Editorial

14:57 JST, August 14, 2025

Plastic fishing nets and ropes left behind in the sea threaten the lives of marine animals. There is also concern about the impact on vessels. Measures must be taken to protect the marine environment.

Such fishing equipment is called “ghost gear” because it drifts in the sea like a ghost.

There are more than a few cases in which ghost gear gets entangled in reefs and becomes unrecoverable, is swept away by bad weather, or is intentionally discarded. Such fishing tackle is also referred to as “the most dangerous marine plastic waste.”

Ghost gear accounts for about 10% of the world’s marine plastic waste, with an estimated 1.15 million tons flowing into the sea each year. Much of this waste comes from China and Southeast........

© The Japan News