X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Ghost Net Recovery in the Baltic Sea

It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of tons of ghost nets lie at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, often caught on shipwrecks, many of which are historical in significance. The Baltic Sea Heritage Rescue Project brings together volunteers from all over the world with the drive to locate, document and remove such ghost nets from wrecks in the Baltic Sea, thus saving marine life, protecting the wrecks and keeping their stories alive. Sabine Kerkau, one of the co-founders of the project, reports.

Words:
Sabine Kerkau
Images:
Sabine Kerkau
A ghost net at the stern of the Elbing IX floats 20m above the wreck, trapping and killing marine life
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Tech and Training

You can come across them on any walk along the beach—small pieces of torn fishing nets. But they are just the tip of the iceberg, here in the Baltic region. Hundreds of thousands of tons of ghost nets are most likely lying on the bottom of the Baltic Sea or have gotten stuck on shipwrecks.

Pascal van Erp to be featured in 'Dive Stories' podcast

It has been announced on Global Recycling Day (18 March) that marine conservation diver and Ghost Diving founder, Pascal van Erp, is to be featured in this month's 'Dive Stories' podcast.

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Dive Industry News and Matters
Ghost Diving

According to 'Dive Stories', "Pascal van Erp will be sharing his experiences removing ghost fishing gear from the underwater world, about the innovative products being created from what he collects, and his fundamental thoughts on how we can all be part of the solution to ghost fishing."

PADI Dive Stories Podcast

PADI launched a monthly podcast called 'Dive Stories' in July 2020. Hosted by Allison Albritton - aka 'Ocean Allison' - a new episode is released on the 15th of every month.

When Dive Stories was first broadcast, Kristin Valette-Wirth from PADI stated, "The dive community is comprised of some of the most passionate, diverse and interesting people on the planet. Their stories have the ability to inspire and entertain and proliferate a deeper affinity for ocean exploration and conservation."

Ghost Diving establishes a new chapter in the UK

The Ghost Diving Foundation has today announced the establishment of a new country chapter. Divers in the United Kingdom are joining fellow team divers in New Zealand, Egypt and Korea in a shared goal of removing lost fishing gear.

Ecology & Science

The international volunteer diver organisation—formerly known as Ghost Fishing—was founded in 2012 to locate and remove lost, snagged and entangled fishing gear or "ghost fishing" equipment from our oceans and seas, across the globe.

From day one this important role has always been conducted by groups of highly experienced, specially skilled, volunteer technical divers who are used to team diving on standard gases, using a set equipment configuration. The divers involved understand and appreciate the hazards of these dives.

Correction Notice

Dr Rich Walker, Chairman of Ghost Fishing UK advised us in writing on the 15 February 2021. 

"In addition GF-UK focuses on writing and selling removal courses to non-technical divers.”

"Our course was written years ago, and we categorically do not "sell” them. The course is free of charge to all that are selected to attend. Delivering courses is not a primary focus of Ghost Fishing UK. It is a necessary component of maintaining a safe and effective team." Rich Walker

The 'Ghost Fishing' organisation puts divers centre stage

In November 2013, I attended Baltictech on behalf of Sport Diver UK Magazine, and heard a number of fascinating talks, given by the likes of the respected wreck explorer Immi Wallin. But one talk made a major impact on me.

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Ecology & Science
Ghost Diving

It was delivered by a very tall, quiet Dutchman by the name of Pascal van Erp. Pascal explained how he had started to recover abandoned ghost fishing gear entangled on wrecks in 2009. He soon inspired others to join him. It was not long before organised teams of volunteer technical divers were recovering tons of ghost fishing gear off the Dutch coastline. In 2012, Van Erp formally founded the not-for-profit Ghost Fishing organisation.

Ghost fishing—a lost or abandoned net or other fishing equipment that is snagged on a reef or wreck—continues to trap marine wildlife.

Haunting image of plastic-wrapped turtle carcass wins top prize

In 2017, a Canadian underwater photographer - Shane Gross - had completed a dive off Eleuthera when his girlfriend Anita surfaced, visibly distressed.

Dive Industry News and Matters

Anita had been leading a dive in the Bahamas at a site called the 'Sea Garden', when she discovered the carcass of a green sea turtle with a hook protruding from its decomposing tongue.

Images like this can become warnings for the future. Shane Gross

The animal had obviously been trapped in situ for a significant period of time, and had drowned.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Ghost fishing: Can we prevent it?

There are certain images of marine life that consistently conjure up a predicted response from the general public, whether they are scuba divers or not.

Words:
Heather Hamza
Images:
Tom Boyd, Shingo Ishida
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Ecology & Science

Consider the bloody waters resulting from the dolphin slaughter at Taiji, Japan. Picture a massive whale, having just breached, with a high-powered harpoon impaled in his or her body. Imagine hundreds of dead sharks lined up with their dorsal fins sliced off. These stories and images typically elicit anger, rage, devastation, sadness, and/or feelings of powerlessness.

Now, what if I told you that there are additional human-induced atrocities against these creatures, happening all over the world, every single day?

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