FAO.org

Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), as it is known officially, is being recognized as a topic that we must tackle now for the sake of our marine environment and the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on it.

At least 640 000 tonnes of fishing gear is thought to be lost or abandoned in the oceans every year.

FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimate that one tenth of all waste in the oceans is made up of this “ghost gear”.

Killing fish and other species, such as whales, dolphins, seals and turtles (some of which are endangered), is one of the many devastating impacts of ghost gear.

Watch the video here.