A Community Response to Ghost Gear

Standing behind small microscopes on Belyounech beach, in Fnideq, northern Morocco, children spent World Oceans Day learning about the wonders of our marine ecosystems and why they need to be taken care of. They were eagerly waiting for the highlight of the day. A team of scientists and local divers was at work on the seabed, retrieving ghost gear: fishing nets that were abandoned, lost or discarded at sea. When the two fishing boats supporting the operation returned to shore carrying two retrieved nets, the excitement grew. The children clapped in awe as the nets were displayed on the beach.

The activity was carried out as part of the GEF-funded FishEBM Mediterranean project, implemented by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Ghost gear, formally known as abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), contributes to marine pollution. These materials can harm marine life by catching fish even beyond active fishing operations, disrupting ecosystems as a result. Addressing the problem is far from straightforward. If ghost nets are not retrieved rapidly, any intervention requires careful scientific assessment as the nets can become embedded in wildlife and their removal could do more harm than good.

To remedy this, FishEBM MED is developing a protocol on best practices for ghost gear removal, and Fnideq is one of its most instructive testing grounds. The project brought together GFCM marine scientists, the Moroccan National Institute of Marine Research (INRH), local fishers, and the association of Fnideq underwater fishing and environmental protection (Abtal Fnideq), a local NGO with over a decade of experience mobilizing the community around this issue. The success of the retrieval operation required close coordination, scientific expertise, professional diving skills with strict safety procedures, and the local knowledge of fishers to locate the ghost nets.

“The fishers were the first people that we convinced to join us in this mission.”

recalls Younes Baghdidi, the president of Abtal Fnideq. Committed and passionate, he was born in a family of fishers and grew up enjoying diving in the region. He witnessed firsthand the impact of marine pollution, so he decided to take action.

“There were challenges at the beginning, but over time we built a strong collaboration. Today, fishers are active participants in our retrieval activities and provide invaluable expertise in helping us identify where abandoned nets are located.”

The lessons learnt during the operation will contribute to the protocol on best practices for ghost gear removal to be published under the FishEBM MED project, paving the way for the Fnideq model to be scaled up, and replicated in Morocco and across the Mediterranean.

The day’s activities also provided the opportunity to raise awareness among the next generations whether future fishers, or future marine scientists. Throughout the day, children participated in hands-on activities focused on marine pollution. They marveled while watching a virtual reality experience that allowed them to “dive” to observe the ghost nets and their retrieval up close. They received a copy of Guardians of the Seas, a FishEBM MED graphic novel that explores the efforts of fishers and other stakeholders in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region to tackle the issue of marine litter.

Rather than becoming waste once again, the FishEBM MED project is supporting the reintegration of recovered nets into the circular economy. In the days following the retrieval, nets are cleaned, prepared and transferred to the Blue Fish (al hout al azrak) Women’s Cooperative. There, they will be transformed into new products such as bags, accessories, and other handcrafted items for the cooperative to sell.

“We clean and recycle the nets”

explained Sanae El Gargari,the warm and astute president of the cooperative.

“We could use abandoned nets to decorate our homes. We have to make sure they are used so they do not become a source of pollution again”

Under the FishEBM MED project, the GFCM has been piloting different approaches to combatting marine litter across the Mediterranean. In Morocco, the project is also designing and testing trawl nets that could "fish for litter," with the aim to harness the fishing sector’s capacity to collect debris from the seabed for recycling. In Montenegro, gear sensors are being piloted to monitor fishing activities and locate fishing equipment at sea, facilitating retrieval when needed. While in Tunisia, the project is conducting a gear-marking pilot and providing technical assistance on strengthening national legislation on the marking of fishing gear.

Through these initiatives, FishEBM MED is identifying solutions that could be scaled up for larger change, with the conviction that fighting ghost gear and marine litter demands practical solutions that go beyond awareness and bring together scientific expertise and community action.

In Fnideq, as the children carefully sampled algae on the small beach, nestled between steep cliffs, this conviction took form, in an action that might have shaped a new generation that will protect our seas.

Words by Anna Carlson, Project Manager, FishEBM Mediterranean

Photos by FAO-GFCM, Claudia Amico

The “Fisheries and ecosystem-based management for the Blue Economy of the Mediterranean” project (FishEBM MED) is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and aims to reverse the overexploitation of select commercial living marine resources by enhancing the capacity of Mediterranean countries to manage fisheries through the application of ecosystem-based management tools. The FishEBM MED project is committed to strengthening Mediterranean fisheries management, facilitating a shift towards a more participatory and ecosystem-based approach that engages all relevant stakeholders.