Marine mammals, seabirds', turtles and even sharks are getting entangled or ingesting ghost fishing gear potentially causing slow and painful deaths through injury and starvation. Valuable fish stocks are also being lost, ultimately affecting those who depend on fish for their livelihood.
You can help prevent ghost fishing in the marine environment by:
- Storing waste fishing gear such as cut-off lengths of rope or line, damaged floats or lures and used cyalumes (glow sticks) in closed containers.
- Checking lines and nets regularly for damage.
- Trying to retrieve snagged gear where safe to do so.
- Stowing your gear securely when not in use.
Disposing waste fishing gear appropriately when back on shore is also important-read more about how you can control waste onboard.
New initiative
The Australian Government has launched a Ghost Nets Initiative to address the issue of ghost nets and marine debris littering northern Australian waters and beaches. This initiative will be delivered by Parks Australia over the next three years to improve our ocean and reduce threats to our marine life. To find out more visit the Parks Australia website.
