Our Mission: Cleaning the Oceans, One Net at a Time
Founded in 2015, Ghost Fishing UK is an award-winning charity (Charity No: 1174396) focused on removing Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) – known as ‘Ghost Gear’ – from our oceans. We’re on a mission to make our waters safer for marine life and divers by eliminating this deadly threat.
We pioneered the world’s first Ghost Fishing course and continue to train new divers. Our team is a dedicated group of volunteer scuba divers trained in advanced diving techniques to safely locate, survey and remove ghost gear.
"70% of our planet is covered by water. Protecting our oceans is vital both now and for future generations"
The Problem
Ghost fishing gear has been a long-standing issue but has only gained public attention recently. It’s an unfortunate reality of fishing that nets, pots, and lines sometimes get lost. Animals are needlessly trapped and killed by ghost gear, perpetuating a vicious cycle where the caught animals attract even more marine life.
What We Do
Our divers survey sites, collect data on ghost gear and trapped animals, and use innovative techniques to safely remove the gear. This involves attaching air-filled bags to lift the gear and carefully cutting it free.
When recovered, we sort the gear, returning anything reusable to the fishing community whenever possible. The rest is broken down a sent for recycling, either into conventional recycling streams, or to our partners such as Ocean Plastic Pots or Behaviour Change Cornwall.
However, we are a small group consisting of entirely volunteers. We have no paid staff. There is only so much we can do, and without government initiatives we cannot solve this problem on our own.
We are not anti-fishing. We aim to work with the fishing community and solve this problem together.
"Working with the fishing community, we can protect our oceans and reduce the impact of lost gear."
Awards and Recognition
- Plastic Free Awards 2021 – Winner
- Fishing News Awards 2022 – Winner
In the Media
Ghost Fishing UK has featured on the BBC One Show, Springwatch, Devon & Cornwall Show, and Sky News, helping raise awareness about the ghost gear problem.
Our talented team of underwater videographers and photographers work closely with the media for maximum outreach. We also host talks and events across the country, featuring a range of guest speakers.
Join Us
We’re entirely run and managed by volunteers with no employees. We’re always on the lookout for people who’d like to help volunteer their time, whether that’s through diving, surface volunteering or helping with administration.
Our volunteers are a diverse range of individuals with all manner of skills and experience and no matter what your experience is, we can find a place for you.
If you’re keen to know more, please see our diver and surface volunteer pages, or contact us.