Help Shape Canada's Strategy on Lost and Abandoned Fishing Gear
Official title: Ghost Gear Update and Path Forward Meetings
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is gathering feedback before launching official consultations on a national ghost gear strategy. Ghost gear means fishing nets, traps, and lines that get lost or abandoned in the ocean. These sessions focus on what's working, what's not, and how Canada can better tackle this problem by 2030.
Why This Matters
Lost fishing gear keeps catching and killing marine life for years. It also breaks down into microplastics that end up in the food chain. If you eat seafood, care about ocean health, or live in a coastal community, this affects you.
What Could Change
Canada could introduce new rules requiring fishers to use trackable gear or pay deposits on equipment. Funding programs for gear retrieval may expand. Reporting requirements for lost gear could become stricter as part of Canada's zero plastic waste by 2030 commitment.
Key Issues
- What has the Ghost Gear Program accomplished so far?
- What challenges remain in addressing lost and abandoned fishing gear?
- What opportunities exist to better tackle ghost gear in the future?