Des milliers de filets de pêche perdus ou abandonnés traînent dans les mers du globe, avec des conséquences désastreuses. Ils sont dangereux pour de nombreux animaux, soit parce qu’ils les entravent et les noient, soit parce qu’en se dégradant ils sont absorbés par la faune océanique.
This infographic was published by the weekly Die Zeit in its June 13 edition, five days after World Ocean Day, when the United Nations reminded us that « our relationship with the ocean must change as a matter of urgency, as our efforts to date have only scratched the surface of the problem ».
Covering more than 70% of our planet, the seas produce at least 50% of our oxygen and are home to most of the Earth’s biodiversity. But they are threatened by overfishing and pollution in particular. This infographic focuses on one of the sources of degradation of the marine environment: fishing nets lost by ships during storms, or left abandoned by clandestine fishermen.
Initiatives to recover abandoned equipment
Not only does this equipment regularly trap marine animals, but as it degrades, it also turns into the tiny plastic particles found in the entrails of some fish. It is estimated that the plastics associated with fishing utensils account for almost a quarter of the waste present in the oceans.
According to a study published in 2022 and reported at the time by The Guardian, the number of fishing nets lost or discarded each year in the oceans would be enough to cover the surface of Scotland. And « if all the types of lost lines were tied together », there would be enough to go « 18 times around the Earth », wrote the British newspaper.
Today, more and more initiatives are being launched to recover abandoned fishing gear, or even recycle it, in order to limit pollution of the seas. And in 2023, recalls Die Zeit, Germany joined the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, bringing together fishermen, governments and scientists to combat ocean pollution. Although NGOs, universities and private companies are part of this initiative, only 24 nations have signed up to date.
Source: Courier International
