Discarded nets causing untold damage to sea life

Ocean ghosts wait for the unwary
Sydney Morning Herald 15 Oct 08;

Discarded nets are causing untold damage to sea life, writes Emma Blacklock.

For an Olive Ridley turtle living and breeding in the Gulf of Carpentaria, dodging the deadly environmental menace known as ghost nets means life can resemble a Hollywood thriller.

Ghost nets are the serial killers of the oceans, floating aimlessly in the waters of the gulf. They fish indiscriminately and do not care if you are an endangered or protected species.

Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost accidentally, deliberately discarded or simply abandoned. They travel the oceans with the currents and tides, continually fishing as they progress through the waters.

Given that the Gulf of Carpentaria is a near landlocked body of water, it acts as a catchment for all ghost nets in the Indo-Pacific region.

Once the nets are in the gulf, due to a circular current called a gyre, they become stuck in an endless cycle of fishing, being washed ashore and washed back into the water during a storm or king tide.

Luckily for the turtles, there are "ghost busters" who are determined to rid the gulf of these environmental vandals.

Riki Gunn is one of the ghost busters. She is the project co-ordinator for the Carpentaria ghost nets program.

So far the program has removed 80,141 metres of net from remote areas in the gulf. The largest have been Taiwanese gill nets, estimated to weigh as much as five tonnes and measuring four kilometres long with a drop of 12 metres.

"The problem with ghost nets, or any marine debris, is the impact they create on the environment physically as well as ecologically," Gunn says. "Their impact on threatened and endangered species such as the Olive Ridley turtle is a major concern."

According to research, nearly 90 per cent of the marine debris entering the gulf, including the ghost nets, is a byproduct of fishing and comes from all parts of South-East Asia.

More than 200 different types of nets have been found, containing a range of rubbish and sea creatures including fishing gear, sharks, marine turtles, Indonesian water bottles and, strangely, left-footed thongs. Only 10 per cent of the ghost nets found so far have been of Australian origin.

"The Gulf of Carpentaria is one of the most pristine marine environments, apart from the Antarctic, left in the world," Gunn says. "This makes finding a solution to the problem a complex issue [which needs] more than just a quick-fix clean-up and an education campaign for local fishermen."

She says international liaison is needed to stop the main source of the menace - international fishing fleets.

The nets are being removed by sea rangers employed by local communities, who are using traditional knowledge alongside modern science and mapping. The rangers call themselves the saltwater people, recognising their cultural links with the sea.

They record the numbers, size and location of the ghost nets found and rescue animals trapped in them.

Through detailed reporting they are increasing awareness about ghost nets and are working closely with scientists to better understand their distribution, abundance, movement and impact.

Gunn says that the sea rangers are the linchpins of the program.

"It was the rangers who first brought the issue to the attention of the world," she says. They are trained in how to collect data and use global positioning systems - skills which will help them find other work as rangers and, they hope, lead to long-term employment.

Destroying the ghost nets after they have been removed can prove difficult. The nets are non-biodegradable and take up enormous areas of landfill.

The Hammond Island art group, using traditional as well as non-traditional weaving methods, make handbags from the discarded nets, which are then sold to tourists on Thursday Island.

"It is a great example of indigenous communities working together, using tradition to blend with the modern and creating sustainable outcomes," Gunn says.

"Using the community, particularly local indigenous people, is ultimately the key to solving the problem of ghost nets."

The ghost net program is gaining worldwide recognition as an example of how a community can speak up for the environment in which they live and make a real difference.

"The community knows what will and won't work for them. They understand the local attitudes, capabilities and most importantly the environment that they live in.

"Working with the community for solutions gives them ownership of the solution.

"They will try harder to make it work as it is their idea," Gunn says.

Will the floating fishing nets ever be eliminated?

"I can see this happening in my lifetime but there needs to be lots of co-operation between governments to bring in registration of fishing gear," Gunn says.

"Also needed are awareness campaigns so that fishermen are made aware of the impact of their actions."