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A Personal Perspective on the Ghostnet Campaign
Having been part of the Ghostnet Campaign since its inception, the journey has been nothing short of remarkable. As one of the Campaign...
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GHOSTNET CAMPAIGN
Every year around 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear is lost or discarded into the oceans
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Ghost Nets – the indiscriminate killers of marine wildlife
What is PAUL WATSON UKʼs
Ghostnet Campaign?
The Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK launched the Ghostnet Campaign in 2016 to combat abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), focusing on UK coastal areas. Utilising experienced, trained, volunteer divers and crew and the Captain Paul Watson UK's vessel ”Spectre”, the campaign surveys UK waters and locates discarded gear using 3D scanners. Teams of divers are deployed to recover the gear using lift bags, which are then brought to the surface where vessel crew uplift. Careful surveys are conducted to remove nets and pots without harming wrecks or marine habitats. Each site may require multiple visits to completely clear entangled gear. Recovered nets and pots are responsibly disposed of onshore or recycled by innovative companies for various products, including clothing, footwear, and kayaks.
'UK Ghost Gear Coalition'
To reduce the response time to reported sightings of ghost gear and to widen their geographical reach, Fathoms Free, Ghost Diving UK, NARC and Capitain Paul Watson Foundation Ghostnet Campaign have formed a coalition to combine their extensive resources and improve efficiency. The new coalition is named the UK Ghost Gear Coalition.
From now on, when members of the public report ghost gear sightings on the platform of one coalition member, the data will become immediately available to all members of the UK Ghost Gear Coalition (UKGCC). This will ensure the quickest and most efficient response, minimising travel times by using the closest resources available.
Retrieving ghost gear is demanding in terms of logistics, and the coalition aims to meet these demands in the best way possible. By utilising divers who are most closely located to the reported sighting, response times will be dramatically reduced, and the carbon footprint will be significantly reduced.
As well as these improvements in efficiency, UKGGC members will work together to ensure safe practices and use each other’s experiences in a program of continuous development.
#Ghostnet #CPWFGhostnetCampaign #UKGGC #GhostDiving #NARC #FathomsFree #GhostGear
How can I get
involved?
Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK is always looking for experienced divers to assist with this campaign. Lifting gear from the sea bed is potentially very dangerous and therefore requires a certain level of competence. Divers should have experience of diving in UK coastal waters, complete a minimum of 100 coldwater dives, be qualified to the standard of at least Rescue Diver and have completed CPWFUKʼs unique Ghostnet Retrieval Course through our partner Scuba Diving International (SDi).
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