Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear, also referred to as ALDFG or ghost gear, is the most harmful form of marine plastic litter for marine animals and habitats: it can impede safe navigation, damage beaches and reefs, and lead to economic losses for fisheries and other marine-dependent industries across the globe. While there are no current estimates of the amount of ALDFG in the ocean, a growing body of evidence has documented high rates of ALDFG in fisheries around the world. This state of affairs increases costs for fisheries, harms the environment, and presents significant safety risks. Given that most fishing gear has a significant number of plastic components, ALDFG also gives rise to a series of less direct but longer-term negative impacts associated with other plastic pollution and microplastics, including negative effects on biota, water quality and even human health...
