Global Ghost Gear Initiative

Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Name	Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Abbreviation	GGGI
Formation	2015
Type	International NGO network
Headquarters	London
Region served	Global

Global Ghost Gear Initiative

The Global Ghost Gear Initiative is an international collaborative network addressing abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear. It convenes conservationists, scientists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to reduce marine pollution, protect wildlife, and promote circular economy solutions across coastal regions, marine protected areas, and maritime industries.

Overview

The Initiative brings together stakeholders from United Nations Environment Programme, World Wildlife Fund, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Food and Agriculture Organization, Marine Stewardship Council, and national agencies such as Environment Agency (England), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada) to tackle derelict fishing gear through removal, prevention, and policy. It interfaces with multinational instruments including the London Convention, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and regional bodies like Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic to advance standards for marine debris. The network emphasizes partnerships with indigenous organizations, local ports, fishing cooperatives, and private-sector firms such as Bureau Veritas, DNV (company), and seafood companies certified by Aquaculture Stewardship Council and the Global Aquaculture Alliance.

History and formation

The Initiative was launched following growing scientific evidence from programs and researchers at institutions such as University of Exeter, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, James Cook University, and Zoological Society of London documenting entanglement of species like loggerhead sea turtle, Atlantic cod, green sea turtle, humpback whale, and albatross. Early convenings included representatives from Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar Convention, International Maritime Organization, and NGOs including Oceana, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Surfrider Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Donors and funders included philanthropic foundations such as the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Oak Foundation, while pilot projects were coordinated with regional fisheries management organizations like North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission and Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.

Objectives and strategy

Core objectives align with targets set by Sustainable Development Goal 14, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and initiatives from Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Strategic pillars include research and data standardization with partners such as Ocean Conservancy and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, capacity building through training with institutions like FAO and WorldFish, policy engagement with parliaments and ministries in countries including Indonesia, Philippines, United Kingdom, United States, and Kenya, and innovation in materials with corporations and labs such as BASF, DuPont, and university technology transfer offices at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Imperial College London.

Programs and activities

Activities encompass removal operations in collaboration with municipal authorities like Port of Rotterdam and Los Angeles Harbor Department, gear marking and recovery schemes modelled on programs from New Zealand and Norway, and data collection platforms interoperable with databases maintained by Global Fishing Watch and biodiversity repositories like GBIF. The Initiative supports community-based beach cleanups that partner with groups such as Plastic Free July and regional campaigns in archipelagos including Philippine Islands, Great Barrier Reef, and the Caribbean. It sponsors pilot circular economy projects involving recycling firms and startups from Singapore and Netherlands to convert polyamide and polyvinyl materials into new products, and promotes best-practice guidelines for fisheries supplied to market actors like Walmart, Thai Union, and Iceland Foods.

Governance and partners

Governance is multi-stakeholder, with steering groups composed of representatives from universities (University of British Columbia, University of Cape Town), intergovernmental organizations (UNEP, FAO), NGOs (WWF, The Nature Conservancy), and industry associations such as International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and regional fishing associations like the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency. Secretariat functions are hosted in collaboration with conservation organizations and academic partners in hubs across London, Bangkok, and Nairobi. Funding and project partnerships involve bilateral development agencies including USAID, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and multilateral banks such as the World Bank.

Impact and monitoring

Impact assessment draws on scientific monitoring from institutions like Smithsonian Institution and longitudinal studies published in journals such as Nature, Science Advances, and Marine Pollution Bulletin. The Initiative reports metrics on tonnes of gear recovered, reductions in bycatch of species like leatherback sea turtle and short-tailed albatross, and policy adoption by states party to regional agreements including the European Union directives and national marine debris strategies in New Zealand and Canada. It collaborates with technology partners such as Planet Labs and Airbus for remote sensing and leverages crowd-sourced databases used by iNaturalist and eBird for biodiversity context.

Criticism and challenges

Critics from academic forums including panels at International Marine Conservation Congress and editorials in outlets like The Guardian and Nature Climate Change argue that fragmentation among stakeholder agendas, limited long-term financing from donors like European Commission instruments, and technical barriers in recycling mixed polymer gear constrain scalability. Operational challenges cite risks in collaboration with fishing fleets from ports such as Port Louis and Busan, legal ambiguities under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning gear ownership, and difficulties in reconciling market incentives involving corporations such as Maersk and seafood supply chains dominated by conglomerates like Marfrig Global Foods.

Category:Environmental organizations