The Net Effect Campaign Talk about the WCA and it’s over all aims. “The WCA acts like a planetary loudhailer for marine conservation and responsible tourist organisations” – BBC Wildlife Magazine 2015

Our aims and objectives VISION An ocean free of ghost fishing gear. A world where entanglement of marine wildlife is reduced and end of life gear is valued by fishers, recyclers and consumers. MISSION Through the Net Effect campaign the World Cetacean Alliance will inspire and encourage the recycling of end of life fishing gear that highlights the impact of entanglement on marine wildlife by: Creating a market for fishers, recyclers and consumers. Reducing the need to dispose of unwanted gear. Producing a value for a previously worthless product. Promoting the removal of lost gear from beaches and the sea.

What is ghost gear? Nets, lines, and traps that are lost, abandoned, or discarded in our oceans. They continue to catch, entangle and harm marine animals.

Where does ghost gear come from? Ghost gear can be lost from fishing boats accidentally, due to storms and/or poor net maintenance. Due to the expense of landfill end of life gear can sometimes be disposed of in the oceans instead. One of the issues is that end of life fishing gear is generally not seen as a product with any value.

What issues does ghost gear cause? (1) Nets continue to entangle animals in the ocean, causing harm. This may cause some animals to struggle to come to the surface to breathe. Catch of smaller animals in nets can lead to bigger animals becoming attracted to easy prey. They can then become entangled as well.

What issues does ghost gear cause? (2) As a result animals are often killed by ghost gear: entanglement in fishing gear is the most frequently documented cause of mortality in Minke Whales in UK waters. Many of the plastics used to make fishing gear are very durable; some are expected to last in our seas for up to 600 years causing long term impacts.

Ghost gear facts 640,000 tons of fishing gear are left in our oceans each year. >100,000 marine mammals and countless other wildlife are killed by ghost gear every year. 200+ Marine species impacted worldwide. 372 whales, dolphins, seals and sea lions are killed by ghost nets every day. The average time estimated for an entanglement to kill a Right Whale is just under 6 months.

Case study – The Vaquita porpoise The Vaquita porpoise resides in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. This is an area where gill nets are used regularly to fish for shrimp and the illegal totoaba fish. Gill nets are clear so Vaquita’s are often caught as by catch. As a result their numbers have dropped by 97% in the past 20 years, a shocking statistic. In 2007 the Mexican government implemented a 2 year ban on gill nets in the area and also designed Vaquita friendly nets to replace the gill nets. Despite these efforts their numbers are still decreasing, there are now less than 60 left.

Case study – Lulu the Orca Believe it or not there’s a group of resident Orcas in the UK. The ‘West Coast Community’ have been studied by scientists for almost 30 years. unfortunately the future is uncertain for the pod, as they have failed to produce a calf in that time. This uncertainty worsened in January 2016 when a 6.2m Orca washed up on Scotland’s Isle of Tiree. Identified by her unique features the whale was confirmed as Lulu.

Case study – Lulu the Orca Now with only 3 females and 5 males it’s even less likely that the pod will produce another calf which means extinction within our lifetime. Experts concluded that she drowned as a result of entanglement in fishing gear most likely creel lines. Once entangled Lulu suffered an elongated and torturous death. Even though Lulu’s death is tragic, it provides scientists with an opportunity to learn more about this poorly understood population. There are lessons to be learned from this devastating event.

What can YOU do? If you see ghost gear, carefully pick it up, report it, and sensibly dispose of it! Report ghost gear at www.GGGI.org. Purchase upcycled products that give ghost gear a second life. Visit www.neteffect.org/products for ideas! Participate in a #2minutebeachclean when you next visit the beach. Buy sustainable seafood. Buying sustainably caught seafood reduces the likelihood of entanglement by preventing bycatch.

For more information Visit www.net-effect.org or www.GGGI.org Watch Netty the Net on the WCA’s Youtube channel and subscribe! Follow the WCA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram…