Ghost fishing
Ghost fishing is the continued capture and killing of marine organisms by lost or abandoned fishing gear that remains in the water.
Derelict fishing gear: Fishing equipment that has been lost, abandoned, or discarded in aquatic environments. Ghost fishing is the harmful capture process caused by this gear.
Marine debris: Human-made solid material that is discarded, abandoned, or lost in marine environments. Ghost gear is a particularly damaging form of marine debris.
Fishing gear marking: The identification of fishing equipment with marks that indicate its ownership or origin. Marks can help identify who lost gear and support accountability or recovery.
Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear: Fishing equipment abandoned, lost, or discarded in aquatic environments, often abbreviated ALDFG. Ghost fishing is one consequence of this wider gear-loss problem.
Ghost gear estimates: Quantitative assessments of how much fishing gear is lost or abandoned and where it accumulates. Reliable estimates are needed to compare the scale of gear loss among fisheries.
Gillnet: A wall of netting that catches fish when they become entangled by their gills or bodies. Lost gillnets can keep entangling fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.
Marine mammal entanglement: The trapping or constriction of marine mammals by nets, lines, and other debris. Entanglement can injure or kill mammals caught in ghost gear.
Fishing gear retrieval: The recovery of fishing equipment that has been lost or abandoned in aquatic environments. Retrieval removes gear before it continues trapping animals for long periods.
Fishing gear conflict: Damage or loss of fishing equipment caused by interactions among fishing operations or with other marine uses. Gear conflict can leave nets and lines lost in the water.
Fisheries monitoring: The collection and analysis of information about fishing activity, catches, and compliance. Monitoring can reveal gear losses and identify areas with persistent ghost fishing.