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.
It is known that abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (often referred to as ‘ghost gear’ or ‘ghost nets’) is considered one of the most damaging types of plastic pollution to marine life. Once lost, ghost nets continue to drift for periods from days to multiple years, continuing to entangle and kill marine wildlife indiscriminately.
The prevailing currents and conditions in the Arafura and Timor Seas and the Torres Strait mean that marine debris accumulates in the Gulf of Carpentaria, which is recognised as a global marine debris ‘hot spot’. Although this area is remote and sparsely populated, it has one of the highest rates of marine debris accumulation in Australia.
As a result, the Ghost Nets Initiative will be delivered by Parks Australia over the next three years in an effort to improve the oceans and reduce threats to the marine life.
The Australian Government has launched the Ghost Nets Initiative by making a $14.8 million investment in projects to directly address the challenge of ghost nets and marine debris littering northern Australian waters and beaches.
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Building on past and present efforts by Indigenous communities, environmental groups and private industry, the Ghost Nets Initiative will focus on the following activities:
- The delivery of new technology to better detect, collect and dispose of ghost nets, which may include mobile recycling plants, satellite tags and tracking databases.
- Work conducted with Indigenous ranger groups to collect data on the source of ghost nets and coordinate retrievals and marine debris beach clean ups in the Gulf of Carpentaria, one of the nation’s hot spots for ghost nets drifting from foreign waters.
- New trials to be conducted in collaboration with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and Maritime Border Command (MBC – a multi-agency taskforce, within the Australian Border Force), to attach GPS tracking devices to ghost nets when an initial retrieval is not possible due to unsafe conditions. This will enhance our ability to continually track the nets while they are drifting and arrange for their immediate retrieval by an appropriate vessel.
In light of the above, Australia Maritime Authority notes that shipping 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.
