Paul Watson Foundation UK Launches Our New Ghostnet Campaign

📁 Archive Document — Historical Record

This article was first published when our charity's original name/branding as 'Sea Shepherd UK' prior to our name change on 18th May 2023 following the removal of Captain Paul Watson from Sea Shepherd entities worldwide (with the exception of the UK, France and Brazil).

Captain Paul Watson remains a member of our Board, and our charity continues to uphold its founding principles of non-violent direct action marine conservation.

This article and its contents are the property of the 'Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK' and forms part of our 21 year history.

 Learn more at paulwatsonfoundation.uk/new-name

Paul Watson Foundation UK (PWFUK) announce our first campaign to remove hazardous ghostnets and other lost fishing gear from coastal areas around England, Scotland and Wales.

Once lost or discarded, sections of fishing net and other fishing equipment can drift through the ocean or be left snagged on wrecks, rocks and reefs — indiscriminately killing marine wildlife for decades. Paul Watson Foundation UK's Ghostnet Campaign will utilise our own highly experienced volunteer divers and our UK fleet of four Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) to survey sections of the UK's coastline and recover as many nets and other lost gear as possible.

Surveys have already been conducted around North Wales and the campaign will be rolled out into other areas as the appropriate permits for ghost gear retrieval have been granted to Paul Watson Foundation UK. The number of discarded/lost nets around the UK is currently unknown, but it is believed that tens of thousands of sections of fishing nets pose a hazard to wildlife around the UK coastline.

Paul Watson Foundation UK is launching our ghostnet campaign as a long-term operation and we will work closely with the Marine Management Organisations and other relevant authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to ensure that ghost fishing equipment is removed safely, legally and without harm to the environment or wildlife.

Paul Watson Foundation UK is also going to be cooperating with established UK ghost gear retrieval charity 'Fathoms Free' and two of our PWFUK divers have already joined Fathoms Free on ghostnet retrievals around the South West of England — see the related 2017 Fathoms Free blog: "Fathoms Free join forces with Paul Watson Foundation UK on Ghost Gear recovery"

"Fathoms Free are excited to announce our latest collaboration for ocean protection. In order to help rid our seas of lost fishing gear we have joined with Paul Watson Foundation UK on our ghost gear campaigns. It is estimated that 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear is lost at sea every year. This 'ghost gear' continues to catch fish and other marine life for decades, resulting in untold amounts of suffering and loss of life. Both organisations will be actively working to remove this deadly ghost gear and help find ways to reduce losses. This new collaboration will help us to increase our effectiveness by pooling our divers, volunteers, resources and knowledge as well as increasing our activities to more of the UK's coastline — thus enabling the creation of a more strategic and comprehensive program to clean our seas and protect our marine wildlife. Great things for ocean protection are about to happen!" — Rob Thompson, Fathoms Free

In anticipation of the new Ghostnet Campaign, Paul Watson Foundation UK has recently added to our RHIB fleet with the acquisition of a high specification (ex-RNLI and ex-Dorset Police) twin engine 'Atlantic 75' which has been renamed GHOST in recognition of the boat's first campaign with Paul Watson Foundation UK.

Paul Watson Foundation UK's new RHIB 'Ghost' with divers in the water off NW Wales during a ghostnet survey in December 2017

GHOST will increase Paul Watson Foundation UK's ability to operate around all areas of the UK and is able to carry a team of divers, observers and up to one ton of recovered fishing gear. Ghost is now Paul Watson Foundation UK's largest RHIB since MV Spitfire has been granted to the vessel MY Bob Barker for IUU fishing patrols around Africa.

On this campaign Ghost will work alongside Paul Watson Foundation UK's other RHIBs 'Dragon', 'Joker' — currently based in Wales — and also 'Siren' based in Scotland. Ghost, Dragon and Siren are also fitted with 3D Structure Scan sonar to enable our crews to quickly identify wrecks, rocky outcrops and other potential seabed features where ghostnets might be located. Ghostnets and other marine debris retrieved by Fathoms Free and Paul Watson Foundation UK will be stored and sent for recycling wherever possible.

Paul Watson Foundation UK's RHIB 'Dragon' retrieving divers after a seabed survey in 2017