Entanglement in fishing gear

A lot of marine life gets tangled up in fishing gear and plastics. A lot of the sealife gets killed because of this. When fishing a lot of animals gets caught incidentally which is called bycath. Approximately 40% of all animals caught in fisheries are discarded as trash. This forms a great threat to marine life.

How get animals entangled in fishing gears

Sea animals get incidentally captured or tangled up in Trawls, longlines, drift nets, gill nets, pots, or traps which leads to their death. Entanglement can cause drowning, direct injury from ropes and cables, fatigue and starvation. Some species are more vulnerable than others due to morphology, life history and migration patterns. For example, humpback whales are vulnerable due to their long fins and movement near coasts. Among some species, entanglement in fishing gear is a major cause of death [3].

Research suggests that over 300,000 cetaceans die annually from entanglement in fishing gear, although this should be considered extremely conservative, as most entanglements are not observed and/or reported [3]. Pinnipeds are particularly vulnerable to entanglement in marine debris, while dolphins and porpoise may become entangled in fishing nets, debris and aquaculture activities.

Bycatch

Bycatch are the animals that are accidentally captured in a fishing gear. It is estimated that at least 500,000 cetaceans are caught in this way every year. This equates to more than 800 whales, dolphins or porpoises each day, and explains why bycatch is now seen as by far the single most serious, direct threat to cetaceans This is a global issue. This happens on small and large fisheries all over the world.

Ghost fishing

Ghost fishing is fishing gear that has been lost, dumped or abonded in our vast bodies of water. All man made contraceptions are capable of ghost fishing when not supervised. The fish that are caught often die and in turn atract scavengers which get gaught in the same net. more than 136.000 seals and whales are trapped every year.

How much fishing gear is lost?

• Estimated 25.000 nets are discarded annually in Northeast atlantic ocean
• Nets can weigh up to 10.000 pounds
• Every year 640.000 tonnes of ghost fishing gear is lost or discarded in the ocean
• Net lines and traps become floating death traps, entangling marine animals

What causes ghost fishing?

• Equipment is lost due to storms, current and other perils of nature
• Thrown overboard because it is the easiest way to dispose

A significate percentage of ghost fishing gear result is unkown

Ghost fishing effect on animal wellbeing

• A lot of animals get caught in these ghost fishing nets. More than 136,000 seals and whales get trapped every year.
• Many sea animals use algae as a shelter and is a part of many ecosystems. These animals often mistake ghost fishnets for algae and get trapped. Especially baby turtles are effected by this.
• The dead animals (still trapped) attract scavengers who get trapped as well in the same net
• When the carcasses in the ghost nets get removed by scavengers, the ghost fishnets float to the surface again and new animals get trapped, making it an endless cycle.
• The remain of the dead animals in the ghost fishing gears become a source and host of waterborne diseases that affect the health of others species in the area.

Ghost fishing effects on human wellbeing

• Ghost fishing kills a lot of animals and has a bad influence on the fishing itself, making it bad for the economy of country's with an economy that depends on the fishing.
• The submerged and drifting nets and gears can cause hull damage, foul propellers and navigation hazards.

How to reduce Entanglement in fishing gears

• Rope less trap/ rope less fishing
• Fishing using only pole-and-line, handline, or troll (IPNLF)

Sources

• Entanglement risk and response
• Entanglement in fishing gear and other installations
• Ghost fishing
• ghost fishing