Countries agree on guidelines to mark and trace fishing gear

Made predominantly of plastic, fishing gear when lost or abandoned at sea, is a critical component of marine debris. Ten percent of all plastic marine litter, translating roughly into eight million tons per year, comes from the fisheries sector. The guidelines will help countries to ensure that all fishing gear is marked, and, if lost or discarded, could be traced back to its original owner. Doing so will allow local authorities to monitor how fishing gear is being used in their waters and who is using it which makes them an efficient tool in the fight against illegal, unreported and