February 12, 2025 — You may have seen images of seabirds that have built their nests on discarded nets, lengths of rope and other plastic litter, or perhaps birds with stomachs full of microplastics.
We also know there is an invisible and very harmful effect of discarded fishing gear, known as “ghost fishing,” where abandoned traps and nets are left behind to continue fishing almost indefinitely. This littering has major consequences for life in and around the ocean.
It may be invisible, but it is still a huge problem
Other fishing gear, ropes and microplastics sink to the bottom and become an invisible problem; a nylon line can last up to 600 years on the seabed. This gear is mostly made from non-degradable types of plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester and polyamide.
Scientists are now seeking to develop new materials which will break down faster without causing pollution.
“Fishing gear remains in situ for a long time and in practice turns the ocean into a plastic landfill site, because particles of microplastics are formed when the materials degrade in the ocean. This slow, natural decomposition starts with photodegradation (caused by light) and thermo-oxidative degradation (caused by temperature) of the polymers,” explains researcher Christian Karl from SINTEF.