Ghost nets pose a severe
threat to marine ecosystems
Ghost nets (abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear) are one of the greatest threats to our oceans. Every year, around 6.4 million tonnes01Â of fishing gear are lost in the oceans - drifting, trapping marine life and devastating ecosystems. Turtles are especially vulnerable, accounting for 80%02 of recorded entanglements.
Northern Australia is a global hotspot for ghost gear, with some of the highest densities of ghost nets in the world. In the Gulf of Carpentaria, up to 90% of marine debris comes from foreign sources. First Nations ranger teams work tirelessly to remove thousands of deadly fishing nets each year and rescue entangled wildlife. Tragically, by the time many of these nets reach the shoreline, the damage has already been done.
Unlike traditional threats to Sea Country, there are no ancestral songlines to guide responses to marine plastic. This modern pollution crisis pulls communities away from cultural land and sea stewardship, placing them in an exhausting cycle of cleanup.
While their efforts are vital, removing ghost nets after they arrive on the shoreline isn’t enough to stop the harm. We must shift focus to prevention stopping this waste from entering the ocean in the first place.
Throughout the rest of Australia, recreational fishing gear is the largest source of ghost gear: Â ensnaring marine life, damaging habitats and contributing up to 82% of plastics found in our estuaries and coastal waters.03
We’re working to turn off the tap: stopping ghost gear at its sources through our three program goals.
Our Goals
1. No ghost gear from international sources washing up in Northern Australia by 2030
2. No ghost gear from recreational fishing in Australia by 2030
3. A circular program for end-of-life fishing gear in the commercial sector by 2030