In Andhra-Odisha coast, ghost gear poses a serious threat to marine life

Ghost gear poses a serious threat to marine life, prompting global efforts to reduce its impact on oceans.

About a month ago, during a routine visit to the Kalingapatnam beach, Nature researcher Vivek Rathod stumbled upon an unusual sight. A green sea turtle was washed ashore and badly entangled in ghost gear (fishing gear lost, discarded, or abandoned in the ocean). “By the time I reached the spot, it was bleeding and died within minutes,” says Vivek. The green sea turtle is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The incident may just be the tip of the iceberg of an issue that has been impacting the marine ecosystem – ghost gear, that forms a significant part of the marine plastic debris.

Earlier this month, the survey vessel MFV Matsya Darshini of Fishery Survey of India (FSI) Visakhapatnam, during a bottom trawl operation, retrieved around 20 kilograms of ghost gear, plastic litter comprising part of trawl net, vehicle tyre and plastic materials. The survey was carried out at the east of Bheemunipatnam coast at a depth of 41 metres. A similar bottom trawl operation at the southeast of Kalingapatnam was held by the FSI recently where 40 kilograms of ghost gear was found entangled with an otter board wire rope at a depth of 52 metres. The ghost gear comprised largely of gill net, nylon and polypropylene rope. In addition to this, two kilograms of plastic debris was retrieved. The ghost gear and marine plastic litter were segregated and handed over to the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation for disposal.

Research indicates that globally, 6.40 lakh metric tonnes of fishing gear are lost in the ocean resulting in a great loss to the fisheries sector and adversely impacting the marine ecosystem. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations has partnered with many countries to counter the issue with the GloLitter project.

In India, the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) is the lead agency of GloLitter Partnership and has been working towards reducing Sea Based Litter (SBL). “In the last three years, we have retrieved seven tonnes of ghost gear from the Andhra-Odisha coast,” says D B Reddy, Head of Office, FSI Visakhapatnam.

What causes ghost gear accumulation? Researchers say it could be due to snagging where the gear gets caught on reefs, rocks and other obstructions on the seafloor; entanglement; adverse weather conditions leading to loss of fishing gear or gear getting cut by marine traffic; fishing in deep waters; wear and tear over time.

A recent Mongabay India analysis stated that 144 animals belonging to 35 species across India were trapped in derelict fishing gear. The report highlighted the massive litter menace in India, the second-largest contributor to mismanaged plastic in the ocean.