Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) - also known as “ghost gear” - is a serious issue in the BalticSea. However, the lack of information on the true extent and locations of this litter type makes it challenging to understand the scope of ALDFG in the region and make informed decisions regarding policy action.
It is generally agreed that prevention (i.e. no new ALDFG entering the Baltic Sea) is essential. But there is less agreement on how best to approach gear retrieval due to concerns of causing additional environmental impacts combined with safety issues.
What can be done? Potential measures to improve the situation include:
Establishing better communication with fishers
Building linkages with gear producers and addressing issues concerning gear entering the market
Ensuring stronger integration with waste management strategies
Creating a shared repository for monitoring purposes
PERMAGOV's case study team researching ALDFG summarised its latest results in a presentation. Click through to learn more about the challenges and opportunities in ghost-gear governance in the Baltic Sea.
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