Act Now to Save Frontline First Nations Ghost Net Patrols
This juvenile hawksbill turtle was rescued by Dhimurru Rangers during a routine patrol. Without them, it would have died - like so many others lost to ghost nets every day. These rescues are only possible with regular patrols. If funding ends on June 30, we risk losing this frontline defence.
This juvenile hawksbill turtle was rescued by Dhimurru Rangers during a routine patrol. Without them, it would have died - like so many others lost to ghost nets every day. These rescues are only possible with regular patrols. If funding ends on June 30, we risk losing this frontline defence.
We need your help to tell the Australian Government that these frontline patrols must continue, to protect our most remote beaches from the constant tide of ghost nets and marine debris.
Ghost nets - abandoned, lost or discarded fishing nets - are flooding Australia’s northern coastline. These nets entangle turtles, sharks, seabirds and dugongs. They pollute sacred Sea Country and damage the ecosystems that sustain life in some of our most remote places.
Over the past four years, the Australian Government’s Ghost Nets Initiative (delivered through Parks Australia) has enabled 24 Indigenous Ranger groups to lead the frontline response. These patrols are essential - in many areas, Rangers are the only people monitoring the coastline. Without them, ghost nets would go undetected.
Thanks to this initiative:
- Over 140,000 kg of marine debris and more than 800 ghost nets have been removed
- 11 full-time coordinator positions have supported targeted regional action
- Jobs, skills and cultural connection to Country have been strengthened in remote communities
- Rangers have used innovative tools like drones and the Ghost Nets App to trace nets and share data internationally
And this data is powerful. Every net and marine debris clean-up is recorded by Rangers and wherever possible identified by type and source. This forms a national database of marine debris and is a critical resource to partners working to identify patterns, trace origins, and collaborate with stakeholders overseas to stop ghost nets at the source.
The Australian Government has taken promising steps internationally to address this problem at the source - joining the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and supporting early work in the Arafura and Timor Seas. These international efforts are vital, but they take time to scale and deliver impact.
In the meantime, ghost nets continue to arrive.
We must not abandon the on-ground response. Until source-based solutions take full effect, we need both strategies - international prevention and immediate, frontline clean-up - working in parallel.
The Ghost Nets Initiative ends this month. And without renewed funding, these patrols will stop.
This is your chance to act. Let the Minister for the Environment and Water know that:
- Australians want this work to continue
- We need consistency and long-term commitment
- Rangers must remain on Country to protect our coasts, ecosystems and marine life from an escalating threat
Use your voice. Email Minister Watt now and ask him to secure ongoing funding for the Ghost Nets Initiative.
Send a message to Minister Watt - and help keep the Ghost Nets Initiative alive.
Use the draft letter below to email Minister Watt and urge him to continue funding this critical program. Personalised letters have a far greater impact, so we encourage you to add your own voice - why this issue matters to you, your connection to the coast, or why you want to see this work continue.
We also strongly encourage you to copy and paste your version of the letter and send it to your local MPs, asking them to advocate on your behalf.
Thank you for standing up for Sea Country, marine life, and the Rangers who protect them.
