It includes nets, lines, ropes, pots, traps, and other equipment used in fishing that has been lost, abandoned, or otherwise discarded in the ocean and is no longer under the control of the fisherman who set it.
Ghost gear can remain active for decades, continuing to catch and kill marine animals in its path. It can trap, injure, mutilate, and kill marine animals through entanglement, causing exhaustion, suffocation, starvation, and even death. It is estimated that ghost gear traps more than 136,000 marine animals each year, including seals, sea lions, small whales, fish, turtles, dolphins, whales, seabirds, and crustaceans.
In addition to the direct harm caused to marine animals, ghost gear can also smother and damage sensitive habitats such as coral reefs. It can facilitate the spread of invasive species, devastate shorelines, and damage boats. Ghost gear can also develop and release toxins and chemical pollutants, which are harmful to habitats and the entire food web. As ghost gear breaks down, it turns into microplastics that can be ingested by marine animals and humans, either directly or indirectly through the food chain and drinking water. These microplastics can remain in the environment for up to 600 years and pose a significant threat to life and ecosystems.
The problem of ghost gear is exacerbated by poor regulation and slow political progress in creating ocean sanctuaries that are off-limits to industrial fishing. However, there are efforts being made to address this issue, such as the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), which aims to reduce the amount of ghost gear in the oceans. Prevention is often considered the most effective approach to dealing with ghost gear, but removal methods such as using divers or specialized equipment to retrieve gear from the ocean floor are also employed.
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Overfishing and pollution of the oceans contribute to the climate crisis
The ocean is a crucial ally in the fight against climate breakdown, acting as a net sink of human CO2 emissions for the last 200 years. However, overfishing and ocean pollution, largely driven by the fishing industry, are contributing to the climate crisis.
A recent study by The Nature Conservancy and the University of California Santa Barbara found that over 100 million pounds of plastic pollute the oceans yearly from fishing gear. Abandoned fishing gear, also known as "ghost gear," is particularly dangerous. It can entangle and kill marine species, damage coral reefs and other important habitats, and release toxins and chemical pollutants. When these materials break down, they turn into microplastics that are consumed by marine life. While commercial fishing fleets are often associated with ocean destruction, recreational angling can also contribute to ocean pollution. With over 200 million recreational anglers worldwide, the loss of a single line or hook by each angler can have a significant cumulative impact.
Overfishing exacerbates the climate crisis by reducing fish biomass, which is essential for capturing and storing carbon in the oceans. Bottom trawl fishing, a destructive technique that uses weighted nets on steel skids to capture a maximum number of fish, has destroyed thousands of tonnes of corals. Depleted fish stocks require more fuel to catch, emitting extra carbon into the atmosphere and disturbing fish reproduction and migration patterns.
To address the climate crisis, it is crucial to end overfishing, phase out destructive fishing techniques, and restore depleted fish stocks. By increasing fish biomass, the ocean can sequester more carbon, enhancing its climate change mitigation capacity. Additionally, healthier ecosystems are more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change. Therefore, tackling overfishing and ocean pollution are essential steps in mitigating the climate crisis.
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Shark culling programs have been deemed cruel and ineffective
A recent study by The Nature Conservancy and the University of California Santa Barbara found that over 100 million pounds of plastic enter the oceans each year from fishing gear alone. This figure only accounts for lost gear, so the true amount of pollution from fishing equipment is likely to be even higher. Fishing gear is designed to catch fish, so when it is abandoned in the ocean, it can continue to trap, injure, and kill marine life, a phenomenon known as "ghost fishing". This abandoned gear can also damage important marine habitats, such as coral reefs, grass beds, and salt marshes, and can release toxins and chemical pollutants that harm the entire marine food web. When these materials break down, they turn into microplastics, which are then consumed by marine species.
Shark culling, the deliberate killing of sharks by government authorities, has been criticised by environmentalists, conservationists, scientists, animal rights activists, and shark experts as cruel and ineffective. They argue that sharks are important to the marine ecosystem, and that killing them harms this ecosystem and is unethical. While government officials often cite public safety and the reduction of shark attacks as reasons for culling, there is little evidence that culling reduces the likelihood of shark attacks. In fact, it may even exacerbate the problem, as injured sharks on baited hooks can attract other sharks to the area.
The impact of culling is minor compared to the number of sharks caught by the commercial fishing industry, with 50 million sharks caught annually for food and sport. Additionally, culling programs have resulted in the deaths of other marine animals, such as dolphins, turtles, and whales. For example, in New South Wales, Australia, between 1950 and 2008, 577 great white sharks were killed, along with 352 tiger sharks. During this period, a total of 15,135 marine animals were killed, including whales, turtles, rays, dolphins, and dugongs. More recently, between September 2017 and April 2018, more than 403 animals were killed in the nets, including 10 critically endangered grey nurse sharks, seven dolphins, and seven green sea turtles.
Shark culling can also have negative consequences for the oceanic ecosystem. Sharks play a crucial role in regulating the behaviour of their prey, preventing overgrazing, and controlling the populations of other species, such as seals, which eat fish that humans rely on for food and trade. Reducing shark populations can lead to imbalances in the ocean ecosystem and have serious environmental consequences. Furthermore, most shark species take a long time to reach maturity and reproduce slowly, making them vulnerable to overfishing and population decline.
While shark attacks can be frightening, they are incredibly rare. The popular perception that sharks are dangerous and must be culled to protect humans is not supported by the data. There are also alternative approaches to consider, such as netting beaches, although this method also carries the risk of bycatch and slow, painful deaths for sharks. Overall, shark culling programs have been deemed cruel and ineffective, and there are more reasonable and ethical ways to protect humans from shark attacks.
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Frequently asked questions
Fishing gear is the biggest plastic polluter in the ocean, with nets and lines making up the majority of large plastic litter in the water. It is estimated that 5.7% of fishing nets, 8.6% of traps and pots, and 29% of fishing lines used globally are lost, abandoned, or otherwise discarded into the environment.
Fishing gear can get entangled on reefs, rocks, and other obstructions, or lost due to extended soak times, fishing in deep habitats, or deploying excessive gear. Intentional discarding, including from illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, also contributes to the problem.
Plastic pollution from fishing gear, also known as "ghost gear", poses a significant threat to marine life and ecosystems. It can entangle and trap marine animals, causing injuries or death, and release toxins that are harmful to habitats and the food web. When broken down into microplastics, it can also be ingested by fish and other species.
Recreational fishing can also have an impact on plastic pollution in the ocean, with an estimated 200 million recreational anglers losing lines or hooks during their trips. While it may seem like a small contribution from a single angler, the collective impact of recreational fishing on plastic pollution is significant.
To reduce plastic pollution from fishing gear, better regulation and enforcement of fishing practices are needed. This includes creating ocean sanctuaries that are off-limits to industrial fishing and holding the fishing industry accountable for its waste. Additionally, supporting sustainable seafood practices and reducing waste can also help mitigate the impact of fishing gear on plastic pollution.
