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MISSION STATEMENT
Fishing gear has been lost, abandoned, or otherwise discarded in all seas and oceans ever since fishing began. The extent and impact of the “ghost gear” problem has compounded significantly over the last 50 years, with increasing levels of global commercial fishing and the use of ever more durable fishing gear.
Over 800 species of marine organisms are recorded as having encountered human-made debris, such as plastic and glass, according to several comprehensive impact studies. According to the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission of UNESCO, plastic waste comprises over 80% of all marine pollution, and that plastic waste will outweigh all of the fish in the oceans by the year 2050.
In total, impact studies found that 693 species are documented as having encountered debris, with nearly 400 species’ encounters involving entanglement and ingestion. These incidents have occurred around the world, but were most commonly reported off of the east and west coasts of North America, Europe, and Australia.
Plastic rope and netting were responsible for most of the entanglements, with a large percentage of incidents affecting cetaceans, porpoises, sea turtles, and sharks.
Ghost gear is a problem on a massive scale, and it threatens all marine life. Fragile ecosystems are in danger, including coral reefs, mangroves, and marine nurseries. Sea turtles use the coastline to lay their eggs on beaches, and in nurseries amongst the mangroves; sharks, migrating whales, and whalesharks seek the protection of marine nurseries for reproduction. The presence of ghost gear threatens the reproduction of many endangered species. Currently there are several groups and organizations collecting data and removing ghost nets, and there are some innovative manufacturers (Adidas, Parley For The Oceans, Fourth Element) recycling ghost nets. Most of these initiatives originated geographically on the northern part of the globe, and are almost exclusively developed by highly trained professional or technical divers.
The Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor which connects Cocos Islands (Costa Rica), Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Malpelo (Colombia), and Coiba (Panama), is essential for marine biodiversity. Pacific pelagic species rely upon the Pacific Corridor for migratory paths and breeding, and the Corridor contains an incredible variety of endemic species.
Both legal and IUU fishing is an immediate, direct threat to the survival of pelagic species, during and after a catch. Expansive fishing nets and long lines are lost to the sea, where they continue to pose an imminent deadly threat to marine life. Direct action is required to surface dangerous ghost gear, and to actively protect marine life from its devastating effects. Immediate action is required to protect existing populations of endangered migratory species, whose breeding areas and nurseries become death traps with the existence of ghost gear.
Panama Ghost Net unites diverse communities in direct action to clean and protect the waters of Panama. The primary objective is to locate and remove ghost nets in protected marine zones and coastal waters to eliminate urgent threats to marine life.
At Panama Ghost Net, experienced divers collaborate with local captains, communities, Coiba National Park rangers, government representatives, fishermen, and recreational scuba divers to locate and remove ghost nets and execute marine rescue operations.
Primary goals include building coalitions among governments, corporations, and civil society to improve ocean governance, and to highlight the importance of achieving effective regulations across sectors and at all levels, from local to regional, while encouraging the enforcement of established laws.
Proposal
With one of the few Instructors in the world on our team qualified by PADI- Global Training Consultants to teach the PADI Ghost Fishing Gear Removal Specialist Course to recreational divers, the central idea is to have access to the global diver population of approximately 6 million. Passionate recreational divers will be trained on how to remove abandoned fishing gear and other marine debris in a safe and coordinated manner. Divers tend to be environmentally focused, and have proven eager to participate in ocean conservation programs.
Panama Ghost Net Instructors will begin teaching this specialty course to certified recreational divers, and to the volunteers that we will be accepting for various conservation projects. Ghost Fishing Gear Removal specialty training will be combined with other specialist PADI courses on Turtle and Shark conservation, which can be offered not only to divers, but also to snorkelers and in local schools and Universities.
Panama Ghost Net will raise awareness of ghost gear and ocean conservation, while increasing the training and capabilities of PADI divers. Panama Ghost Net initiatives will motivate other organizations and the public to work towards ocean conservation. The second phase of ghost gear removal is to recycle/reuse the recovered ghost gear, as a source of revenue for coastal communities.
All Panama Ghost Net removal efforts are carefully documented, and open source data is shared and analyzed to better identify marine areas currently under the greatest threat. Panama Ghost Net works closely with the innovative organization Aerth, to compile and analyze data in support of ocean conservation.
Aerth is an NGO focused on the sharing or open sourcing of data collected from clean ups, research, and environmental reports in numerous fields.
The work of Aerth is inspiring more global citizens, governments, companies, and institutions to access and heed collected data, and to be collectively aware of global conservation challenges. Data compiled and shared by Aerth has directly influenced the development of laws and regulations. Moving ahead, data analysis and open sourcing can influence the zoning of marine parks, the management of fisheries, and increased protection for vulnerable marine zones. First, ocean conservation laws must be established, and then they must be enforced.
The Panama Ghost Net team of trustees and board members is an expert, diverse group of experienced conservationists, divers, professionals, and scientists whose passion for marine conservation enables mission success.
Please follow the link below for more information: https://www.panamaghost.net/
For The Oceans,
Panama Ghost Net