Abandoned fishing equipment that haunts our oceans.

• Globally, abandoned fishing gear contributes to approximately 10% of plastic pollution in the oceans.
• 45% of all species on the IUCN Red List have already been affected by plastic pollution in the ocean.
• Every year, 6% of all used nets, 9% of all pots and 29% of all longline fishing gear are lost in the ocean and become marine litter.
• Drift nets, pots and fish aggregating devices (FADs) are among the most lost fishing gear and pose the greatest threat to marine life.
• FADs cause 2.8 to 6.7 times more bycatch, including endangered species such as sharks, than the actual target species.
• In 2013 alone, between 81,000 and 121,000 FADs were deployed globally.
• Abandoned fishing gear not only kills marine animals, but also destroys underwater habitats through mechanical damage such as abrasion, breakage, and covering.
• Ghost gear is especially common on deep-sea mountains, where the rich biodiversity attracts intense fishing activity.
• Existing control mechanisms from regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) are either inadequate or not properly enforced.
• To combat the deadly impact of ghost gear, a legally binding agreement is needed to protect the high seas, with a goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030.

The solution

TrapSaver™ addresses the problem of ghost nets and marine debris in a new and innovative way – before the pollution even begins.

Around 640,000 tons of old fishing gear, including ghost nets, buoys, lines, pots and baskets, end up in the ocean every year as fishing waste.