MORE deadly plastic? yup...

There are many underlying factors that negatively impact our oceans and the ecosystems within them. One of these factors is ghost nets. If you don’t know what ghost nets are; “Ghost nets are fishing nets that were lost at sea or deliberately thrown overboard. Even though they no longer serve a purpose, they continue haunting our oceans as they keep fishing without end.” The dilemma with these nets is that they are made from plastic (which doesn’t break down) and just add to the amount of plastic in the ocean. According to an article from the WWF, “Most modern nets are made of nylon or other plastic compounds that can last for centuries. According to a 2018 study in Scientific Reports, ghost nets make up at least 46 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” This quote truly stood out to me when I was doing my research. Plastic straws and bags tend to get the most attention when talking about plastic in the ocean, while these nets rarely get the same amount of coverage.

Below is a photo that goes into detail about the cycle that ghost nets fall into. This picture shows how truly dangerous these nets are since they continue to do their job, even when there are no longer humans to work them.

The destructive ghost fishing cycle

This issue is extremely significant because it’s often overlooked which makes it even more damaging. As stated above, ghost nets make up a huge percentage of the amount of plastic that is in our ocean. It also kills thousands of animals and isn’t as talked about as plastic straws or bags. Something that I learned that I think is super important to pass on is; It’s crucial to check where you’re getting your seafood. If you’re buying a can of tuna, you want to see a label on the front that says it was caught by line fishing. Usually, if it doesn’t say that, it was caught by these huge nets that are often turned into ghost nets. This is something that individual people can do that will truly make an impact

Threats of Ghost Fishing This is a great video that I came across while doing research.

This video talks about the Maldives, a country in South Asia that is made up of islands. Ghost nets negatively affect this country’s ocean by killing marine life and endangering coral (disease, invasive species, and parasites). The Olive Ridley Project is an organization trying to determine the key factors supplying ghost nets into the Indian Ocean. Maldivian law does not allow any kind of net fishing within its economic zone. Pole and line and hand line are the most used fishing techniques, but there are still areas where ghost nets can be traced back to. The Indian Ocean has two major monsoons that affect currents and decide where ghost nets travel. On the east coast of India (Odisha), thousands of turtles gather at this area for a “mass nesting event”. After they are born, adolescent turtles find large portions of “floating algae that act as mini-ecosystems complete with food and shelter.” Ghost nets can be mistaken as algae and young turtles often end up trapped in them.

Ghost net covering a coral reef

I’ve always loved everything related to the ocean and I think it’s super important to stay informed about topics that negatively affect your passions. This topic is really significant to me because I want to go into a field that is related to the ocean and I want to keep this beautiful environment in the best condition possible. I think it’s necessary for people to know about this topic because it’s a huge issue. The research I’ve for this project so far has been very eye-opening. Obviously, I’ve learned a lot since the beginning and I’m only planning on learning more. There’s so much to figure out and discover about this topic. I’m wondering about how individual people can help stop or slow the number of ghost Nets that are being added to the ocean and killing animals. Another huge question I have is where are ghost nets located because I’d love to dive there and help get them out.

Annotated Bibliography