Ghost Fishing UK

About Ghost Fishing UK

Ghost Fishing UK is a registered charity, established in 2015. Ghost Fishing UK is dedicated to removing Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) or ‘Ghost Gear’.
The purpose is to remove, where practicable, potentially lethal entanglement hazards to marine life and scuba divers from the marine environment.

The charity consists of volunteer scuba divers, with extensive training in advanced diving practices specifically in relation to helping the marine environment by removing harmful lost fishing gear called ‘Ghost Gear.
Each year it is estimated that 640,000 tonnes of lost fishing gear makes its way into our oceans and continues fishing indiscriminately and indefinitely.
It can cost £1000 to locate, recover and recycle just one diving day’s haul of ghost gear, which is normally in the region of 100-200kg per day.

Ghost Fishing UK objectives
- Survey dive sites and keep a detailed and current log of ALDFG sightings by divers. This reporting system is live and collecting data. The purpose of the survey is to collate information about the site, ensuring that the activities of Ghost Fishing UK will not harm the environment and only benefit the site. Ghost Fishing UK does not remove nor disturb items that may be used as a habitat to species reliant on them.
- Train selected scuba divers in the safe working practices of removing ALDFG from wrecks, reefs and the seabed. This includes use of cutting tools, deployment of lift bags, recovery of
ALDFG and safe team working practices. Ghost Fishing UK wrote the first training course of its kind in the world.
- Risk assess each mission and undergo a pre-dive ‘toolbox talk’ to include the boat skipper and any individuals on deck.
- Remove ALDFG from the surveyed site. This includes: Trawling nets, Monofilament net and line, Nylon nets and lines, lost pots, Creels, Dredges and similar man-made entanglement hazards to marine life or divers which have been designed to trap and snare marine life. Active and buoyed fishing gear will not be touched.
- Ghost Fishing UK aims to avoid damage to existing flora or fauna; that we do not move, remove or damage any part of the wreck, structure or reef; that we do not use any machinery underwater; Embedded or active fishing gear will be left alone and the seabed will be left undisturbed.
- Ghost Fishing UK aims to recycle recovered ALDFG wherever possible, in collaboration with partners.
- Ghost Fishing UK will provide education to the public and interested organisations by way
of media coverage, images, film, talks at events, schools and outreach projects and
conferences.  
- Ghost Fishing UK engages with and supports the British fishing industry, with the aim to
work together to find a solution to the Ghost Gear problem.
 
Affiliations
Ghost Fishing UK works closely with the SeaLife Trust, Seasearch and the Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition.
 
Facts
• Ghost Fishing UK wrote and produced the world’s first ever diving course for ghost gear removal and now has over 70 scuba diving volunteer members trained to clean up the ocean safely.
• In spring 2019, the Ghost Fishing UK team rescued 57 spider crabs in one dive from a 100 metre long lost gill net from Hillsea Point, Plymouth. The net has been sent away to be recycled into socks!
• In one week alone, a team of 10 Ghost Fishing UK divers cleared a wreck in Cornwall of 540 kg of lost fishing nets.
 
Links to other media
BBC One Show
https://youtu.be/S0aaNgvl_tY
BBC Spotlight
https://youtu.be/eDnuo7m4tec
About Ghost Fishing UK
https://youtu.be/lJS6jFenXoY
Ghost Fishing UK webinar
https://youtu.be/wsgcqsXb0_4
Images (please read the Media Policy)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147582826@N07/
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/ghostfishinguk/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/GhostFishingUK/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/ghost_fishinguk?lang=en
 
Glossary
Scuba - Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
Ghost Gear - refers to any fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded, and is the most harmful form of marine debris.
This gear continues to fish and trap animals, entangle and potentially kill marine life, smother habitat, and act as a hazard to navigation.
ALDFG - Abandoned, Lost, Discarded Fishing Gear.
CPPC - Cornish Plastics Pollution Coalition

10% of sales from the Narwhal print go to Ghost Fishing UK. Order your limited edition print here.