Oceanic Ghost Busters!

They are the silent killers of our oceans. Almost invisible yet kilometres wide, they are out to catch and drown anyone and anything unlucky enough to fall into the tangle of their merciless trap.

As we go about our daily lives, millions of animals that we love and need are being indiscriminately slaughtered because of ghost nets. Everyday they take the lives of all sorts of marine fauna, including turtles, sharks, dolphins and even whales.

Ghost nets are lost or discarded fishing nets that get caught in oceanic currents and continue to fish on their own. They can float through the sea for years, sometimes decades, entangling marine organisms of all shapes and sizes.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 10% of all marine litter is abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear – 640 000 tonnes all up! Unfortunately, many ghost nets are discarded deliberately when they have aged or snagged. Other times, the nets break off in heavy storms or strong currents. Either way, due to the increase of global fishing operations and new-age, highly durable synthetic fishing gear, the ghost net problem is getting worse.

What is being done?

As this is a global issue, Australian waters are not exempt from the hauntings. Even though there are Australian fishermen contributing to the problem, most of the ghost nets found in Australian waters originate from other countries. 

There is, however, an amazing team of people in northern Australia at the front line of the war against ghost nets. The Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme (CGNP) now known as Ghost Nets Australia (GNA) is a growing organisation of 18 indigenous communities surrounding the Gulf of Carpentaria. Since 2004, these communities have been able to work together to gather ghost nets, rescue marine wildlife and turn ghostly tangles into beautiful and handy works of art.

Since its conception in 2004 the programme has removed over 6500 nets of varying sizes from approximately 1500km of north Australian coastline. This unbelievable effort also led to the rescue of a proportion of the trapped marine wildlife - more than half were marine turtles.

GNA also recognises the importance of reusing and recycling. Projects turning ghost nets into useful items such as hammocks, bags and baskets are run throughout the year.

This success and outside-the-square thinking has earned the programme many well deserved awards. In June this year, GNA took out one of the most prestigious awards; The United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) Environment Award. 

The 5^th of June is World Environment Day, and every year the UNAA selects positive programmes they feel deserve recognition for their work towards protecting or restoring the world’s natural heritage. Not only has a fantastic all-Australian organisation been recognised for their efforts, but the ghost net problem has been nationally highlighted. If more Australians are aware of the destruction occurring in our oceans, the stronger the fight will be against ghost nets.

What Can you Do?

Ghost Nets Australia is at the battlefront, protecting Australian waters from the onslaught of drift nets floating into our seas.  You can help!

Currently GNA does not have the infrastructure to run a volunteer programme, but there

are other ways in which interested persons can help out. These are financially, and through

raising awareness.

To donate to the programme, you can mail a cheque – gratefully received and tax deductible – to our Karumba base office;

PO Box 155, Karumba QLD 4891

You can also support a specific Ranger Group or sponsor an injured turtle. If you are interested you can email the programme team:

Grace - ghostnets@northerngulf.com.au

Jen - ghostnets@northerngulf.com.au

All photographs are sourced from the Ghost Nets Australia website http://www.ghostnets.com.au/