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Ghost netsThe invisible problem of the (and not only) Baltic Sea

Ewa Milewska

The Project”Collecting Ghost Nets in the Baltic Sea” was funded by Baltic Sea 2020

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GHOST NETS

Lying at the seabed, abandoned, unmarked fishing gears or their parts.

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Main reasons for the occurrence of ghost nets in the sea

• In the past, collisions of gears with other objects, called “hooks”, during hauling also caused by the lack of precise navigation devices;

• Incidental loss of fishing gears due to unfavourable weather conditions;

• Damage of set nets by trawls used by other vessels;• Damage of identifying marks of fishing gears by cargo ships;• Litter form cargo ships (sometimes as big as cars and

containers);• Intended loss due to the lack of accessible possibilities to

dispose ghost nets removed from the sea, high costs of recycling.

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GHOST NETS

They can still catch fish! Fishing capacity of lost nets varies from 20% to 6% of their initial capacity.

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This additional 6% can disrupt the stability of

fish stocks– mainly demersal fish species.

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GHOST NETS

And negatively influence the

ecological balance of the Baltic Sea

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FAO CODE OF CONDUCT FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES

„8.4.6 States should cooperate to develop and apply technologies, materials and operational methods that minimize the loss of fishing gear and the ghost fishing effects of lost or abandoned fishing gear.”

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INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES ON BYCATCH MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION OF DISCARDS

States and RFMO/As should consider measures to address the impact of pre-catch losses and ghost fishing on living aquatic resources.

(iii) developing technologies and measures that quantify, and reduce, the mortalities and impacts associated with pre-catch losses and ghost fishing. This may include (…) identification of gear ownership, reduction of gear losses, development of gear retrieval procedures and programs, and reducing, and where possible eliminating, fishing power of lost gear, e.g. through the use of degradable materials.

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2011 - POLAND 2012 – LITHUANIA AND POLAND

15 days of actions at sea aimed at retrieving ghost nets from the sea bottom

4 288 kg 67 days of actions at sea aimed at retrieving ghost nets from the sea bottom

14 429 kg

2 shipwrecks cleaned up by divers

1807 kg 8 shipwrecks cleaned up by divers

2 826 kg

Ghost nets retrieved by Maritime Office in Gdynia (Poland)

4 020 kg

TOTAL 6 095 kg TOTAL 21 275 kg

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OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT

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COOPERATION

FISHERMANSCIENTISTS

ADMINISTRATION

WWF AND PARTNERS

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INTERACTIVE MAP OF „HOOKS”

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INTERACTIVE MAP OF „HOOKS”

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27,3 tonnes of ghost net retrieved

1 500 set nets lost annually in the Polish economic zone

and

150 in the Lithuanian economic zone

270 – 810 tonnes of ghost nets deposited in the Polish economic zone

and

67 - 100 tonnes in the Lithuanian economic zone

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WHO?

HOW?

FUNDED BY?

WHAT’S NEXT?

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Thank you for your attention

Ewa MilewskaWWF Poland

The Collecting Ghost Nets in the Baltic Sea Project was funded by Baltic Sea 2020