COLLECTING GHOST NETS IN THE BALTIC SEA - WWF

© WWF / W. Wójtowicz
Sport and recreational fishing may
present a danger for marine
ecosystems in the littoral zone.
In addition to the above examples from the academic
and practical spheres, another important
source of information on the issue of ghost nets
as marine debris is educational materials, including
publications of a more popular character. An example
of such literature is the report by the Londonbased
World Society for the Protection of Animals. 13
1.2. Summary of the pilot project
“Collecting ghost nets in the Baltic
Sea” conducted in 2011
The recently published NOAA technical memorandum
11 is concerned with optimising the strategy of
locating lost fishing gear and the choice of appropriate
fishing management methods. Although it refers
to specific basin and trap devices, the report is
noteworthy in view of the hydroacoustic equipment
used, the choice of search areas in cooperation
with fishermen and on the basis of the information
provided by them concerning the location of traps
and the most likely reason for their loss (with theft
and vandalism mentioned as some of the most
important reasons). Meanwhile, a recent publication
by Korean authors indicates that also sport and
recreational fishing may present a danger for
marine ecosystems in the littoral zone. 12
11
Clark, R., S.J. Pittman, T.A. Battista, and C. Caldow (eds.).
2012. Survey and impact assessment of derelict fish traps in
St. Thomas and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. NOAA Technical
Memorandum NOS NCCOS 147. Silver Spring, MD. 51 pp
12
Macfadyen, G. et al. 2013: Impacts of marine debris on wild
animals in the coastal area of Korea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 66
(2013) 117-124.
The principal goals of the pilot project implemented
in 2011 were as follows:
• estimating the quantity of ghost nets in the Baltic
Sea and other basins and evaluating the role
of shipwrecks as locations where lost fishing
gear accumulates;
• assessing the feasibility of estimating the fishing
capacity of ghost nets and their impact on the
Baltic fish populations;
• listing the main causes of the presence of ghost
nets;
• presenting information on the national and EU
regulations concerning abandoned and lost
fishing gear, its removal and disposal;
• conducting open sea operations involving searching
the sea bottom for ghost nets;
• trial diving operations to retrieve ghost nets
from shipwrecks.
To attain the established goals, a method was
developed in order to estimate the quantity per year
of lost fishing gear that is most likely to turn into
ghost nets, i.e. set nets used in cod and flounder
13
Butterworth, A., Clegg, I., Bass, C. 2012: Untangled – Marine
debris: a global picture of the impact on animal welfare and of
animal-focused solutions. London: World Society for the Protection
of Animals.
6 COLLECTING GHOST NETS IN THE BALTIC SEA