1 1 © T. Stachura Ghost nets The invisible problem of the (and not only) Baltic Sea Ewa Milewska The Project”Collecting Ghost Nets in the Baltic Sea” was funded by Baltic Sea 2020

2 2 GHOST NETS Lying at the seabed, abandoned, unmarked fishing gears or their parts. © WWF/ W. Wójtowicz

3 3 Main reasons for the occurrence of ghost nets in the sea In the past, collisions of gears with other objects, called “hooks”, during hauling also caused by the lack of precise navigation devices; Incidental loss of fishing gears due to unfavourable weather conditions; Damage of set nets by trawls used by other vessels; Damage of identifying marks of fishing gears by cargo ships; Litter form cargo ships (sometimes as big as cars and containers); Intended loss due to the lack of accessible possibilities to dispose ghost nets removed from the sea, high costs of recycling.

4 4 GHOST NETS They can still catch fish! Fishing capacity of lost nets varies from 20% to 6% of their initial capacity. © WWF/ W. Wójtowicz

5 5 GHOST NETS This additional 6% can disrupt the stability of fish stocks– mainly demersal fish species. © WWF/ W. Wójtowicz

6 6 GHOST NETS And negatively influence the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea

7 7 FAO CODE OF CONDUCT FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES „8.4.6 States should cooperate to develop and apply technologies, materials and operational methods that minimize the loss of fishing gear and the ghost fishing effects of lost or abandoned fishing gear.” © WWF/ W. A. Kassolikz

8 8 INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES ON BYCATCH MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION OF DISCARDS States and RFMO/As should consider measures to address the impact of pre-catch losses and ghost fishing on living aquatic resources. (iii) developing technologies and measures that quantify, and reduce, the mortalities and impacts associated with pre-catch losses and ghost fishing. This may include (…) identification of gear ownership, reduction of gear losses, development of gear retrieval procedures and programs, and reducing, and where possible eliminating, fishing power of lost gear, e.g. through the use of degradable materials.

POLAND2012 – LITHUANIA AND POLAND 15 days of actions at sea aimed at retrieving ghost nets from the sea bottom kg 67 days of actions at sea aimed at retrieving ghost nets from the sea bottom kg 2 shipwrecks cleaned up by divers 1807 kg 8 shipwrecks cleaned up by divers kg Ghost nets retrieved by Maritime Office in Gdynia (Poland) kg TOTAL kg TOTAL kg

10 OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT Five fishing vessels engaged in retrieving actions 82 days of actions at sea in Poland and Lithuania and 10 shipwrecks cleaned up kg of ghost nets retrieved during two years of actions

11 COOPERATION FISHERMAN SCIENTISTS ADMINISTRATION WWF AND PARTNERS

12 INTERACTIVE MAP OF „HOOKS”

13 INTERACTIVE MAP OF „HOOKS”

14 © WWF/ W. Wójtowicz 27,3 tonnes of ghost net retrieved set nets lost annually in the Polish economic zone and 150 in the Lithuanian economic zone 270 – 810 tonnes of ghost nets deposited in the Polish economic zone and tonnes in the Lithuanian economic zone

15 WHO? HOW? FUNDED BY? WHAT’S NEXT?

16 Thank you for your attention Ewa Milewska WWF Poland The Collecting Ghost Nets in the Baltic Sea Project was funded by Baltic Sea 2020