Tag Archives: lost or abandoned
New law targets ‘ghost fishing’ by old gear. How discarded traps and nets are harmful
Abandoned fishing gear has posed problems for authorities wishing to clear it from state waters and shorelines for decades, but new legislation is aimed at making that task easier. An amendment by state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, to an existing statute will speed the process of removing the environmentally harmful debris. “Left unchecked, abandoned fishing gear poses several threats to our marine environment and ecosystems,” Tarr stated in a press release. One of the problems it creates, he said, is “ghost fishing.” Tarr said ghost fishing increases species mortality without any harvest benefit. He added derelict gear also presents a major risk for entanglement for right whales and other species, clutters and pollutes the ocean floor, and presents ongoing problems for coastal communities that deal with this form of pollution when it washes ashore. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:07
