Ghost gear

Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (nets, lines, pots and traps) that—once out of fishers’ control—continues to catch marine species indiscriminately, damaging habitats and fish stocks. It is a form of plastic pollution in the Ocean and marine environments, typically made of macroplastics such as nets; over time it can fragment and generate microplastics. Ghost gear falls within plastic leakage because, after leaving the human environment, it accumulates in natural compartments—especially in the sea and the Ocean and along coastal areas—with additional impacts on navigation safety and coastal economic activities.

👉 Read Why is ghost gear choking the Ocean? to know more.