Sea Shepherd UK (now known as Captain Paul Watson UK) launches 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

Operation Ghostnet: First UK Ghost Fishing Gear Retrieval Campaign Launched

The Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK has announced its first campaign to remove hazardous ghost nets and other lost fishing gear from coastal areas around England, Scotland and Wales.

Photo: RHIB 'Ghost' with divers in the waters off NW Wales during a ghost net survey in December 2017.

RHIB 'Dragon' retrieving divers after a seabed survey in 2017.

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. The Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK's ghost net campaign will utilise our 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 are granted. The number of discarded and lost nets around the UK is currently unknown, but it is believed that tens of thousands of sections of fishing net pose a hazard to wildlife around the UK coastline. We are launching this campaign as a long-term operation and will work closely with the Marine Management Organisation 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.

We are also cooperating with the established UK ghost gear retrieval charity Fathoms Free, and two of our divers have already joined Fathoms Free on ghost net retrievals around the South West of England.

"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 forces on 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 increase our effectiveness by pooling our divers, volunteers, resources and knowledge, as well as expanding our activities to more of the UK's coastline — enabling the creation of a more strategic and comprehensive programme 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 campaign, the UK RHIB fleet has recently been expanded with the acquisition of a high-specification (ex-RNLI and ex-Dorset Police) twin-engine 'Atlantic 75', renamed GHOST in recognition of the boat's first campaign.