Ghost Gear Recovery

Each year, more than eight million metric tons of plastic end up in the world's oceans. Lost, abandoned and derelict fishing nets and commercial fishing gear, known as ghost gear, as well as plastic waste from aquaculture, are major contributors to the plastic debris problem. Recent studies indicate that ghost gear may make up 46% to 70% of all macro-plastics in the ocean by weight.

Using local knowledge, marine survey, and grapnel techniques CSR can provide solutions to locate and recover lost fishing gear in challenging marine environments. Our team has completed projects throughout Canada under the Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (Ghost Gear Fund). These projects focused on identifying, recovering, and recycling lost fishing gear to help reduce plastic waste and other debris polluting our oceans. Early Estimates show that 739 tonnes of lost or discarded fishing gear was retrieved from Canada’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts since 2020.

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