Article: Killed by ghost nets

Tuesday June 9, 2009

By TAN CHENG LI

Fishing gear gone astray is a hazard.

LARGE amounts of fishing gear lost at sea or abandoned by fishers are hurting the marine environment, impacting fish stocks through "ghost fishing" and posing a hazard to ships.

A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and United Nations Environ­ment Programme says the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear has worsened due to increased fisheries and the use of durable fishing gear made of synthetic materials.

The report estimates that such gear makes up 640,000 tonnes or 10% of all marine litter. Trash in the open sea comes mostly from merchant shipping whereas marine debris in coastal areas originates from the mainland.

Most fishing gear is not deliberately discarded but is lost in storms or strong currents or results from "gear conflicts," for example, fishing with nets in areas where bottom-traps that can entangle them are already deployed.

A veritable trap: Fishermen pulling in their fishing nets at a port in Jakarta. Lost and discarded fishing gear pose a navigational hazard and can trap marine life.

Lost fishing gear will lead to: continued catches of fish – known as "ghost fishing" – and other animals such as turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals; alterations of the sea-floor environment; and navigation hazards.

Gill nets and fishing traps are most likely to "ghost fish" while longlines are more likely to ensnare other marine organisms and trawls most likely to damage sub-sea habitats. In the past, poorly operated drift nets were the prime culprits, but a 1992 ban on their use in many areas has reduced their contribution to ghost fishing.

Today, bottom set gill nets are more often cited as a problem. The bottom edge of these nets is anchored to the sea floor and floats are attached to their top, so that they form a vertical undersea wall of netting that can run anywhere from kilometres. An abandoned or lost gill net can continue to fish for months or years, indiscriminately killing fish and other animals.

Among the recommendations to tackle the problem is financial incentives to encourage fishers to report lost gear or bring to port old and damaged gear. Ports should also have facilities to collect, dispose and recycle old or retrieved fishing gear. New technologies are also crucial, such as the use of sea-bed imaging to help fishers avoid undersea snags and obstacles. Using GPS and transponders fitted to gear will also facilitate retrieval of lost gear.

Another measure is use of gear made from biodegradable materials. For example, in some countries fish traps are constructed with a biodegradable "escape hatch" that disintegrates when left under water too long, rendering the trap harmless.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 9 June 2009