ghost nets

Negative impacts on fauna and habitats

THE PROJECT

Annually, about 10 million tons of garbage arrive at the sea, of which approximately 640,000 tons are lost, discarded or abandoned fishing gear and material in the ocean. These “ghost nets” have negative impacts on fauna and habitats.
The project “Not everything that comes to the net is fish” intends to quantify the impacts of ghost nets on the Portuguese coast and propose mitigating measures involving the replacement of classical nets by biodegradable ones.

OBJECTIVES

01

QUANTIFICATION

Quantify and minimize the impacts of ghost nets

The aim is to obtain information on the type, number and reason why fishing gear is left at sea. The information obtained by metier will contribute to the updating of data, still insufficient for the northeast Atlantic in general and, for the Portuguese coast in particular.

02

RESEARCH

To investigate environmentally sustainable alternatives that minimize the loss of fishing gear at sea.

Alternative materials and processes will be studied to reduce the loss of fishing gear at sea and minimize the impacts in case of irrecoverable loss.

03

AWARENESS

To raise awareness among fishing communities on how to minimize the loss of fishing gear at sea.

The aim is to minimise the loss of fishing gear at sea and to promote the recovery and recycling of lost and/or damaged gear in these communities.

04

PROMOTION

To promote the recovery and recycling of lost and/or damaged fishing gear.

ACTIONS

Ação 1

Quantify the number of lost/abandoned fishing gear at sea

 

Estimate the number of lost or abandoned fishing gears through surveys targeting the fishing community and observation on board, in the main national ports, belonging to the various metiers, to evaluate the frequency of loss, quantity lost, type of gear more susceptible to lose at sea and causes of gear retention on the seabed.

Ação 2

Quantity the number of fishing gears passively collected by the fishing activity

 

Estimate the number of fishing gears passively collected by fishing activity through surveys targeting the fishing community and observation on board in the main national ports, belonging to the various metiers, to evaluate the frequency, quantity and type of lost gears collected by fishing.

Ação 3

Evaluation of ecological and/or biodegradable alternatives

 

Research new biodegradable materials used as raw material for fishing gears, with a fishing efficiency equivalent to the current gears, determination of their degradation time under different seawater salinities in a real environment and perform parallel studies with laboratory prototypes.

Ação 4

Raising awareness of the fishing communities

 

Raise awareness, train, and promote changes in the behaviour of stakeholders linked to the fishing sector through the implementation of good practices that minimize the loss of fishing gear and improve the voluntary collection of ghost nets.

Ação 5

Proposed a policy brief

 

Compile the project outputs and prepare a policy brief proposing a set of measures to reduce marine litter from lost/abandoned fishing gear.

Ação 6

Strategic communication and dissemination

 

Disseminate the key messages, activities, and results of the project to a wide audience beyond the fishing sector by creating the project’s brand image, participating in public initiatives directed to society and producing brochures, posters and other dissemination materials.

CONTACTS

ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT US

Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa

Campo Grande 016, 1749-016 Lisboa