Oceans & pollution

Ghost Gear

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect document linkedWhy these are different

Definition

Ghost gear is any fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded in the marine environment. Under FAO definitions, abandoned gear could be retrieved but is deliberately left (for example due to force majeure), lost gear is accidentally out of the owner's control, and discarded gear is released with no attempt at recovery. Its continued ability to catch animals is known as ghost fishing.

References

FAO OpenASFAAbandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (FAO/UNEP definitions of abandoned, lost and discarded gear; ghost fishing impacts)

authoritative definitions

Fisheries and Oceans CanadaWhat is ghost gear (gear abandoned, lost or discarded; among the most harmful ocean debris; microplastic breakdown; IUU link)

impacts and causes

Overview

What it means

Ghost gear is considered the most damaging category of marine plastic litter: it entangles and kills fish, marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds — with harvest losses of up to 30% documented in some fisheries — damages habitats, poses navigation hazards, and fragments into microplastics. Causes include snagging, severe weather, gear conflicts, and discarding linked to illegal fishing.

How it is used

The term frames FAO voluntary guidelines on gear marking, port reception and retrieval programmes, the Global Ghost Gear Initiative's multistakeholder work, and national action on derelict gear.

Why it matters

Ghost gear links plastic pollution, fisheries sustainability, and animal welfare in a single problem — and one with tractable solutions in gear design, marking, reporting, and recovery.