Ghost Fishing Research Articles

Fishing efficiency of biodegradable PBSAT gillnets and conventional nylon gillnets used in Norwegian cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens) fisheries

Abstract Fishing trials were carried out to compare the relative fishing efficiency of gillnets made of a new biodegradable resin (polybutylene succinate co-adipate-co-terephthalate, PBSAT) with conventional (nylon) nets. The fishing trials covered two consecutive fishing seasons (2016 and 2017) for cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens) in northern Norway. Results generally showed better catch rates for the nylon gillnets. The biodegradable PBSAT gillnets caught 50.0% and 26.6% fewer cod, and 41.0% and 22.5% fewer saithe than the nylon gillnets in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Even though the relative catch efficiency of the biodegradable gillnets was slightly better in 2017 than in 2016, the difference with respect to the catch efficiency of nylon gillnets may be too large for biodegradable gillnets to be accepted by fishermen if they were available commercially. Tensile strength measurements of the nylon and biodegradable PBSAT gillnets carried out before and after the fishing trials showed that the both types of gillnets had significant reductions in tensile strength and elongation at break, especially in 2017. Although less catch efficient than nylon gillnets, biodegradable PBSAT gillnets show great potential for reducing ghost fishing and plastic pollution at sea, which are major problems in these fisheries.

Relative ghost fishing of portunid traps with and without escape gaps

Owing to concerns about derelict portunid traps perpetually fishing (‘ghost fishing’) in southeastern Australia, the utility of escape gaps for minimising temporal catching efficiencies, and damage and mortality, among key species was investigated. Replicate baited traps with (i) no escape gaps (‘conventional’), (ii) three escape gaps (‘escape-gap’ traps), or (iii) three holes where escape gaps would have been if they were biodegradable (‘open-hole’ traps) were deployed and retrieved after short (one and two weeks), medium (four and six weeks) and long soaks (eight and 10 weeks). No trap had bait remaining after any soak. Total catches comprised 17 species, but 70% was blue swimmer crabs, Portunus armatus—most (78%) of which were smaller than a proposed new legal size (≥65 mm carapace length). Many (62%) P. armatus were injured (typically missing one or two appendages), but had few mortalities (total of 5%). Compared to conventional traps, the escape-gap and open-hole traps retained significantly fewer undersized P. armatus across all soaks (by 93 and 96%) and there were less total injuries (by 86 and 97%) and mortalities trap–1 (by 80 and 85%). Irrespective of the trap, catches of total and undersized P. armatus and injuries trap–1 were greater after short (all by up to 3×) than medium or long soaks. Several traps had broken mesh bars, which was negatively associated with P. armatus catches and injuries. Only three other species had mortalities (n = 7). The data support using escape gaps for minimising ghost fishing among derelict portunid traps.

Impacts of the traditional baited basket fishing trap “gargoor” on green sea turtles Chelonia mydas (Testudines: Cheloniidae) Linnaeus, 1758 from two case reports in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates fisheries consist of highly diverse fish communities, and the most popular equipment used by fishermen to harvest them is a traditional baited basket fishing trap known locally as “gargoor”. Gargoors are dome-shaped traps made from galvanized steel; they have a circular supporting base and a funnel-like entrance. Unintended impacts of gargoors on marine fauna include bycatch of non-target species and, when lost, ghost fishing. However, there is very little information on sea turtle interaction with gargoors. In this paper we present two case reports from the eastern coast of the UAE of green sea turtle strandings associated with gargoor interactions. The first case report describes a turtle that was discovered trapped inside a lost or abandoned gargoor. The second case report describes another turtle that suffered from extensive perforation of the gastrointestinal tract resulting from the ingestion of 32 pieces of rusty gargoor fragments.

The impact of ghost fishing on catch rate and composition in the southern Caspian Sea

The catch rates and the catch composition of lost nets were investigated during two seasons (fall and winter) in the southern Caspian Sea. A total of 167 surveys were conducted using anchor to retrieve ghost nets, which led to recover a total of 515 monofilaments gillnet. The most abundant caught species in during both seasons was belonged to Alosa caspia (52.1–43.9%). At both seasons, individuals of Huso huso, and Acipenser stellatus were substantially caught below the length at first maturity. The highest mean of catch rates was discovered at 0–10 m depth (2.79 kg), while the depth of 10–20 m provided the lowest amount of catch (2.0 kg). The Spearman correlation test showed that an increase in depth is reflected in lower values of the retrieved ghost nets. Overall, this study revealed that ghost gillnets is widely distributed in the southern Caspian Sea, mainly at the shallow waters.

Sublethal and lethal effects of confinement of Caribbean spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, in ghost traps

Ghost fishing occurs when lost or abandoned fishing gear continues to capture animals, resulting in lethal and sublethal effects. Though ghost fishing by lost traps is a known cause of lobster mortality in the Florida lobster trap fishery, the sublethal effects of long-term confinement in these traps remains largely unknown. Here, we examine the nutritional condition and overall health (e.g., incidence of injuries and disease) via three assays: a field survey to compare nutritional condition and overall health of lobsters in existing ghost traps to natural shelters via blood serum protein (BSP) and hepatopancreas dry weight indices (DWI); a field experiment to monitor the effects of confinement on individual lobsters over time; and a laboratory experiment to simulate starvation and recovery of the BSP of lobsters associated with confinement and escape from traps. Overall, lobsters in existing ghost traps were in poorer nutritional condition, had a higher prevalence of injuries and shell disease, and were lethargic. There was a clear deterioration of the health and increased mortality of lobsters as confinement duration increased in our experimental ghost traps. After 2 wks, BSP of lobsters decreased by 23.7%; lobsters in this poor nutritional condition were less likely to escape and more likely to die in traps. Laboratory experiments indicate that if escape does occur, recovery may be slow or unlikely. Our study highlights the drastic sublethal effects of long-term confinement in ghost fishing traps on lobsters and the need for further research on ways to mitigate these effects.

Observations of Litter Deposited in the Deep Waters of Isla del Coco National Park, Eastern Tropical Pacific

Marine debris is recognized as a major threat to biodiversity and can be found ubiquitously even in remote regions, including deep-sea environments. Isla del Coco National Park is known as one of the best protected areas around the world, a preferred diving destination, and is also renowned for large aggregations of pelagic species that attract illegal commercial fisheries. Despite its pristine reputation, this study demonstrates that anthropogenic debris can affect this remote and well protected area. Images of marine debris were taken using the DeepSee submersible, mainly plastic litter from fishing gear were found between 200 and 350 m depth. A total of 40 items of debris were found in 5.48% of 365 dives, 60% of the items were plastics, and local boat and fishing activities provided most of litter. Our aim with this research is to raise awareness about the potential problem of solid wastes and fishing gear deposited in the deep environments of Isla del Coco National Park and to explore the potential implications for the ecological integrity of this protected area, including ghost fishing and the possible ingestion of pollutants. These results provide useful management information for the area, especially if one considers the constant pressure of illegal fishing and tourism at Isla del Coco National Park.

Understanding causes of gear loss provides a sound basis for fisheries management

Derelict fishing nets comprise a significant amount of the marine debris in the world's oceans and on its shorelines. These ‘ghost nets’ result in economic losses for the fishing industry, pose hazards to navigation at sea, and can entangle marine and terrestrial wildlife. Ghost nets are an acute problem along Australia's northern coastline, with most nets originating from Southeast Asian fishing vessels outside Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). To understand the causes of gear loss and identify tractable solutions to this transboundary problem, Australian and Indonesian fishers (N = 54) were asked why, when and in what circumstances and conditions they are likely to lose gear. Fishers identified snagging of nets (78%) and gear conflicts (19%) as the main causes of gear loss. These interviews informed the development of a fault tree, as a tool to identify the chain of events that result in gear loss or abandonment. The fault tree analysis provides recommendations for interventions and improvements in regional fisheries management to reduce fishing gear loss ultimately resulting from overcrowding, overcapacity and illegal, unreported and unregulated Fishing (IUU).

A global review of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris: a baseline for further action

ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 34:431-448 (2017) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00865 ESR Special: Marine pollution and endangered species REVIEW A global review of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris: a baseline for further action Emily M. Duncan1,2,3,*, Zara L. R. Botterell1,*, Annette C. Broderick1, Tamara S. Galloway2, Penelope K. Lindeque3, Ana Nuno1, Brendan J. Godley1,** 1Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK 2Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK 3Marine Ecology and Biodiversity, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK *These authors contributed equally to this work**Corresponding author: b.j.godley@exeter.ac.uk ABSTRACT: Entanglement in anthropogenic debris poses a threat to marine wildlife. Although this is recognised as a cause of marine turtle mortality, there remain quantitative knowledge gaps on entanglement rates and population implications. We provide a global summary of this issue in this taxon using a mixed methods approach, including a literature review and expert opinions from conservation scientists and practitioners worldwide. The literature review yielded 23 reports of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris, which included records for 6 species, in all ocean basins. Our experts reported the occurrence of marine turtles found entangled across all species, life stages and ocean basins, with suggestions of particular vulnerability in pelagic juvenile life stages. Numbers of stranded turtles encountered by our 106 respondents were in the thousands per year, with 5.5% of turtles encountered entangled; 90.6% of these dead. Of our experts questioned, 84% consider that this issue could be causing population level effects in some areas. Lost or discarded fishing materials, known as ‘ghost gear’, contributed to the majority of reported entanglements with debris from land-based sources in the distinct minority. Surveyed experts rated entanglement a greater threat to marine turtles than oil pollution, climate change and direct exploitation but less of a threat than plastic ingestion and fisheries bycatch. The challenges, research needs and priority actions facing marine turtle entanglement are discussed as pathways to begin to resolve and further understand the issue. Collaboration among stakeholder groups such as strandings networks, the fisheries sector and the scientific community will facilitate the development of mitigating actions. KEY WORDS: Conservation · Entanglement · Ghost fishing · Marine debris · Plastic pollution · Sea turtle · Strandings Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Duncan EM, Botterell ZLR, Broderick AC, Galloway TS, Lindeque PK, Nuno A, Godley BJ (2017) A global review of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris: a baseline for further action. Endang Species Res 34:431-448. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00865 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 34. Online publication date: December 11, 2017 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2017 Inter-Research.

Global evaluation of shark sanctuaries

Due to well-documented declines in many shark populations there is increasing pressure to implement new management and rebuilding strategies at the national and international scale. Since 2009, fifteen coastal countries in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans have opted to ban commercial shark fishing altogether, and have laws that prohibit the possession, trade or sale of sharks and shark products. These ‘shark sanctuaries’ collectively cover >3% of the world’s oceans, a similar coverage as all currently established marine protected areas combined. Despite their prominence, and an intense scientific debate about their usefulness, the condition of shark sanctuaries has not yet been empirically evaluated. Here, we report results from a global diver survey used to set baselines of shark populations, human use patterns, public awareness and threats in all 15 shark sanctuaries, and contrasted with observations from 23 non-sanctuary countries. Specific results varied by country, but there were some general trends: i) shark sanctuaries showed less pronounced shark population declines, fewer observations of sharks being sold on markets, and lower overall fishing threats compared to non-shark sanctuaries, ii) bycatch, ghost gear, marine debris and habitat destruction are significant threats that are often not addressed by sanctuary regulations and need to be resolved in other ways, and iii) participants in sanctuaries were more optimistic about the survival of shark populations in local waters, but also highlighted the need for further conservation efforts. These results suggest that shark sanctuaries, as seen through the lens of local experts, may be a helpful conservation tool but likely not sufficient in isolation. There is an urgent need for higher-resolution data on shark abundance, incidental catch, and markets to direct priority conservation needs and optimize the conservation benefits of existing and future shark sanctuaries.

Religion, and: Boat on the Essequibo

Religion, and: Boat on the Essequibo Shireen Madon (bio) Religion There were ghosts in the gardenwhen we were young, obvious as suns. Our shuttered, too-American homechoked with bougainvillea. We were careful to navigateinconvenient stories like land mines. Stashed sticks of sandalwoodin drawers with framed prophets. When Grandma came, she unpackedtalcum powder to whiten her skin. When I stopped praying one summer,my father lost his tongue in grief. That year, we strung the pinewith silences. Brush fires sputtered pathetically like crates of bodega pomegranates.That’s to say, we loved more poorly. When Grandma died, like an exoduswe emptied of language and gifts of gold. [End Page 129] We sell a little of our identity each dayuntil our bones are bleached but we are safe. All we can hope is to be bodied again,at war or not. Boat on the Essequibo In a dream, we’re sleeping on a boat on the Essequibo. It’s midnight, and our guide has the one, impalpable flashlight. The wind has washed up heaps of ghost nets onto the banks. Some leatherbacks are asleep or dead. Nightjars keep diving into shimmering rocks. A fat whale sunbathes on the coast, and the capuchins harbor in the canopy. The sky fades to a black as vacant as the river is wild. Dark surf overruns the balcony of this fiction. Somewhere we were careless. Once, we carried home bushels of bananas and sugared ourselves to sleep. When we woke, the furniture had been hauled away by the tide. The ocean’s giant tusks are unforgiving, says our guide. [End Page 130] We ate forgotten fruit from chikoo trees, and while you slept, I tried to listen to you breathe, tried to mount you like a fable. The river’s silk is unforgiving, says our guide. Its subterranean stories are carried to their storytellers’ graves. [End Page 131] Shireen Madon Shireen Madon holds an mfa in poetry from Columbia University. Her work has appeared in or is forthcoming from Indiana Review, Poetry Northwest, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Greensboro Review, the Journal, and Margins, among others. A Kundiman fellow, she has been the recipient of awards from Poets & Writers and the Academy of American Poets. Copyright © 2017 University of Nebraska Press

Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gears in rocky reefs of Southern Brazil

The intense exploitation of fishing resources has led the activity into a global crisis. However, fishing effort continues to increase despite the collapse of some of the main fish stocks (FAO, 2014). This increasing effort produces both direct and indirect impact on marine ecosystems (PAULY et al., 2002). Marine debris resulting from abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) (LAIST, 1995; MACFADYEN et al., 2009) is one type of indirect impact, responsible for harming marine fauna and for causing economic loss (DAYTON et al., 1995).ALDFG captures target and non-target fish species by a phenomenon known as ‘ghost fishing’, which means that the fishing gear continues to catch fish even though fishers are no longer controlling it (SMOLOWITZ, 1978). The term is associated with mortality and injuries inflicted on vertebrates and invertebrates caught by ALDFG (BREEN, 1987; BARREIROS; RAYKOV, 2014).At least one-third of the Brazilian coast consists of reef environments, with coral reefs concentrated on the northern/northeastern coast and rocky reefs on the southeastern/southern coast. These ecosystems are highly diverse, rich in natural resources and of great ecological, economic and social importance, with immense potential for hosting endemic species (FERREIRA et al., 2001; ROCHA, 2003). There are few studies on the impact of ghost fishing in Brazil, many of them reporting the existence of marine debris and fishing gear found in coastal areas (MACHADO; FILLMANN, 2010; MASCARENHAS et al., 2008; POSSATTO et al., 2011; VIEIRA et al., 2011; DANTAS et al

Ghostly encounters: Dealing with ghost gear in the Gulf of Carpentaria

Ghost gear – abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear – has been recognised as a global environmental challenge since the mid-1980s, and yet little social science attention has fallen on the phenomenon. This paper explores how the burden of global fisheries, materialised through its gear, is experienced and managed. How is ghost gear encountered? How is it understood? What influence does it have, and what responses does it provoke? To consider these questions, the paper begins with detailing of an encounter with ghost gear and Aboriginal rangers on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia. Understanding encounters as tangles of interlaced threads, rather than isolated intimacies, the paper also follows ghost gear beyond the experience of beach clean-up. How ghost gear journeys to this beach, and the mobilities and meetings that occur during its travels is explored, as well as the policy responses to ghost gear that figure it primarily as marine debris to be managed through territorial control as isolated ‘waste’. These more-than-human stories offer insights into the distributed agencies, complex relations, and differential responsibilities involved in the phenomenon of ghost gear, and efforts to deal with it as part of land-sea assemblies.

폐어구로 인해 발생하는 유령어업 효과에 대한 실험적인 고찰

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on the fishery resources and marine ecosystems by derelict fishing gears as part of the R & E (Research and Education) program that supervised by the busan metropolitan city office of education. In this study, we verified the ghost fishing effects caused by derelict fishing gears through the process which fish were caught to be attracted to bait for gillnet and trap in tank. In results, the dead fish to be gilled in gillnet and to enter in pot have been shown to attract other fish to the bait role. The result showed that the ghost fishing was caused by abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gears continuously. In particular, as a result of pot experiment, if the lost pot has a escape device, the entered fish could escape from the pot and the fisheries resources could protect from derelict fishing gears. In addition, the high school students are capable of raising the problem solving skills through carrying out the research project and expect to contribute to raising awareness about the protection of the marine environment.

Transforming Representations of Marine Pollution. For a New Understanding of the Artistic Qualities and Social Values of Ghost Nets

In the last few years, an increasing number of texts published in environmental journals and in art magazines have addressed the “ghostnet” issue and referenced how artists in Northern Australia use discarded or abandoned nets to create art and craft items. By analysing the artistic life of the ghost nets, from the creative process to trade networks, this article provides a new perspective on marine pollution and highlights Australian Indigenous peoples' agency toward this environmental and global issue. It presents ghostnet art as a transgenerational and transcultural practice that reflects the articulation of Indigenous and Western knowledges, two systems of thought and action that are united to solve ecological, economic and cultural issues.

Biodegradable fishing gear: part of the solution to ghost fishing and marine pollution

Biodegradable fishing gear: part of the solution to ghost fishing and marine pollution

Comparison of ghost fishing impacts on collapsible crab trap between conventional and escape vents trap in Si Racha Bay, Chon Buri province

This study investigated the impacts of ghost fishing on collapsible crab traps targeting the blue swimming crab, Portunus pelagicus. The impacts were examined by a simulated lost-gear experiment to compare conventional and vented traps, with long-term diving monitoring from 6 January 2013 to 15 January 2014, at a depth of 4–6 m in Si Racha Bay, Gulf of Thailand. Twelve pairs of box-shaped traps 36 × 54 × 19 cm were compared using the conventional design and a vented trap with escape vents of 35 × 45 mm. Throughout the 374 d experiment, 520 individuals from 25 different species were entrapped in the conventional traps, with 19 were classified as target, and 501 individuals as by-catch species. In the vented traps, 222 individuals of 24 species were entrapped in total, of which 17 were classified as target and 205 as by-catch. The catch-per-unit-effort of all animals entrapped in conventional traps was significantly higher than in the vented traps at each time observation. Furthermore, the vented traps showed lower entrapment and mortality numbers than the conventional traps. These results demonstrate the positive functions of escape vents in reducing the negative impacts of ghost fishing, not only on the number of entrapped individuals but also on mortality rates.

Use of biodegradable driftnets to prevent ghost fishing: physical properties and fishing performance for yellow croaker

When synthetic non-biodegradable fishing nets are lost, abandoned or discarded at sea, they may continue to catch fish and other animals for a long period of time. This phenomenon is known as ‘ghost fishing’. Biodegradable fishing nets, on the other hand, are intended to degrade or decompose after a certain period of time under water and thereby lose their ghost fishing capacity more quickly than conventional gear. A biodegradable net material, a blend of 82% polybutylene succinate (PBS) and 18% polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), was developed. We examined the physical properties and degradability of the biodegradable monofilament, and compared the fishing performance of driftnets made of conventional nylon and of the biodegradable material. When dry, conventional nylon monofilament exhibited a greater breaking strength and elongation than biodegradable monofilament of the same diameter. When wet, the biodegradable monofilament exhibited a stiffness of c. 1.5-fold than nylon monofilament. This suggests that a net made of the less flexible biodegradable monofilament would have lower fishing efficiency than conventional nets. The fishing performance comparisons between the biodegradable and conventional nylon nets, however, revealed similar catch rates for yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis. Biodegradable monofilament started to degrade after 24 months in seawater by marine organisms. We conclude that biodegradable netting may become a feasible alternative to conventional nylon netting and can contribute to reducing the duration of ghost fishing. Nonetheless, there remain many uncertainties, challenges and knowledge gaps that have to be solved before we are able to draw firm conclusions about the overall benefits of these materials in driftnet fisheries.

From Disaster to Development: Finance Provides a Platform to Empower Technology for Resilience to Climate Change

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction emphasizes four principles: understanding risk; strengthening governance; investing in resilience; and building back better. Parametric insurance, offered to nations, provides a financial platform to pool and transfer risk from the regional to the global marketplace. The Caribbean Ocean Assets Sustainability faciliTy (COAST) expands upon the prior success of parametric insurance by providing a new platform to more fully link policy and technology with the aim of increasing disaster resilience. COAST focuses upon the nexus among food and nutrition security, the health of the ocean, and the occurrence of severe weather in the Caribbean Sea. The benefits of COAST - linking the technologies highlighted in the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook and the goals of the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy - are examined using ghost fishing and spiny lobster as an example. This study points to the potential of using finance to provide a platform to empower technology to increase resilience in the face of a changing climate.

From Fishing Gear to Granulates and Recycled Steel – An Eco Innovation Project

Plastix A/S, a cleantech company located in Lemvig, Denmark, received in August 2014 funding for the project Retrawl2, which is a part of the EU initiative ECO-Innovation project. Retrawl2 is co-funded by the European Union with the CIP ECO-Innovation initiative of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, CIP. The aim of the RETRAWL is to upscale an innovative recycling technology, which transforms used maritime waste into plastic and steel commodities. The plastics are mainly polyamides and polyethylene from nets and trawls, and the steel are mainly carbon steel from taifun wires as parts of the nets and trawls.The suppliers of the used maritime equipment are Danish and other European fishing harbours, where equipment are stored, because it can be a challenge for the fishermen to dispose it. Also ghost nets are collected and delivered for recycling. In order to recycle nets to commodity plastics considerations of the quality of the product has been taken. The nets are made of materials of a high quality, because the abrasion resistance, the tension strength and the chemical resistance need to be high for the use of them in trawl. The quality of the recycled plastics will be high, when they are gently treated under the cutting, separation, washing and extrusion processes. In the processes the gently handling of the polymers is in focus to keep the degree of polymerisation of the polymers, since the strength of the plastics depends on the chain length of the polymers. The quality and the identity of the recycled plastics are verified through infrared spectroscopi, FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, measuring the tensile strength and the elongation to break, measuring the melt flow index and the distribution of the grain size. The used fishing nets may have a significant smell of fish from trimethyl amine and rancid smell from oxidized fatty acids. The smell will disappear under the production mainly because of the volatility of trimethyl amine. The fatty acids will be partly degraded under the production, and if there is a remaining part, they will act as plastisizers in polyethylene and polyamide with a minor influence on the strength of the product. In the steel plant the plastic covers of taifun wires are melted off with energy supply from an induction technology. The steel will afterwards be cut in pieces with length up to 1 meter. The capacity of the extrusion line is planned to be 24 ton per day 7 days per week, and on the steel line the capacity is planned to be 8 – 10 ton steel per day 5 days per week. The amount of used fishing equipment for that production will be approximately 40 ton per day. During 2015 another extrusion line will be ready allowing the doubling of the production.

Status of international monitoring and management of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear and ghost fishing

Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) can pose substantial ecological and socioeconomic problems. Over the past decade there has been increasing international recognition of the need for multilateral efforts to address transboundary problems resulting from ALDFG, including ghost fishing. To benchmark the status of international monitoring and mitigation of ALDFG and ghost fishing, an assessment was made of data collection protocols and management measures to prevent and remediate ALDFG and ghost fishing by 19 global and regional bodies and arrangements with the competence to establish binding controls for marine capture fisheries. Four organizations were explicitly mandated by their convention or agreement text to monitor and control ALDFG and ghost fishing. Modifying mandates of the other organizations might augment members' political will to monitor, prevent and remediate ALDFG and ghost fishing. Ten organizations collected logbook or observer data on ALDFG. Harmonizing data collection protocols where they are in place, and filling gaps where they are lacking, would improve regional monitoring of ALDFG. Twelve organizations have adopted binding measures that contribute to avoiding or remediating ALDFG. The organizations, however, make use of a small subset of available tools: Only half of 18 categories of methods identified as having the potential to prevent and remediate ALDFG and ghost fishing were used by the organizations. Organizations lacking relevant binding measures could begin to fill this gap and organizations can tap a broader suite of complimentary management methods.