Ghost nets: A 'living' trap

Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded in the ocean.

These nets may be clinging to the reefs and corals, lying on the sea beds or floating around in the open sea. They can potentially trap all marine life including turtles, dolphins, seabirds, etc. They can thus cause death by starvation and infection.

Fishing nets used to be made of rope but the durability and cheap cost has made the use of Nylon very popular amongst fishermen. These nylon nets are made of plastic and linger around in the ocean for years.

Fishermen sometimes abandon the worn-out nets because it is often the easiest way to get rid of them.

The problem is not only of ghost nets but also of ghost gear. It is estimated to account for 10% (6,40,000 tonnes) of marine litter.

In general, fish are less likely to be trapped in gear that has been down a long time. Says Dr. D. Adhavan, Marine Biologist, “When the nets are freshly discarded, there are more chances for the fish to get entangled because the colour of the nets may not be visible to them. But in the later stages, due to fouling organisms like algae, tunicates, etc. the nets are clearly visible and thus the fish may be able to escape them.

Dr. Jerald Wilson, Marine Biologist, advises that steps to control this issue may be best addressed to the local fishermen community.

“1. Avoid dragnets and trawl fishing in the reef area.

2. If they lose their net, they should inform the approx location to the local authorities or NGOs (usually they lose the net due to entanglement while retrieving and hence they are aware of the place).

3. Strictly follow the guidelines issued by the Fisheries Department to use proper fishing nets.”

Instead of synthetic material, the use of biodegradable nets should be encouraged since they naturally decompose under water. Coconut fiber nets are an example.

Also, the use of GPS tracking devices attached to fishing gear may create more accountability.

With a vision to be the source code for sustainable socio-economic & environmental development, HCL Foundation, the CSR arm of HCL technologies is committed to invest in the planet, people and peace.

Towards achieving this vision, HCL Harit the environment flagship program of HCL Foundation, attempted a very unique Harit Ghost net Campaign- Dive to Retrieve - to retrieve ghostnets off Neelankarai coast, Chennai.

Nearly 15 certified divers, under the supervision of Temple Adventures, retrieved 300 kgs of ghostnets during this 3 day campaign. “We plan to conduct such campaigns regularly along the Tamil Nadu coast, expanding in other coastal areas gradually,” added Aishwarya B, Associate Manager - Environment Education, HCL Foundation.

“Furthermore, we are already working on the incentive based model for retrieving ghostnets for more than a year with our NGO partners.

The fishermen communities along the coast of Chennai - Chengalpattu districts are directly engaged in this model to retrieve 57,000 kgs of ghostnets and marine debris.”

Ghost nets are becoming a huge issue directly affecting the marine and coastal ecosystems as well as contributing towards marine micro plastic. It is almost time that we start creating awareness and taking individual and collective actions to resolve this issue.