There is a consistent increase in plastic trash and debris in the oceans

This has far-reaching negative impacts on marine ecosystems. Marine life and seabirds face dire consequences as plastic waste accumulates in ocean currents and drifts along our coastlines. Mammals, fish, and birds often mistake plastic fragments for food, leading to ingestion and subsequent entanglement. The ingestion of plastics introduces toxins into the marine food chain, affecting the health of individual species and posing risks to human populations that rely on or eat seafood.

This debris also contributes to habitat degradation and alters the ocean’s physical and chemical properties, exacerbating the broader challenges of climate change and ocean health. Addressing the issue of ocean debris is a top concern for safeguarding marine biodiversity, ecosystems, and the well-being of aquatic life and human communities.

Amongst the debris, lost fishing gear or ‘ghost gear’ is among the greatest killers in our oceans. Fishing lines, nets, crab and shrimp pots, and other commercial and recreational fishing equipment that have been lost, abandoned, or discarded into the marine environment continue to trap and kill fish, crustaceans, marine mammals, sea turtles, and even seabirds, some of which are endangered species. This ghost gear can also cause damage to underwater habitats and coral reefs, not to mention damage to ships and other marine vessels. Literally, tons of non-biodegradable nets and lines get lost yearly and can continue to “ghost” fish for decades, possibly centuries.