Ghost Nets Threaten Marine Ecosystems Along Gujarat Coast, Urgent Cleanup Efforts Undertake

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Rajkot: The marine environment along the Gujarat coastline is facing a severe threat from the proliferation of ghost gears, also known as ghost nets, abandoned by fishermen at sea. This menace is expanding as more fishermen increasingly turn to the use of synthetic fibers. Ghost gears pose a significant risk to aquatic ecosystems, affecting everything from shallow coral reefs to deep-sea landscapes.

In a collaborative coastal cleanup initiative led by the Veraval research center of ICAR’s Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Marine National Park (MNP) in Jamnagar, and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) last month in Mithapur and Dwarka, a staggering 600 tonnes of ghost gears were discovered. Using knives, the three organizations removed these nets from intertidal reefs. Additionally, WWF-India conducted a similar drive solely at the Veraval coast, uncovering 120kg of ghost gears.

Dr. N Pravin Kumar, Senior Programme Coordinator at WWF-India, emphasized the pressing issue of ghost gear mitigation and prevention. These abandoned fishing gears, such as nets and lines, continue to trap fish for extended periods, causing ecological damage.

Scientists note that these nets may get accidentally cut during fishing, and once adrift in the sea, they become unrecoverable. With no proper disposal facility for old nets and no incentives for their proper disposal, fishermen abandon them at the coast, where high tides carry them away, proving hazardous to marine life.

The entanglement of marine species, including turtles, dolphins, sharks, and seabirds, in plastic fishing lines, poses threats to their movement and hunting abilities. The accumulation of these abandoned nets can smother coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems, leading to economic losses and jeopardizing global food security.

Given Gujarat’s extensive coastline and fishing communities in Okha, Mithapur, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Veraval, Una, Jafrabad, Porbandar, Kutch, the environmental danger is significant. Senior scientist Ashish Kumar Jha, in charge of CIFT, Veraval, highlighted the serious issue posed by nets, leading to reports of plastic pieces found inside fish and microplastics in their bloodstream. Scientists are actively working to raise awareness among fishermen along the Kerala to Gujarat coast, urging government-sponsored schemes to incentivize proper disposal of ghost gears at designated locations.

Source: TOI